Improving computer usage for students with physical disabilities through a collaborative approach: A pilot study

Purpose : To investigate the measurement properties of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) with respect to test-retest stability, alternate form reliability, construct validity and applicability. Method : Data on satisfaction and quality of life impacts of mobility devices were obtained from 81 community-based adults with Multiple Sclerosis, using the QUEST 2.0 and the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS). Subjects were assigned to four groups and a second QUEST 2.0 was administered one week later. Groups differed with respect to the format and the order in which alternate forms were presented. Measures of association were calculated between QUEST 2.0 and PIADS (n = 81) and between QUEST 2.0 alternate forms (n = 48). Respondents' reactions were considered. Results : The device subscale, services subscale, and total QUEST 2.0 scores achieved good test-retest stability (ICC 0.82, 0.82, 0.91). Alternate-form equivalence (ICC 0.89, 0.76, 0.91) was lower for services. The positive correlations between QUEST 2.0 and the three PIADS dimensions were fair to moderate for device and total QUEST 2.0 (r p 0.34 to 0.45) and fair with services (r p 0.27 to 0.30). The tool was positively received, with some restrictions for the services subscale. Conclusions : These findings on the psychometric properties of the QUEST 2.0 reinforce the relevance of the device subscale as an important outcome measure for assistive technology MS users. Further assessment of the services subscale is needed.

Supporting Families of Children Who Use AAC

Purpose: To assess the effects of a mobility service dog (MSD) on pain, fatigue, wheelchair-related functional tasks, participation and satisfaction among manual wheelchair users over a nine-month period.Method: A longitudinal study with repeated assessment times before and three, six and nine months after intervention was achieved. Intervention consisted in partnering each participant with a MSD. The setting is a well-established provincial service dog training school and participants homes. A convenience sample of 24 long-term manual wheelchair users with a spinal cord injury was involved. Outcome measures were: Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI), Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), vitality scale from the SF-36, grip strength, Wheelchair Skills Test (WST), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI), Life Space Assessment, Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0).Results: Shoulder and wrist pain as well as fatigue decreased significantly over time with the use of a MSD as evidenced by scores from WUSPI, RPE and SF-36 (feeling less worn out). Manual wheelchair propulsion skills (steep slopes, soft surfaces and thresholds) improved significantly over time as confirmed by the WST. Participation increased significantly over time as revealed by the COPM (for five occupations) and the RNLI (for five items). Satisfaction with the MSD was high over time (QUEST: nine items) and with a high positive psychosocial impact (PIADS: 10 items).Conclusion: MSD represents a valuable mobility assistive technology option for manual wheelchair users.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION For manual wheelchair users partenered with mobility service dog • Shoulder pain and fatigue significantly decreased and continued to decrease between the third and sixth month and the ninth month. • Performance with propelling the wheelchair up steep slopes increased from 41 to 88% and on soft surfaces increased from 53 to 100% after 3 months, respectively. • Occupational performance satisfaction was significantly increased for mobility in relation with the transfers, navigating in a natural environment and picking up objects. • High satisfaction towards psychosocial competency, psychosocial adequacy and self-esteem were reported at months three, six and nine.

This study aims to examine the relationship between self-advocacy skills, assistive technology use, and self-esteem among adults with physical disabilities. A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 244 adults with physical disabilities. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing self-esteem, self-advocacy skills, and assistive technology use. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to explore the relationships between the variables. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which self-advocacy skills and assistive technology use predict self-esteem. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 27. The results indicated significant positive correlations between self-esteem and both self-advocacy skills (r = .62, p < .01) and assistive technology use (r = .58, p < .01). Self-advocacy skills and assistive technology use were found to be significant predictors of self-esteem, accounting for 49% of the variance (R² = .49, F(2, 241) = 115.63, p < .001). The regression analysis revealed that self-advocacy skills (B = 0.34, β = .42, p < .001) and assistive technology use (B = 0.28, β = .36, p < .001) both positively influence self-esteem. The study concludes that self-advocacy skills and assistive technology use are crucial determinants of self-esteem in adults with physical disabilities. These findings highlight the importance of providing support and training in self-advocacy and access to appropriate assistive technology to enhance psychological well-being and autonomy in this population. Future research should explore these relationships longitudinally and across diverse disability groups.

There is a growing prevalence of disability worldwide, which indicates an increasing number of persons who might benefit from assistive technologies. The purpose of this observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study is to assess the psychosocial and participation impact of powered wheelchairs (PW). From May to October 2017, 30 powered wheelchair users were interviewed using the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) scale, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and the Activities and Participation Profile Related to Mobility (PAPM) scale, in addition to some demographic, clinical and powered wheelchair related questions. Descriptive and correlational statistics were performed to analyze the data. The participants were satisfied with both AT and related services, with the lowest QUEST scores belonging to those who had been using their wheelchairs for a longer period of time. PAPM scores revealed significant restrictions in participation mostly among users with longer wheelchair utilization. The most satisfied were the ones with better performance in terms of social participation. The psychosocial impact, in terms of adaptability, was higher among users who transitioned from a manual to a PW compared to those who already had a PW. There was an overall positive psychosocial impact of the powered wheelchairs, and, potentially, an increase in the quality of life of the users. There’s a lack of research in this area, specifically to evaluate the impact of the environmental barriers on the social participation and on the quality of life of powered wheelchair users.

Children with autism face many social challenges and these have been associated with vulnerability to social exclusion and higher levels of bullying compared to the general population. This can lead to long-term negative outcomes including damaged self-esteem and mental health difficulties. Since the majority of autistic children in the UK attend mainstream schools, the studies conducted for this thesis aimed to explore under-researched areas such as the impact of inclusion, and in particular the attitudes of neurotypical children towards their autistic peers. In Study 1, interviews with autistic girls and their parents (n=22) revealed that girls experienced high levels of bullying, school absenteeism and a tendency to mask their autism and that this was more apparent in mainstream compared to special schools. In Study 2, interviews with teachers (n=12) highlighted many challenges supporting autistic children, but also identified some creative solutions and factors that control the extent to which these were implemented. The next three studies explored attitudes of neurotypical children and whether these could be changed through exposure and contact. Studies 3 and 4 (n=775) investigated attitudes of children in schools with high versus low exposure to autism. Findings revealed that educational exposure led to an increase in prosocial emotional responses to bullying and increased personal exposure facilitated an increase in positive attitudes towards people with autism. Study 5 evaluated the influence of contact with autistic peers through group music-making (n=49) on the attitudes of their neurotypical peers. The intervention led to increased prosocial emotional responses to a vignette depicting social exclusion of a child with autism. In summary, autistic children face many challenges, which are not always addressed by teachers in mainstream schools. Furthermore, the physical and social environment of the school affects attitudes towards autistic children. Combining educational exposure within inclusive school climates, and personal exposure through structured intergroup opportunities, can improve responses to bullying and attitudes towards autism, and may ultimately increase quality of life for autistic children in mainstream schools.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood mental disorders that manifest with difficulties in staying focused and hyperactivity. Such children have been reported to have a higher incidence of traumatic dental injuries. The aim of this article was to study the knowledge and attitude of Saudi teachers of children with ADHD towards the management of traumatic dental injuries and compare them to their counterparts in mainstream schools. A four-part structured Arabic questionnaire was administered to 281 teachers of children with ADHD and 384 teachers in mainstream schools. The questionnaire recorded the demographic data, type of children taught, experience of the teacher in dealing with traumatic dental injuries, the teachers' perceived importance of managing traumatic dental injuries and their knowledge of emergency management of these injuries. The difference in knowledge and attitude between teachers of mainstream schools and schools for children with ADHD was assessed. The results of the study indicate that teachers of children with ADHD have a greater experience of witnessing traumatic dental injuries and place significantly more importance towards the management of these injuries than their counterparts in mainstream schools. The influence of demographic variables on knowledge seen in teachers from mainstream schools is absent in those teaching children with ADHD.

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PwALS) show progressive loss of voluntary muscle strength. In advanced disease, motor and phonatory impairments seriously hinder the patient's interpersonal communication. High-tech devices such as eye tracking communication devices (ETCDs) are used to aid communication in the later stages of ALS. We sought to evaluate the effect of ETCDs on patient disability, quality of life (QoL), and user satisfaction, in a group of 35 regular ETCD users in late-stage ALS with tetraplegia and anarthria. The following scales were administered: 1) the Individually Prioritized Problem Assessment (IPPA) scale, in three conditions: without device, with ETCD and, when applicable, with an Eye Transfer (ETRAN) board; 2) the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS); and 3) the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0). With ETRAN, IPPA showed an increase in communicative abilities with respect to the condition without device, but ETCD produced a further significant increase. PIADS evidenced a large increase of QoL, and QUEST 2.0 showed high user satisfaction with ETCD use. In conclusion, ETCDs should be considered in late-stage ALS with tetraplegia and anarthria, since in these patients they can reduce communication disability and improve QoL.

Assistive technologies (AT) enable people with disabilities to perform activities of daily living more independently, have greater access to community and healthcare services, and be more productive performing educational and/or employment tasks. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with various agents, including electronics, robotics, and software, has revolutionized AT, resulting in groundbreaking technologies such as mind-controlled exoskeletons, bionic limbs, intelligent wheelchairs, and smart home assistants. This article provides a review of various AI techniques that have helped those with physical disabilities, including brain-computer interfaces, computer vision, natural language processing, and human-computer interaction. The current challenges and future directions for AI-powered advanced technologies are also addressed.

Introduction The perception of individuals with physical disabilities regarding assistive technology influences their occupational participation in adapted sports. Despite its widespread use, there is a lack of awareness about the role it plays in the occupational participation of Para-athletes. Objective To explore the perceptions of individuals with physical disabilities regarding the use of assistive technology in occupational participation in adapted sports. Methodology : A qualitative research was conducted, using a constructionist approach and a phenomenological design. Purposive sampling was employed. Data was obtained through the application of semi-structured interviews to four individuals with physical disabilities practicing adapted sports in Santiago, Chile. Content analysis was performed, considering the perceptions present in the collected messages from a hermeneutic perspective. Results It is emphasized that assistive technology plays a crucial role in occupational participation in adapted sports. Additionally, various types of technologies used, experiences and perceptions in their use, socio-economic and access barriers, accessibility barriers, facilitators, and support in occupational participation, as well as the associated physical and psychological benefits, are identified. Conclusion The importance of ensuring equitable access to assistive technology for the occupational participation of individuals with physical disabilities in adapted sports is emphasized. There is a need to address socio-economic and accessibility challenges to maximize the benefits of adapted sports for this group, through joint actions involving civil society, government, and healthcare professionals.

Musculoskeletal pain was the leading cause of physical injuries and disabilities, and ranking sixth among the top ten diseases in terms of global burden of disease. Approximately 9.5 million working days lost. Office workers including bank workers are vulnerable group for work related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to prolonged sitting, computer work, repetitive tasks, static posture, and uncomfortably working conditions. In Ethiopia, the annual prevalence of MSDs among computer users ranged from 55.2% to 77.6%. Previous primary studies presented inconsistent findings. Therefore, this review aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and their associated factors among computer users in Ethiopia. We have extensively searched the PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science databases, and Google Scholar for all available studies. All retrieved studies were exported to EndNote version 7 reference manager and analyzed using STATA version 17 statistical software. A weighted inverse-variance random-effects model was used to compute the overall MSDs among computer users. Publication bias was assessed using the funnel plot's symmetry and a significant publication bias was identified using Egger's test with a p-value of less than 0.05. The quality and risk of bias was evaluated using the quality rating standards of the Joanna Briggs Institute and risk of bias assessment tool respectively. The pooled prevalence of MSDs among computer users was 65.86% (95% CI 60.53, 71.18). The pooled prevalence of neck, shoulder, upper back, elbow, lower back, wrist/hand, hip/thigh, knee and ankle were 38.2% (95% CI 27.65, 48.77), 29.06% (95% CI 17.62, 40.49), 30.94% (95% CI 23.76, 38.11), 17.32% (95% CI 9.25, 25.38), 44.41% (95% CI 37.75, 51.06), 19.37% (95% CI 12.44, 26.30), 13.23% (95% CI 7.52, 18.95), 15.50% (95% CI 9.98, 21.01), and 13.34% (95% CI 8.32, 18.36) respectively. Being aged 30 and above 4.019 (95%CI: 1.92, 8.43), working in awkward posture 4.49 (95%CI: 2.66, 7.58), not doing physical exercise 3.43 (95% CI 2.1, 5.32), and prolonged computer work 2.56 (95% CI 1.34, 4.9) were significantly higher risk to MSDs. In Ethiopia, the overall prevalence of MSDs among computer users was significantly high. Therefore, employees should reduce the time spent on computers, engage in at least 150min of exercise per week, and follow appropriate work practices and procedures while at work.

ABSTRACTAlthough there is a recognised need for effective practices to support students on the autism spectrum in mainstream schools, there is a research to practice gap in the area of autism and education, whereby evidence-based intervention may take decades to translate into mainstream classroom practice. Thus, current recommendations are that, rather than presenting mainstream school teachers with interventions developed and tested in clinical or special education settings, a participatory research process should be used to facilitate implementation in real-world mainstream classrooms. This article reports on a case study that aimed to refine a structured teaching intervention package for use in mainstream classrooms, while at the same time tailoring research methods for evaluating the package in these settings. The outcomes of the project are presented with respect to (a) the development and refinement of the intervention package in consultation with a mainstream classroom teacher and (b) the lessons learned during the process that other clinical researchers, teachers, and clinicians could apply when implementing educational interventions in mainstream settings.

Purpose Assistive technology (AT) is an effective tool to promote social connectedness among older adults affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, its role in reducing loneliness and health inequities is not well understood. The goal of this scoping review was to construct a model for how technologies may be deployed to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation, loneliness and health inequities for older adults. Methods PubMed, SCOPUS and PsychINFO were searched from 2010 to 2020 for the following keywords: “social isolation,” “loneliness,” “social support,” “resilience,” “technology,” “pandemic” and “health inequit*.” Articles selected for full analysis attempted to understand how technology alleviates social isolation and/or loneliness among older adults. Results Eighteen articles met the criteria for selection and data extraction. Six were review-type studies, seven were observational, three were randomized control trials, one opinion piece and one case study. ATs have been shown to reduce loneliness and social isolation, strengthen social support, and promote resilience among older adults. AT reduces loneliness both directly and indirectly, by affecting social isolation. There is insufficient evidence to determine technology’s relationship to health inequities experienced by older adults. Conclusions The model we have proposed should help advance research on the relationship between ATs and health inequities among older adults that may be aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesize that AT interventions for social support and functional competence should be sequenced to reduce health disparities. Implications for rehabilitation The social distancing and quarantine measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic can be linked to adverse health outcomes among older adult populations. Technology is an effective tool to promote social connectedness among older adults affected by the pandemic. Assistive technology (AT) interventions for social support and functional competence should be sequenced in order to have best effects on reducing health disparities.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Assistive technology (AT) can improve older adults’ function in daily activities. However, Latinos are among the least likely to use AT. Given that primary health care physicians (PCPs) have low awareness about AT, this study aims to evaluate the usability and acceptability of an AT WebAPP among PCPs to increase older Latinos’ access to AT. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A team of an established researcher, a sub-graduate faculty and student, and a graduate student will recruit ten PCPs in Puerto Rico and will interview them to explore their current practice in addressing the functional needs of older Spanish-speaking Latinos. The researchers will then train PCPs in the use of a Spanish evidence-based AT WebAPP developed in one of our earlier studies. PCP participants will use the APP with their older patients for 30 days. At the end of the usage period, the analysis will include a mixed method design, consisting of the simultaneous collection of quantitative data using a validated scale followed by qualitative data through individual interviews. Quantitative data will be analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative data with thematic content analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We expect that the AT WebAPP will be rated as particularly useful and acceptable by the PCPs to increase older Latinos’ access to information about AT that could compensate for their physical function disabilities. We also expect that PCPs will offer recommendations for enhancing the design and usability of the AT WebAPP. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Studying the usability and acceptability of this AT WebAPP among PCPs will advance our understanding of its feasibility in enhancing PCPs AT knowledge and recommendations of AT devices for older adults with disabilities in Puerto Rico and in Latino communities in the continental United States.

This paper reports the findings of a study that developed a standardized method to track individual assistive technology (AT) interventions for any user, able to generate reports needed in clinical practice, measure the outcome and detect possible critical issues requiring adjustment. Individual AT interventions were carried out with 120 participants, and the process was tracked by means of a purposely-developed template including five sections: (1) contact data, (2) Assessment Report, (3) Verification Report, (4) Follow-up Report, and (5) statistical data. The outcome of the interventions was measured for 34 participants by means of three instruments (KWAZO, IPPA and QUEST). KWAZO proved useful to capture the user’s perception about the quality of the process. IPPA proved useful to describe the perceived effectiveness of the assistive solution provided; negative IPPA scores are clear alerts that the user needs to be contacted again to check what happened and - if possible - undertake corrective interventions; near-to-zero (<1) IPPA scores also suggest to check whether the assistive solution has proved ineffective or brought about positive effects in relation to some problems and negative effects in relation to others. Likewise, possible low QUEST scores (<3) alert that the related products had critical problems and corrective actions may be required, in order to increase the assistive solution effectiveness.