Object Control Skills Training for Children with Intellectual Disability: An Implementation Case Study

Abstract

Children with intellectual disability (ID) tend to have difficulty with mastering fundamental movement skills, associated with cognitive deficits that impair skill acquisition. In this case study, motor learning evidence was transformed into an object control skills training program for children with ID in a school context. An implementation framework was used for program design, pilot, and evaluation. Research evidence on error-reduced motor learning was combined with practitioners' insights to inform the program design. Children with ID in the participant school were allocated to a training or control group for the pilot; object control skills proficiency was the measured outcome. The lead trainer was interviewed and their notes were reviewed for process evaluation. Significant improvements in participants' object control skills proficiency were found following training. The process evaluation confirmed fidelity and identified implementation factors. The systematically designed application was found beneficial for children with ID. Implementation criteria were identified for future iterations of an error-reduced approach to training movement skills of children with ID.