Step Content: 

A person identified as needing a wheelchair is referred to the appropriate services based on their context (e.g., public, private, veterans, children). An appointment is scheduled for a comprehensive assessment, which includes cultural sensitivity, interview techniques, environment, lifestyle considerations, and a physical evaluation. This user-centered process aims to find the best match between available wheelchairs and cushions and the specific needs and requirements identified during the assessment, ensuring an optimal fit and support for the user.

Planning considerations:

Educators should find out information on all the referral systems (e.g. referral agency, community leaders) in local contexts to ensure students’ understanding. Sharing from a person who is involved in a referral system and does regular evaluations and prescriptions may be beneficial.

The International Classification of Functioning and Health is the framework in which the assessment is based.

Have a high-level understanding of what wheelchairs and cushions are locally available in the context.

Location/facilities:

The theoretical portion may be taught in a virtual environment. The practical portion needs to have enough room to have mat/assessment beds in a proportion appropriate  for the number of students in the course. You should ensure enough space to have  wheelchair and cushion product demonstrations

Human resources:

An educator with experience conducting wheelchair assessments. You could partner with wheelchair providers that have experience doing so.

How to teach the content:

Consider local case studies to illustrate this process.

Use of both demonstration and practical sessions.

You need to maintain an optimal student:instructor ratio for learning. If that’s a challenge, you can use the support of teaching assistants, or create sub-groups.

Practicals may be done with models or wheelchair users. You may recruit wheelchair users volunteers from civil society organizations and sports clubs.

WHO assessment video.

Recommended Equipment and tools:

Measuring tape (metal one preferred) and clipboards or hard surface to take measurements.

Mattress or bed to practice the assessment.

Skeleton.

Availability  of a range of basic manual and power wheelchairs and cushions. Consider going to rehabilitation centers, have agent(s) supply a variety of products for demonstration.

Basic tools to demonstrate wheelchair features/adjustability (e.g. Allen wrenches, wrench).

Documentation:

Local assessment form, if not  available, consider the WHO assessment form or a modification of it.

Local  prescription forms and/or WHO prescription forms modified to the context.

Product specification sheets or brochures inclusive of technical specifications (e.g.  components, sizes, adjustability).

Other comments related to contextual adaptation/implementation:

Take into account locally relevant issues.

Learning Objective

Identify the appropriate services for a referral and the roles of different referral services.

How to Teach

• Review role of appropriate services for referral.
• Problem-based group activity.
• Small group discussion.

How to Evaluate

Written or oral examination (live or recorded) and case study.

Learning Objective

State the purpose and factors of a client-centered, culturally- appropriate assessment in wheelchair provision.

How to Teach

Review a context-appropriate assessment form.Review a context-appropriate assessment form.

How to Evaluate

Oral or written activities to define, describe or identify the importance of information to be collected during the assessment.

Learning Objective

Examine the physical factors to be evaluated (e.g., upper extremity strength, propulsion strategy, transfers and other wheelchair skills, seating needs, skin integrity, and cognitive ability) as it relates to the International classification of function and disability.

How to Teach

Case studies of various mobility impairments.
Small group practical activities with students or wheelchair user volunteers.

How to Evaluate

Oral or written activities to distinguish, relate, or model the required physical factors in the basic wheelchair assessment.

Assessment section of the Basic Skills Assessment for Wheelchair Service Providers

Learning Objective

Explain actions needed to be taken if a wheelchair user has a pressure injury.

How to Teach

Review the levels of pressure injuries and corresponding actions.
Problem-based group activity.

How to Evaluate

Oral or written activities to summarize, classify, defend, or give examples of the actions needed to be taken based on the pressure injury level.

Learning Objective

Apply the measurement of body dimensions required for a basic wheelchair.

How to Teach

Body measurement demonstration activity (e.g. live, video, and illustration)

• You can use this lab guide from an occupational therapy program at University of Jordan, Jordan.

Small group practical activities with students or wheelchair user volunteers.

How to Evaluate

Oral or written activities to demonstrate or sketch the taking body measurements for a basic wheelchair.
Assessment section of the Basic Skills Assessment for Wheelchair Service Providers.

Learning Objective

Describe the different manual wheelchair features, methods of adjustment, and advantages and disadvantages.

How to Teach

Lecture with demonstrations (video or live) explaining the features of wheelchairs.
Experience (hands-on) wheelchair features.

How to Evaluate

Formal/informal assessment e.g. assignment or test.
Case studies and videos clips for active learning (students prepare and discuss in groups and report back) (questions provided).

Learning Objective

Describe the different cushion features appropriate for basic manual wheelchair users.

How to Teach

• Frontal lecture with demonstrations (video or live) explaining the different cushion features.
• Experience (hands-on) wheelchair cushion features.
• Hands-on exploration of cushions.
• Verbally present an overview of selected cushion properties and match to user’s linear measurements.
• Case study.
• Manuals.
  

How to Evaluate

Formal/informal assessment e.g. assignment or test or quizzes.

Learning Objective

Determine wheelchair and cushion prescription based on client’s body measurements and functional needs.

How to Teach

• Case studies with prepared body measurements.
• Live demonstrations (invite wheelchair users).
• Practice with peers.
  

How to Evaluate

Prescription forms evaluated. Basic Skills Assessment for Wheelchair Service Providers.