Abstract
The present paper reports on a series of studies conducted at the Regional Center for Assistive Technology (Centro Regionale Ausili, CRA) in Bologna, Italy. Our purpose was to identify a set of internationally validated instruments and a training circuit with a view to developing a structured and validated Powered Mobility Device (PMD) assessment and training program. To develop the program, three studies were conducted in order to identify: validated measures for assessing the user’s driving skills and training needs for using a PMD (Study 1); measures for evaluating the outcomes of the PMD (Study 2); and, the elements necessary for building a circuit for conducting PMD training (Study 3). In studies 1 and 2, the Wheelchair Skill Test 4.2 Power Wheelchair (WST) and the Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM) were selected and pilot tested using QUEST 2.0. These studies represent an important step in the development and definition of a PMD assessment and training program to be implemented in routine clinical activities in a regional center for assistive technology in Italy. The measures, the circuit and the program will be further tested in future for validity and reliability in order to assess their efficacy in helping professionals to select the most adequate PMD for users, to conduct specific PMD training, and to evaluate PMD outcomes.
Highlights
The wheelchair is one of the most commonly used assistive technologies (AT) for enhancing the personal mobility of people with disability [1]
Face validation was assessed by asking the users, “Do you think this tool is suitable for exploring the impact of your Powered Mobility Device (PMD) on your participation?” Convergent validation to assess whether the construct behind the Italian version of the selected tool correlated with a well-validated tool assessing—partly—the same construct was evaluated
The three studies described here represent an important step in the development and definition of a PMD assessment and training program to be implemented in routine clinical activities
Summary
The wheelchair is one of the most commonly used assistive technologies (AT) for enhancing the personal mobility of people with disability [1]. In the field of AT, a recent position paper published by the Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) clearly recommends that “service delivery systems should include quality assurance procedures for self-correcting quality control of the process, of the devices provided, and the outcomes” [21] In this view, the ultimate goal of quality assurance is to use measures in order to support actions guiding the improvement of service delivery [20]. 2016, 4, 31aspects of the AT service delivery process (e.g., use of validated strategies for of assessment, regular follow-up services) and outcomes of AT intervention (e.g., AT device adoption, use, and increased effectiveness; users’ satisfaction with ATSD). We report on the main results of the three studies conducted and we discuss the implications in practice
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