The participant will learn a model to promote collaborative decision-making in all phases of assistive technology (AT) service design and delivery from consideration through implementation and evaluation of effectiveness. Utilizing the tools presented, participants will learn to evaluate clients with diverse abilities, needs, and experiences in the various environments they typically encounter and develop an AT plan of care for participation and achievement. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA

The most important step toward developing physical literacy is the mastering of fundamental movement skills. This course will provide attendees with information and resources to evaluate and train the fundamental skills needed to develop physical literacy for children who use wheelchairs. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT and PTA.

This course summarizes the benefits of providing early mobility experiences for infants and toddlers who have mobility delays. Concepts related to introducing power mobility, developing a power mobility training plan, and using outcome measures to assess the impact of power mobility will be presented and discussed. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT and PTA.

The position of the pelvis very much determines the position of the trunk and lower extremities and so achieving and maintaining the optimal position is critical. This course will present common pelvic asymmetries with suggested strategies to address each challenge. Providing as neutral a pelvic position as possible improves overall posture, stability and function.

This course will discuss various strategies to optimize head position. First, we will explore strategies beyond the head support, including specific positioning interventions and addressing visual issues. Second, we will explore posterior head supports in depth, matching specific features to client needs. Third, we will explore other options which may be required if posterior support alone is inadequate, including anterior head support.

Given the ever increasing demands for evidence-based therapeutic outcomes, clinicians often grapple with how to effectively evaluate client-centered outcomes of seating and mobility interventions. This session will introduce the use of single-subject research designs (SSRDs) as a way to promote evidence-based evaluation of outcomes through a clinically oriented yet rigorous approach that allows clinicians to quantitatively evaluate and validate outcomes within their everyday practice.

Dynamic seating has four primary functions – to allow movement, to diffuse force, to protect the client, and to protect the seating system and mounting hardware. This course will take a look at the product options, discuss clinical indicators and contra-indicators for dynamic components and present case studies to illustrate these points.

Accessibility consultation is a growing specialty for medical and design/build professionals. This training program provides a common language and understanding of the specialized knowledge and skills needed to implement a team approach to service delivery. Crucial knowledge includes UD design principles, legislative compliance, design/build problems/solutions, and specialized products to promote safety, independence and quality of life for both caregivers and consumers. Using case studies and a multi-media format, practical applications and problem solving strategies using a team bulding approach will be presented to help eliminate environmental barriers using universal design principles.

Assistive technology provides independence in the areas of mobility, communication, education, vocation, and activities of daily living. To benefit from this technology, the client must be able to access it. This course addresses one access method, switches, and how to determine the best switch location and type to match a client’s needs.

The goals of wheelchair seating are to provide adequate postural support, stability, alignment, function, and pressure relief. Children are not just miniature adults and additional factors must be considered to achieve successful outcomes.