A320 CAPT EXTENDED THE ACFT FLAPS AT 300 KTS INSTEAD OF THE ACFT SPD BRAKES.

Narrative

WHILE ON THE JANESVILLE 4 ARR INTO ORD FROM ABOUT DUBUQUE; ZAU HAD US KEEPING UP OUR SPD SO THEY COULD CLOSE A GAP AND TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTRS; WHICH WAS NO PROB AT THE TIME. THE LAST SPD ASSIGNMENT WE WERE GIVEN WAS 300 KTS. AS I (PF) RECALL; WE WERE EITHER OVER JANESVILLE OR JUST E OF JANESVILLE AT EITHER 15000 FT OR 17000 FT; WHEN CHICAGO APCH TOLD US TO CROSS KRENA AT 7000 FT. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE NAV DISPLAY AND DOING SOME QUICK MENTAL CALCULATIONS; I SAID 'WE NEED TO GET THIS THING DOWN NOW.' WHILE STILL LOOKING AT THE NAV DISPLAY; WITH MY R HAND I GRABBED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE SPD BRAKES TO INCREASE THE DRAG AND GET THE ACFT DOWN. AS SOON AS I STARTED TO DEPLOY THE SPD BRAKES; WE GOT THE VMAX WARNING. I LOOKED AT THE PFD AND I SAW WE WERE IN THE RED TAPE. WITH MY R HAND STILL ON THE SPD BRAKE; SO I THOUGHT; I LOOKED DOWN; AND IN FACT HAD MY HAND ON THE FLAP HANDLE. THE FLAP OVERSPD TOOK PLACE AT 13000 FT AND THE AIRSPD WAS 300 KTS. THE FLAP HANDLE WAS IN FLAPS 1 DEG; FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS. I RAISED THE FLAP HANDLE AND THE WARNING WAS GONE. WE CONTINUED TO ORD; PERFORMED A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXI IN. ONCE AT GATE; ADVISED MAINT AND DOCUMENTED INCIDENT IN LOGBOOK. I BELIEVE THE FO (PNF) WAS LOOKING DOWN IN HIS FLT BAG FOR SOMETHING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I HAVE FOR MY ERROR IS THAT I AM NEW IN THE ACFT; AND DIDN'T TAKE THE NECESSARY TIME TO INSURE I HAD THE CORRECT HANDLE; IN MY DESIRE TO COMPLY WITH ZAU'S REQUEST. I AM SURE I WILL NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 544999: THE 2 HANDLES ARE NEAR EACH OTHER AND ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND POS. LOGBOOK WRITE-UP WAS MADE; DETAILING THE DURATION; SPD (300 KTS) AND ALT (APPROX 13000 FT) THAT THE FLAP OVERSPD OCCURRED. MECH DISAPPEARED AND WE DIDN'T GET TO BRIEF HIM FULLY OF THE SIT; BUT INFORMED THE NEXT FLC.