Take The Wheel:
A Driver Education Course for the Therapist

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

"Take the Wheel" is a 4-day course geared toward the therapist who has little or no in-vehicle experience working with persons with special needs.This unique, one-of-a-kind course is taught by highly experienced occupational therapists with many years of experience in the field of driver rehabilitation. 

Each person registering for this course must have a certain level of knowledge and skill in the field of driver rehabilitation in order to participate fully in this dynamic learning experience.  It is, therefore, a requirement for each person registering for this course to have already attended the Building Blocks for Becoming a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist workshop or be registering for Building Blocks at the same time.

In addition to didactic course teaching, the participants will have over 12 hours of hands-on, in-vehicle training with some of the most dynamic occupational therapy instructors in the country.  You will learn how to control the vehicle on the right side, how to use instructor equipment in the car, how to plan a route specific to each individual client, and how to react to various driving behaviors.  You will learn how to verbally cue for directions, provide commentary driving and utilize safe techniques for observing and taking note of driving behavior.  There will be instruction and practice in activity analysis in regard to adaptive driving equipment and driving tasks.  Instruction in driver education teaching methodologies will enhance the therapist’s skill in performing on-the-road assessments and providing the necessary education, training and instruction to clients.  

Level Three course begins at 8:15 a.m. the first day. Ending times vary between 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. The ending time for the last day of this course is approximately 12:00. You will not want to miss the last day - it's prime time for practicing your skills with mock clients!

This course fills up quickly as registration is limited to 12 participants. We CANNOT take more than 12 and no exceptions can be made! This course usually fills up 2-3 months out from the date of the course. We recommend that you register 3-4 months prior to the workshop date to guarantee a space. 

This course is always scheduled in Orlando, Florida.  The workshop for the February 2008 dates will be held at The Courtyard at Lake Lucerne where they have a varying room rate from $100.00-130.00 plus taxes. You can visit their website at www.orlandohistoricinn.com.  We also provide information for a nearby Embassy Suites if you prefer a full service hotel but we do not have a group rate for that facility and you will be responsible for your transportation to The Courtyard each morning and afternoon. The November dates will be at the Clarion Hotel Universal Orlando where we have a room rate of $79.00 plus taxes. Once we have confirmed your registration for the dates you request through a letter to you, we will send more detailed information about each location.  

SEMINAR OBJECTIVES

At the completion of this seminar participants should be able to identify:

1. The steps for conducting an in-vehicle assessment.
2. Component performance skills required for safe driving.
3. Basic driver education principles.
4. Driver education resource materials.
5. Evaluation vehicle set up for the instructor.
6. Structure of the in-vehicle phase for assessment and/or training.
• Observation skills necessary for an entry-level driver rehabilitation specialist
• Techniques for controlling a car from the right side.
• Good visual skills and habits necessary to a driver rehabilitation specialist in-vehicle.

Each participant should understand:

• The occupational therapy process used in the evaluation vehicle.
• Driver education principles, terminology and task sequencing.
• Importance of individualized driver education lessons for new drivers.
• Beginning level proficiency for documentation of driving performance.
• Beginning level proficiency of verbal skills of commentary driving, cuing, directions and instructions.
• How to plan driving routes based on goals for each individual client.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Day One
8:15 Registration
8:30 Component steps of the in-vehicle assessment
         The evaluation vehicle and set-up
         In-vehicle Goals
         Intervention Strategies: driver education, driver training, driver instructions,
              remediation therapy
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Driver Education Resources
           Mastering Skills for the therapist for in-vehicle work

Day Two
8:00  Preparation of car, clientn and instructor
         Documentation Guidelines
         Driver Education Terminology
         Activity Analysis of driving tasks
12:00 Lunch
1:00  Teach specific driving tasks
          Goal-oriented driving routes
          Traffic Safety Principles
          Group breakouts for practice in the vehicles

Day Three
8:00 - 5:00    Entire day spend near Adaptive Mobility Services' office for:
                           practice teaching driving tasks
                           in-vehicle practice of verbal & observation skills
                           driving with adaptive equipment
                           problem solving case studies
                           reaction to expected driving behaviors
Day Four
8:00 - 12:00   Workshop conclusion at AMS office for:
                             evaluation and intervention with "mock clients" in car
                             practice verbal, visual and physical skills in-vehicle
                             practice saying "no" to a client 

Click here for more information about our teachers.
	The above Registration Form requires Adobe Acrobat to download. Click here to install Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.