Running head: BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR

COMPUTER ACCESS

Brief Report: The Effect of a Joystick Mouse for Computer Access

Ryann W. Hydeman
Kansas State University

BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

The Effect of a Joystick Mouse for Computer Access

Introduction
Students with physical disabilities particularly have issues with limited capabilities to computer
access. Using the normal mouse, keyboard, programs, etc. can become a barrier when using a
computer. With technology being such a big part of our world, computer capabilities are certainly
a skill that all students need to acquire. All students need to have the opportunity to
successfully use a computer as a tool in their learning. Students need to
have the knowledge that there are assistive technology tools and programs
available to assist them in their education as well as their future employment
and endeavors.
Literature Review

Purpose
The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the use of a joystick mouse to improve the ability to
use a computer successfully.
Methods
Participants
For this manuscript there is one male student at the age of 6. He has an orthopedic impairment,
cerebral palsy. His cerebral palsy leads him to have speech and vision impairments. It is hard for
him to speak due to shortness of breath and he has to tilt his head down and turn it to the side due
to having a hard time seeing smaller print and images. He also has difficulty with his fine motor
skills. it tires out his fingers when typing. His present level of performance in using a normal
computer mouse is that he cannot keep a grip on the mouse to move or click it successfully. To

BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

compensate for not being able to use the normal mouse, he uses teacher assistance and keyboard
commands to operate the computer. The interventionist is a 29 year old female who is in her
second year of teaching at Riley County Grade School as the computer/science teacher. She
received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special
Education in 2012. She holds a second initial teaching license in the state of Kansas with hopes
to specialize in computer/science to soon hold a Professional Teaching License. She is currently
working towards her Master degree in Curriculum and Instruction Digital Teaching and
Learning.
Setting
The USD 378 district is located in Riley, Kansas. There are two building, one is for grades K-8
and the other building holds 9-12. There are roughly 500 students in the grade school and around
200 in the high school. This students class has 18 students in it. His class comes to the basement,
where the computer/science room is, for computer/science class. Because he is in a wheelchair
and there is no elevator to the computer/science classroom, the interventionist visits him in the
special education room five days a week for 20 minutes at a time. The room that we meet is calm
and quiet during the time that we are there. Most days there are no other students in the room.
Some days there are a few other students but it is still fairly calm and quiet. There are 2 computer
desks available and we use the same one each time as it is accessible for him to park his
wheelchair right up to the computer desk. His para-professional takes a break during this time
but is reachable if needed.
Dependent Variable/Target Behavior
Using keyboard commands to operate as a mouse is good, but still limits your ability to using the
computer. The student shows a need to improve his mouse skills with a joystick mouse to be able

BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

to operate a computer more successfully and efficiently. His ability to create, design and play
games independently is affected due to not being able to operate a normal mouse. Computer
accessibility is defined as the accessibility of a computer system to all people,
regardless of disability or severity of impairment. This students mouse capabilities
will be measured by demonstrating a single and double click with the normal mouse and the
joystick mouse.
Procedure
The student was assessed using the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI)
Consideration Guide, Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative Student Information Guide for
Computer Access, Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative Environmental Observation Guide,
and the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative Assistive Technology Assessment Technology
Checklist. The computer access task was checked for his difficulty in operating a computer
without a lot of teacher assistance. Tasks that are difficult for the student are mainly with the
mouse; moving, clicking, double clicking and click, hold, drag and drop. These tasks were
impossible for him to accomplish independently with the low mobility in his hands. The
accommodations that this student is already receiving is an alternate keyboard with bigger keys
that only allow one letter to be typed for every time you push a key no matter how long the
duration. This student is also learning to use keyboard commands as a mouse to operate the
computer without a mouse. The assistive technology to be tried based on the information
gathered through the WATI was a joystick mouse. To collect the baseline data, the student was
asked to demonstrate moving, clicking, and double clicking with the normal mouse. The student
attempted to complete these tasks as asked. The interventionist then introduced the joystick
mouse to the student. The interventionist showed and demonstrated each tasks having the student

BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

show and demonstrate as each tasks was introduced. The interventionist wanted to see if the
student would be able to demonstrate these commands as asked without teacher assistance.
Results/Discussion
The baseline data collected over five different meeting times showed that the student was not
able to successfully complete the task independently of moving, clicking and double clicking
with a normal mouse.
Conclusion

BRIEF REPORT: THE EFFECT OF A JOYSTICK MOUSE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

Moving, Clicking, and Double Clicking with a mouse

Baseline
Date

Yes, the student was able to

move, click and double click with
a normal mouse

11/7/14
11/10/14
11/12/14
11/13/14
11/14/14
Intervention
Yes, the student was able to
move, click and double click with
a joystick mouse.
11/17/14
X
11/18/14
X
11/19/14
X
11/20/14
X
11/21/14
X

No, the student was not able to move,

click and double click with a normal
mouse
X
X
X
X
X
No, the student was not able to move,
click and double click with a joystick
mouse

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