Goal Guider: A Mobile and Web-Based System for Self-Management of Everyday Life by Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism

The project goal is to develop and test the feasibility of a self-management system, Goal
Guider, consisting of a mobile application and companion web site that allows individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism to effectively manage self-defined goals for everyday living across various personal, educational, and vocational life domains. Users will be able to easily enter goals, work with data for each goal, engage with information displays that communicate progress, and complete the self-management loop by evaluating results and linking them with contingent incentives that they have defined. The primary interface for users with cognitive disabilities will be on the mobile device while a companion web site will emphasize shared access for families, teachers, and support staff to help with user setup, data entry, and review.

Cognitively accessible self-management applications offer an untapped resource to augment the functional ability of individuals with disabilities who cannot use typical commercial applications because of inability to work with interfaces that are text-based and cognitively complex. Participants will include 10 individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism aged 18-21 who are pursuing a modified diploma through an extended school program focusing on daily living skills, employment, and social skills toward successful transition to adulthood.