Description
This course will include a literature review of current power wheelchair training and assessment applications and introduce virtual reality as a tool to enhance power wheelchair skills training and driving outcomes. Virtual reality has long been used for gaming and medical or job training. It is a valuable tool for enhancing learning of new skills with decreased risk to the trainee and other involved parties. Use of virtual reality in the seating clinic may reduce barriers such as lack of access to demo equipment, limited access to proper and/or safe training space and the gap between equipment trials and equipment delivery. Our course will review preliminary data on the impact of virtual reality on power wheelchair skills training outcomes.
Learning Outcomes:
The participant will be able to identify three barriers involved in the current power wheelchair skills training and prescription process.
The participant will be able to identify three potential benefits to the use of virtual reality for power wheelchair skills training and prescription.
The participant will be able to describe utilization of outcome measures to determine success of power wheelchair skills training and assist with justification of equipment prescription and necessity.
Erin Michael, PT, DPT, ATP/SMS is Manager of Patient Advocacy and Special Programs at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury in Baltimore. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Ithaca College in 2006. She specializes in treating clients with a variety of paralyzing neurological conditions and has specialized in seating and mobility for over 10 years. Michael is the coordinator of the ICSCI Seating and Mobility Clinic. She received her assistive technology professional certification in 2011 and her seating and mobility specialist certification in 2013. Michael is a member of the Clinician’s Task Force and of the RESNA Professional Standards Board. She previously held the position of vice-chair of the Seating and Wheeled Mobility SIG of RESNA for three years.
Meredith Linden, PT, DPT, ATP/SMS is a clinical specialist at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. She received her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Health Sciences in 2006 and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2008 from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She specializes in treating clients with a variety of paralyzing neurological conditions and has specialized in seating and mobility for 10 years. Budai has been a certified assistive technology professional since 2011, and a certified seating and mobility specialist since 2015. Areas of interest including seating and mobility, serial casting, pediatrics, and aquatic therapy.