function setTouchInProgress(val) {

      //If destroy is called in an event handler, we have no el, and we have already cleaned up, so return.
      if(!$element) { return; }

      //Add or remove event listeners depending on touch status
      if (val === true) {
        $element.bind(MOVE_EV, touchMove);
        $element.bind(END_EV, touchEnd);

        //we only have leave events on desktop, we manually calcuate leave on touch as its not supported in webkit
        if (LEAVE_EV) {
          $element.bind(LEAVE_EV, touchLeave);
        }
      } else {

        $element.unbind(MOVE_EV, touchMove, false);
        $element.unbind(END_EV, touchEnd, false);

        //we only have leave events on desktop, we manually calcuate leave on touch as its not supported in webkit
        if (LEAVE_EV) {
          $element.unbind(LEAVE_EV, touchLeave, false);
        }
      }


      //strict equality to ensure only true and false can update the value
      $element.data(PLUGIN_NS + '_intouch', val === true);
    }
Sets a data flag to indicate that a touch is in progress
@param {boolean} val The value to set the property to
@inner