Jean-François Lam1, Laurent Gosselin1, Paula W Rushton2. 1. School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. 2. School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: paula.rushton@umontreal.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive description of the current state of knowledge regarding the use of virtual technology (VT) for wheelchair skills training. DATA SOURCES: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, ACM, IEEE Xplore, Inspec, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant articles from 1990 to February 2016. STUDY SELECTION: We included peer-reviewed studies or long conference proceedings that examined the use of VT as a medium to provide a wheelchair skills training intervention for any population with any diagnosis using any research design. One investigator screened the titles and abstracts, then 2 investigators independently reviewed the full-text articles. Disagreements regarding inclusion were resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Ten studies were included out of 4994 initially identified. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators extracted data to systematically assess the studies' findings into 5 tables (study design and participant characteristics, equipment and technology used, intervention characteristics, outcome measures, and outcomes). DATA SYNTHESIS: Most studies demonstrated that VT wheelchair skills training showed improved outcomes (eg, simulation score, completion time, number of collisions) in the virtual environment and/or in the real world. However, subject characteristics, equipment, virtual environment, intervention tasks, and outcome measures varied across the studies. CONCLUSIONS: There are a variety of studies using VT as an intervention for wheelchair skills training. Given the positive outcomes for most of the studies, it appears as though VT may indeed be a solution that can help to alleviate barriers to wheelchair skills training and subsequently improve wheelchair user skill.
OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive description of the current state of knowledge regarding the use of virtual technology (VT) for wheelchair skills training. DATA SOURCES: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, ACM, IEEE Xplore, Inspec, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant articles from 1990 to February 2016. STUDY SELECTION: We included peer-reviewed studies or long conference proceedings that examined the use of VT as a medium to provide a wheelchair skills training intervention for any population with any diagnosis using any research design. One investigator screened the titles and abstracts, then 2 investigators independently reviewed the full-text articles. Disagreements regarding inclusion were resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Ten studies were included out of 4994 initially identified. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators extracted data to systematically assess the studies' findings into 5 tables (study design and participant characteristics, equipment and technology used, intervention characteristics, outcome measures, and outcomes). DATA SYNTHESIS: Most studies demonstrated that VT wheelchair skills training showed improved outcomes (eg, simulation score, completion time, number of collisions) in the virtual environment and/or in the real world. However, subject characteristics, equipment, virtual environment, intervention tasks, and outcome measures varied across the studies. CONCLUSIONS: There are a variety of studies using VT as an intervention for wheelchair skills training. Given the positive outcomes for most of the studies, it appears as though VT may indeed be a solution that can help to alleviate barriers to wheelchair skills training and subsequently improve wheelchair user skill.
Authors: Stephanie K Rigot; Lynn A Worobey; Michael L Boninger; Susan Robinson-Whelen; Mary Jo Roach; Allen W Heinemann; Gina McKernan Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2021-05-29 Impact factor: 3.966