Virtual community centre for power wheelchair training: Experience of children and clinicians

Abstract

Purpose: To: 1) characterize the overall experience in using the McGill immersive wheelchair – community centre (miWe-CC) simulator; and 2) investigate the experience of presence (i.e., sense of being in the virtual rather than in the real, physical environment) while driving a PW in the miWe-CC.

Method: A qualitative research design with structured interviews was used. Fifteen clinicians and 11 children were interviewed after driving a power wheelchair (PW) in the miWe-CC simulator. Data were analyzed using the conventional and directed content analysis approaches.

Results: Overall, participants enjoyed using the simulator and experienced a sense of presence in the virtual space. They felt a sense of being in the virtual environment, involved and focused on driving the virtual PW rather than on the surroundings of the actual room where they were. Participants reported several similarities between the virtual community centre layout and activities of the miWe-CC and the day-to-day reality of paediatric PW users.

Conclusion: The simulator replicated participants’ expectations of real-life PW use and promises to have an effect on improving the driving skills of new PW users.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Among young users, the McGill immersive wheelchair (miWe) simulator provides an experience of presence within the virtual environment. This experience of presence is generated by a sense of being in the virtual scene, a sense of being involved, engaged, and focused on interacting within the virtual environment, and by the perception that the virtual environment is consistent with the real world.

• The miWe is a relevant and accessible approach, complementary to real world power wheelchair training for young users.

Keywords:

• Power wheelchair
• assessment
• intervention
• children
• adolescent
• virtual reality

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Marie-Pierre Johnson, OT from the Wheelchair and Seating Department of the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec, Joan Walker for their assistance in collecting the data, and Dr. W. Ben Mortenson for assisting with data analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The development and evaluation of the miWe-CC simulator was funded by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC), Canada to PA and by the Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network (REPAR), Canada to PA, DR, ML, RC, PB, FR & JW.