UK Introduction Software packages are used quite extensively by children and adults who have profound and multiple disabilities. These packages are used for a variety of reasons. Other programs are used to give the client access to the school curriculum and support numeracy and literacy skills. In this paper we focus on one program, called Carousel, which was originally designed to address the development of switch skills. There are a large number of commercially available programs that address this area, therefore, before describing Carousel and some of the activities that have been developed for it, we will briefly review the features of other programs and try to identify the novel features of Carousel.
Most software designed to develop switch skills works in a similar way.
The way in which the software interacts with the input device is often configurable. For example, when using a single switch, the action may take place when the switch is first depressed or when it is released. The former teaches switch location skills, the latter develops skills in leaving the switch. One typical activity is picture building. Each time the switch is activated a new element is added to the picture.