Conceptualizing participation in context for children and youth with disabilities: an activity setting perspective

Abstract

This article considers the conceptualization, operationalization and implications of “activity settings” for research on the recreation and leisure participation of children and youth with disabilities. Activity settings are contextualized settings that situate child and youth activities and their participation experiences. We discuss activity settings as an important construct for considering environmental qualities that provide opportunities for beneficial participation experiences for children and youth with disabilities. The article considers existing research using the concept of activity settings, the conceptualization of environment and contemporary issues in the measurement of participation and environment, indicating how these are addressed by an activity settings approach. We then describe the development of two quantitative measures of recreation and leisure activity settings – one assessing environmental qualities and the other assessing youth experiences – that have the potential to inform researchers, managers and clinicians about relationships between environmental qualities and participation experiences. Finally, we consider the implications of an activity settings approach for research, theory building and clinical practice.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• An activity setting perspective can enhance understanding of the recreation and leisure participation of children and youth with disabilities.

• The Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS) and Self-reported Experiences of Activity Settings (SEAS) provide unique assessments of environmental qualities and experiences from an activity setting perspective.

• Clinicians might use the SEAS alone to understand particular youth experiences in certain types of settings, which may be limiting or facilitating development.

• The combined use of the SEAS and MEQAS can provide experiential profiles linked to activity setting qualities such as structure, type of activity and social partners, providing a valuable source of information about youth programs.

     

Elements contributing to meaningful participation for children and youth with disabilities: a scoping review

Purpose: To synthesise research literature describing elements of community recreation and leisure activities that create meaningful participation experiences for children and youth with disabilities.

Method: Database searches of Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, SportDiscus, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science were conducted. Studies describing the experience of participating in a community-based programme or activity from the perspectives of children and youth with a disability aged 0–21 or their parents, and published in English were included. Meta-ethnography was used to synthesise qualitative data, and resulting themes were conceptualised in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Child and Youth version. Consultation with stakeholders occurred throughout the review process.

Results: The search identified 9544 articles, of which 20 were included for review. Ten elements contributing to meaningful participation experiences were identified and organised as follows: person-based elements (n?=?5; having fun, experiencing success, belonging, experiencing freedom, developing an identity); environment-focused elements (n?=?4; authentic friendships, the opportunity to participate, role models, family support) and activity-related elements (n?=?1; learning).

Conclusions: Elements contributing to meaningful leisure participation are interrelated. This review reveals the substantial contribution that meaningful interactions and relationships have in creating and facilitating positive and engaging experiences. Outcomes of this review may assist professionals in the design of targeted interventions to facilitate leisure participation.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Elements identified in this review may operate as core components of interventions that aim to optimise participation outcomes in community-based leisure activities.

• Supportive relationships and the availability of services are specific aspects of the environment that needs to be considered by health professionals to facilitate meaningful participation.

• Understanding the perspectives of the child is critical for assessing needs, preferences and goals relating to leisure participation in the community.

     

Complexities during transitions to adulthood for youth with disabilities: person–environment interactions

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of youth with different disabilities from across Canada during their transitions from adolescence to adulthood. Methods: Qualitative methods, using a phenomenological tradition, explored the meaning of the lived experiences of youth with disabilities in transition to adulthood. Purposeful sampling was used to select people with a range of experiences, background, location and demographic characteristics. Individual interviews with key informants and a focus group with an “expert panel” of participants were the methods of data collection. Data analysis was iterative and followed established practices of phenomenology. Results: Over 50 people, including youth with different disabilities, parents/caregivers and service providers from different organizations and systems across Canada participated in individual and/or focus group interviews. An overarching theme of “complexities” emerged from the data analysis. Complexities were related to the interactions between person and environment during transition experiences. Six subthemes about complexities were explored in depth to describe the primary person–environment interactions that were identified by study participants. Conclusions: The complexities involved in the interactions between person and environment during transitions to adulthood appear to be similar for youth with different types of disabilities. Recommendations are provided to address these complexities using holistic and collaborative approaches in service delivery and future research.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The complexities involved in transitions to adulthood appear to be similar for youth with different types of disabilities.

• Rehabilitation service providers can address these complexities using holistic, strengths-based and collaborative approaches.

• Service providers and researchers in rehabilitation need to acknowledge the interactions between person and environment rather than addressing each component separately.

• Future research should include youth, families and community members on research teams to ensure that complexities are adequately addressed.

     

Exploring employment readiness through mock job interview and workplace role-play exercises: comparing youth with physical disabilities to their typically developing peers

Abstract

Purpose: To assess performance differences in a mock job interview and workplace role-play exercise for youth with disabilities compared to their typically developing peers. Methods: We evaluated a purposive sample of 31 youth (15 with a physical disability and 16 typically developing) on their performance (content and delivery) in employment readiness role-play exercises. Results: Our findings show significant differences between youth with disabilities compared to typically developing peers in several areas of the mock interview content (i.e. responses to the questions: “tell me about yourself”, “how would you provide feedback to someone not doing their share” and a problem-solving scenario question) and delivery (i.e. voice clarity and mean latency). We found no significant differences in the workplace role-play performances of youth with and without disabilities. Conclusions: Youth with physical disabilities performed poorer in some areas of a job interview compared to their typically developing peers. They could benefit from further targeted employment readiness training.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Clinicians should:

• Coach youth with physical disability on how to “sell” their abilities to potential employers and encourage youth to get involved in volunteer activities and employment readiness training programs.

• Consider using mock job interviews and other employment role-play exercises as assessment and training tools for youth with physical disabilities.

• Involve speech pathologists in the development of employment readiness programs that address voice clarity as a potential delivery issue.

     

The lived experience of parents enabling participation of their child with a physical disability at home,at school and in the community

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth exploration and understanding of parents’ thoughts, feelings and concerns they experience while reflecting on their actions, challenges and needs in enabling their child’s participation at home, at school and in the community. Method: A naturalistic inquiry with thirteen Dutch parents using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Analysis revealed three super-ordinate themes: “Parents’ experiences and concerns about systems, laws and regulations”, “Parents’ experiences and thoughts about physical and/or social environment” and “Parents’ experiences and feelings of finding and/or enabling an activity”. Parents’ often expressed feelings of disappointment derived from being misunderstood, from dealing with the complexity of systems, from hindrance of participation of their children by the social and the physical environment, and from the lack of leisure activities for their child. It is primarily restrictions in the physical and social environments that urge them to take actions, to experience challenges and think of needs. Conclusions: In-depth exploration and understanding of parents’ articulated matters must be shared and taken seriously by policymakers and service providers. Parents’ knowledge and experiences should be of major relevance to improve paediatric rehabilitation and other services for children with a physical disability.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• To achieve tailored pediatric rehabilitation, involvement and needs of parents in enhancing their child’s participation ought to be acknowledged.

• Active use of parents’ experiences and knowledge regarding the participation of their child on different levels of decision making may improve daily services in pediatric rehabilitation.

• Aiming for optimal participation of a child with a physical disability at home, at school and in the community, the focus of pediatric rehabilitation needs to shift towards enabling, social and physical, environments.

     

Strategies that facilitate participation in family activities of children and adolescents with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: parents’ and personal assistants’ experiences

Abstract

Purpose: Participation throughout one’s life plays a significant role for development and emotional well-being. For this reason, there is a need to identify ways to facilitate participation in family activities for children and adolescents with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). Methods: The study design was qualitative and explorative, based on semi structured interviews with 11 parents and 9 personal assistants of children with PIMD. Results: The interviews revealed participation-facilitating strategies relating to the children’s/adolescent’s proximal environment, such as “Availability and acceptability of the activity”, “Good knowledge about the child” and a “A positive attitude of people close to the child”, as well as strategies related to the children/adolescents themselves: “Sense of belonging”, “Possible for the child/adolescent to understand”, “Opportunities to influence” and “Feeling of being needed”. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with PIMD are dependent on support obtained through their environment. The identified strategies, individually adapted through awareness and knowledge by the parents and the personal assistants, provide important evidence to assist our understanding in gaining understanding about how to improve participation in family activities of children and adolescents with PIMD.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Participation-facilitating strategies related to the child/adolescent and his or her proximal environments are identified to improve participation in children and adolescents with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD).

• Examples of strategies for the child’s/adolescents’ proximal environment include “good knowledge about the child/adolescent”, and, for the child/adolescent, include creating “sense of belonging” and “opportunities to influence”.

• Identifying and making these strategies explicit may assist in enhancing the participation of children and adolescents with PIMD in family activities.

• People in the child’s/adolescent’s proximal environment need to set the scene for participation.

     

A multidimensional model of optimal participation of children with physical disabilities

Abstract

Purpose: To present a conceptual model of optimal participation in recreational and leisure activities for children with physical disabilities. Methods: The conceptualization of the model was based on review of contemporary theories and frameworks, empirical research and the authors’ practice knowledge. A case scenario is used to illustrate application to practice. Results: The model proposes that optimal participation in recreational and leisure activities involves the dynamic interaction of multiple dimensions and determinants of participation. The three dimensions of participation are physical, social and self-engagement. Determinants of participation encompass attributes of the child, family and environment. Experiences of optimal participation are hypothesized to result in long-term benefits including better quality of life, a healthier lifestyle and emotional and psychosocial well-being. Conclusion: Consideration of relevant child, family and environment determinants of dimensions of optimal participation should assist children, families and health care professionals to identify meaningful goals and outcomes and guide the selection and implementation of innovative therapy approaches and methods of service delivery.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Optimal participation is proposed to involve the dynamic interaction of physical, social and self-engagement and attributes of the child, family and environment.

• The model emphasizes the importance of self-perceptions and participation experiences of children with physical disabilities.

• Optimal participation may have a positive influence on quality of life, a healthy lifestyle and emotional and psychosocial well-being.

• Knowledge of child, family, and environment determinants of physical, social and self-engagement should assist children, families and professionals in identifying meaningful goals and guiding innovative therapy approaches.

     

Experiences with and perceptions of an adaptive hiking program

Purpose: Outdoor activities in natural settings have been found to be beneficial for overall health and well-being. However, people with disabilities may have different experiences accessing outdoor activities in natural settings. This research explored the experiences of users, volunteers, and staff, and perspectives of non-users about an adapted hiking program that uses a specialized mobility device called a TrailRider. The research had three objectives:

1.?Describe the experiences of users, volunteers, and staff;

2.?Identify perceived barriers to or limitations of participating for users, volunteers, staff, and non-users; and

3.?Explore the impact of participation for users, volunteers, and staff.

Method: This ethnographic study used a combination of observations and in-depth interviews as a means of data collection.

Results: Researchers accompanied 38 participants on five hikes and conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. Analysis identified three themes: “Let the Good Times Roll” described how TrailRider users and volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to explore the great outdoors. “An Uphill Battle” acknowledged perceived physical and psychological barriers to participation. “Clearing the Path” addressed potential areas for program improvement.

Conclusions: This study emphasized how volunteers and users appreciated the outdoor and social opportunities the program afforded. The study identified a number of potential improvements that could be implemented to improve access to the program.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Outdoor recreation programs create positive experiences, as well as unique social opportunities for users and volunteers.

• Identifying and considering physical and psychological barriers would improve wilderness access for individuals with disabilities.

• Despite the fact that outdoor recreation programs, like the adaptive hiking program, are in place, deficient marketing and promotion limit users and volunteers from taking part.

     

Adaptation for participation!

Abstract

Purpose: To explore children’s experiences with testing, acquiring and using assistive devices.

Methods: Nine children (six boys, three girls, 9–12?years old, with different physical disability and activity experience, participated in semistructured interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using Systematic text condensation.

Results: Assistive devices were reported to contribute to cope activities that the children otherwise would not have participated in. Several subjects listed the need for a shielded environment when adapting to new equipment. The children highlighted “independence in activities” and “having the opportunity to participate in activities with family and friends” as important for frequent use. Need for assistance and lack of localizations to perform the activities were listed as reasons for less frequent use.

Conclusions: This study reveals that it is useful to map each child’s opportunities for independency, appropriate locations for performing the activity and participation with friends, when considering obtaining assistive devices.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The use of assistive devices gives many children with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in physical activity.

• Improving availability to assistive devices for physical activity should be a priority to help facilitate participation.

• Having opportunities to develop perceptions of competence may be essential for a child’s long term participation in physical activity.

     

Adapting a robotics program to enhance participation and interest in STEM among children with disabilities: a pilot study

Purpose: Youth with disabilities are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in school and in the workforce. One encouraging approach to engage youth’s interest in STEM is through robotics; however, such programs are mostly for typically developing youth. The purpose of this study was to understand the development and implementation of an adapted robotics program for children and youth with disabilities and their experiences within it.

Method: Our mixed methods pilot study (pre- and post-workshop surveys, observations, and interviews) involved 41 participants including: 18 youth (aged 6–13), 12 parents and 11?key informants. The robotics program involved 6, two-hour workshops held at a paediatric hospital.

Results: Our findings showed that several adaptations made to the robotics program helped to enhance the participation of children with disabilities. Adaptations addressed the educational/curriculum, cognitive and learning, physical and social needs of the children. In regards to experiences within the adapted hospital program, our findings highlight that children enjoyed the program and learned about computer programming and building robots.

Conclusions: Clinicians and educators should consider engaging youth with disabilities in robotics to enhance learning and interest in STEM.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Clinicians and educators should consider adapting curriculum content and mode of delivery of LEGO^® robotics programs to include youth with disabilities.

• Appropriate staffing including clinicians and educators who are knowledgeable about youth with disabilities and LEGO^® robotics are needed.

• Clinicians should consider engaging youth with disabilities in LEGO^® to enhance learning and interest in STEM.

     

Disclosure,accommodations and self-care at work among adolescents with disabilities

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore whether adolescents with disabilities disclose their condition and what types of accommodations are requested at work. Method: In-depth, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 adolescents with a physical and/or mobility-related disability. We also reviewed their self- and staff assessments completed throughout an employment training program in which they took part. Results: The findings show that most youth were able to disclose their conditions and recognize some of their limitations in performing tasks at work. Youth requested physical accommodations, more time to complete tasks and cognitive accommodations. Youth also performed several self-care tasks to manage their disability at work including personal care, pain management and fatigue. Conclusions: Within the context of this employment training program, youth were able to disclose their condition to their employer, ask for accommodations and manage their disability in the workplace.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Educators and clinicians should:

• Assist youth in understanding whether, when and how to disclose their disability to their potential employer.

• Help youth to understand what accommodations are available to them in the workplace and how to access them, to help them to perform their job effectively.

• Coach youth on how to manage their disability in a work context, especially with regard to personal care, pain management and fatigue.

• Encourage and facilitate participation in experience-based opportunities to practice disclosure, requesting accommodations and self-management.

     

“Our child’s significant disability shapes our lives”: experiences of family social participation

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the stories of parents of youth with severe physical disabilities to understand how they viewed the quality of their family social participation; the barriers to social participation faced as families and the strategies and supports that might be used to reduce these barriers. Method: Ten parents of youth (10–18 years) with severe physical disabilities, recruited through specialist schools, health and disability services, were interviewed using a narratively-oriented interview tool: the Occupational Performance History Interview-II. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Narrative and thematic analytic approaches were used to construct each parent’s story of family social participation issues, and to identify themes across stories. Results: Parents used highly structured routines and required substantial resources, particularly adult assistance and financial means, to facilitate family social participation. Needs were greater when the youth was more severely impaired, heavier, incontinent or had fragile health. Parents’ choice of family activities and belief that they could influence the quality, enjoyment and satisfaction derived from family social participation were shaped by past experiences and the perceived benefits of participation. Conclusions: Family social participation relied on flexible supports tailored to families’ needs and preferences. Greater choice and control of resources are central to enabling valued participation.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Government resources need to be directed towards improving community based wheelchair accessibility and public toilet facilities for youth with Level V GMFCS-E&R impairments and their families.

• Disability service delivery models need to enable families to choose the types of high quality care and support that will facilitate valued family social participation.

• Clinicians need to be aware that families of the most severely impaired children, who are heavier, incontinent or in fragile health, will require substantially more resources than other families to facilitate their social participation.

     

Adolescents with disabilities participate in the shopping mall: facilitators and barriers framed according to the ICF

Purpose: Community participation is restricted for youth with disabilities. The mall is an important gathering place where adolescents often socialise and develop community living skills, yet participation may be restricted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the facilitators and barriers to participation in a shopping mall through the perspectives of adolescents with disabilities.

Method: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with adolescents aged 12–19 years with a physical and/or sensory disability. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and coded following a template analysis using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF).

Results: Eleven youth (six females, mean age?=?17.0 years) participated. Medical conditions included visual impairment, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, hemiplegia, osteogenesis imperfecta and congenital amputations. Six themes were identified by the adolescents: what the shopping mall means to me, physical environment, transportation, social factors, attitudes and the person. The majority of themes mapped to the ICF’s ‘environmental factors’.

Conclusions: Facilitators and barriers identified were either generic or disability-specific, implying that some modifications to shopping malls may be beneficial across disability types. Changes made to the physical, social and attitudinal environment are required to enable full participation of youth with disabilities within a shopping mall and other built environments of high public access.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The meaning of the shopping mall according to youth with disabilities includes socialisation, shopping, getting out of the home and employment.

• The majority of themes mapped to ‘environmental factors’ indicating that most obstacles to participation are caused by environmental barriers.

• Facilitators and barriers identified were either generic or disability-specific implying that some modifications to shopping malls may be beneficial across disability types.

• Changes made to the physical, social and attitudinal environment are required to enable full participation of youth with disabilities within a shopping mall.

     

Pedestrian navigation and public transit training interventions for youth with disabilities: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: Being able to travel independently, whether as a pedestrian or by taking public transportation, is a critical element to maintaining quality of life and participation in the community. The objective of this systematic review is to understand the best practices and effective components of pedestrian and public transit training interventions for youth with disabilities.

Method: Systematic searches of seven international databases identified 29 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We analyzed these studies based on participant characteristics, methods, results, and quality of evidence.

Results: Among the 29 studies, 857 participants (aged 5–39, mean 18.3 years) were represented across 10 countries. Although the intervention outcomes varied across the studies, 24 of them reported an improvement in at least one of the following: pedestrian and general navigation skills, pedestrian safety, landmark recognition, route knowledge, and public transportation skills.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight that pedestrian and public transit interventions have the potential to improve the participation and quality of life of children and youth with disabilities. More rigorous, theoretically informed interventions, using standardized measures are needed to enhance pedestrian and transit training skills among youth with disabilities.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• Travel training interventions have the potential to effectively support youth with disabilities in learning pedestrian and public transportation navigation skills.

• Clinicians and educators should encourage youth with disabilities to participate in travel training programs enhance their independence skills and participation in the community.

• Clinicians, educators, and program managers can help to build relevant content for travel training programs and connect youth to programs.

     

Parents’ experiences of participation in physical activities for children with cerebral palsy – protecting and pushing towards independence

Purpose: To explore how parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience their child’s participation in physical activities and to identify facilitators and barriers for being physically active and reducing sedentary behaviour. Methods: Twenty-five parents of sixteen children, aged 8–11 years old with CP, with varying gross motor, cognitive and communicative functions and with different cultural backgrounds, participated in focus group or individual interviews. Content analysis was used for analysis. Results: Five subcategories addressing children’s participation in physical activity were found: “Belonging and taking space in the family”, “Important persons facilitating and hindering”, “Friends important but hard to get”, “Good for the body but challenging” and “Availability and opting out possibilities”. The subcategories built the main category “Protecting and pushing towards independence”, expressing the challenges parents experienced when their child wanted to be physically active. Conclusions: Parents desire competent persons to be available for support in participation in physical activities. They want support in finding friends for their child to be physically active with. Family culture and attitudes affect their child’s motivation for being physically active and should be taken into account when designing interventions for increased participation in physical activities and for reduced sedentary behaviour in children with disabilities.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Friends and competent adults facilitate participation in physical activities and reduce sedentary behaviour.

• Information on accessible and tailored physical activities is an important facilitator for participation in physical activities.

• Service planning and design of interventions may be facilitated by taking the individual family culture into account.

     

Differences in patterns of participation in leisure activities in Swedish children with and without disabilities

Abstract

Purpose: To compare participation in leisure activities between Swedish children with and without disabilities and to examine whether age, gender, presence of disabilities, and mother’s educational level influence participation. Method: A Swedish version of the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment was used to study the diversity, intensity, and enjoyment of participation in leisure activities of children aged 6 to 17 years. Fifty-five of the children had disabilities and 337 of the children did not have disabilities. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to explore the impact of age, gender, mother’s level of education, and disability on the diversity, intensity, and enjoyment of leisure activities. A t-test for independent samples was used to compare the diversity and intensity of participation between children with and without disabilities. Results: The multiple regression analysis explained 4–36% of the variance of diversity, intensity, and enjoyment. Children with disabilities participated with higher diversity, but with less intensity, than children without disabilities. Younger children had higher levels of enjoyment. Conclusions: Children with disabilities participated in several different activities, but the presence of a disability was associated with lower intensity of participation. The low explanatory value of the investigated variables indicates that the combined effect of several variables needs to be taken into consideration when designing participation interventions.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Children with disabilities participated in a high number of activities but with a low intensity compared to children without disabilities. Analysis of the children’s personal and environmental barriers and facilitators is critical to providing the therapist with ideas about which strategies should be implemented to increase participation. Assessment and intervention may need to focus on methods for supporting the children’s autonomy and on creating goals for intervention that focus on activities that are determined by the child based on their interests and desires.

• Age and gender influenced the variance in the diversity and enjoyment outcome and the presence of disability was associated with the intensity outcome.

• Age, gender, parental educational level, and disability only explain a small proportion of the variance in leisure participation patterns. Thus, client-centred and individually tailored interventions are needed that are based on the individual's unique situation.

     

Development of the participation and environment measure for children and youth: conceptual basis

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the conceptual foundation of a new parent-report measure of the participation and environment of children and youth: the Participation and Environment Measure ? Children and Youth version (PEM-CY). Methods: The ICF-CY provided an initial conceptual framework. Results from a qualitative study to obtain parent perspectives and in-depth review of the literature were used to identify relevant dimensions, items and rating scales for measurement. Results: Life situations, defined as sets of activity categories, were identified for three settings: home, school and community. Participation was operationalized as a multidimensional construct with three measurement dimensions: frequency, extent of involvement and desire for change. Parallel sets of items examining environmental factors that are perceived to help or facilitate participation were defined in relation to the typical activities of each setting. Conclusions: The PEM-CY provides a new measure of participation and environment that reflects the perspectives of parents of children and youth. The instrument will facilitate research and professional practice to understand and support the participation of children and youth with and without disabilities.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• As defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), participation and environment are multidimensional constructs that have been challenging to measure.

• A new parent-report survey measure has been developed that is feasible for use in large-scale studies of children and youth with and without disabilities.

• The instrument examines participation and environment of children and youth aged 5 to 17 years across three major settings: home, school and community.

     

The politics of cinematic representation of disability: “the psychiatric gaze”

Abstract

Purpose: Social representations as cultural products rooted in praxis are considered to play dominant role in the structuring of identities or self representations. It is a common belief that people with disabilities analyze their experiences in light of the existing meanings and practices prevalent in society. The paper addresses the matrices of recurring themes in representation of disability and discourses of “normalcy” in films in the nineteenth and twentieth century invoking reductionistic attitude, whereby “disability” becomes a condition subject to neurotypical display and narrative coding in the films in question in the context of India. It will especially seek to analyze the theoretical outlook based on the social model of disability, a perspective that includes specific analyses of the representation of people like themselves in popular culture. Method: A systematic and thorough review of 26 Hindi films ranging from the 1960s to 2010 and six English movies. Apart from these, several books and articles have also been critically reviewed. Result and conclusion: The paper concludes with the argument that the idea of disability in mainstream contemporary cinema has been created and perceived as a speculative fantasy and for public consumption, thus reflecting the current status of people with disabilities as the present preferred “enigmatic” condition.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Films play significant role in communicating characters which have deep impact on peoples’ perspective of persons with disabilities.

• Filmmakers need to adopt more intensely researched and more sensitized approach in creating movies centering on people with disabilities.

• Films need to focus more on the potentialities rather than the shortcomings of people with disabilities.

• Filmmakers need adequate training in order to recognize the needs of the concerned population and adopt appropriate resources and interventions to address various issues for their rehabilitation into the mainstream society.

     

The potential impact of intelligent power wheelchair use on social participation: perspectives of users,caregivers and clinicians

Purpose: To explore power wheelchair users’, caregivers’ and clinicians’ perspectives regarding the potential impact of intelligent power wheelchair use on social participation. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with power wheelchair users (n?=?12), caregivers (n?=?4) and clinicians (n?=?12). An illustrative video was used to facilitate discussion. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes were identified based on the experiences of the power wheelchair users, caregivers and clinicians: (1) increased social participation opportunities, (2) changing how social participation is experienced and (3) decreased risk of accidents during social participation. Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that an intelligent power wheelchair would enhance social participation in a variety of important ways, thereby providing support for continued design and development of this assistive technology.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• An intelligent power wheelchair has the potential to:

• Increase social participation opportunities by overcoming challenges associated with navigating through crowds and small spaces.

• Change how social participation is experienced through “normalizing” social interactions and decreasing the effort required to drive a power wheelchair.

• Decrease the risk of accidents during social participation by reducing the need for dangerous compensatory strategies and minimizing the impact of the physical environment.