Skip navigation View an alternate layout of this website with limited styles and no horizontal scrolling
Menu

Using the WWW to Study the Experiences of Persons who Use Wheelchairs: Local Area Versus Distant Participants

By Burning, M.E., PhD; Proceedings of the RESNA 25th International Conference, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 227-229
Publication Date: June/July 2002

Study designed to quantify the effects of exposure to WheelchairNet on consumers’ self-rating of readiness to participate in wheelchair decision-making. A literature review supported the idea that adult decision-making is influenced by an individual’s locus of control, their personal goals, knowledge of options, and desire for options that support goal achievement. The literature was used to develop several instruments in a larger study with four hypotheses. This paper shares the findings of one of the hypotheses that had implications for assistive technology researchers. The hypothesis stated: “There will be no difference between participants who use wheelchairs and have access to the Internet living in the local area and those geographically dispersed across the United States as measured by study pre and posttest scores. Scores on measures of health locus of control, life goals, self-assessed knowledge, desire for device characteristics, and readiness to participate will be compared.” Seventy-one volunteers met admission criteria and competed the study. All of the participants completed study instruments by logging on to Web page forms related to a database that collected and stored search item responses. The experimental group used a clone of WheelchairNet for six weeks; the control group used the Web but was asked to refrain from searching the Web on wheelchair-related topics. Web use was tracked, and the results suggested that including participants from broad geographical distributions contributed greatly to normalizing the distribution of characteristics in a study sample when comparing attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and expectations.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)   (Website:http://www.resna.org)

ISBN: 00-932101-44-5
  • Home
  • Alternate Layout
  • My AbleData
  • Contact
  • Site Map
  • A-Z Index
  • Help
  • Privacy

    • AbleData, 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 930, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 1-800-227-0216.
    Maintained for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Dept. of Education
    by ICF Macro under Contract No. ED-04-CO-0018/0007.

    The records in AbleData are provided for information purposes only. Neither the U.S. Department of Education nor ICF Macro has examined, reviewed, or tested any product, device, or information contained in AbleData. The Department and ICF Macro make no endorsement, representation, or warranty express or implied as to any product, device, or information set forth in AbleData. The views expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Department of Education, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, or ICF Macro.