{"results":[{"id":"arxiv_2603.14460","title":"Inclusive AI for Group Interactions: Predicting Gaze-Direction Behaviors in People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities","authors":[{"name":"Giulia Huang"},{"name":"Maristella Matera"},{"name":"Micol Spitale"}],"abstract":"Artificial agents that support human group interactions hold great promise, especially in sensitive contexts such as well-being promotion and therapeutic interventions. However, current systems struggle to mediate group interactions involving people who are not neurotypical. This limitation arises because most AI detection models (e.g., for turn-taking) are trained on data from neurotypical populations. This work takes a step toward inclusive AI by addressing the challenge of eye contact detection, a core component of non-verbal communication, with and for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. First, we introduce a new dataset, Multi-party Interaction with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MIDD), capturing atypical gaze and engagement patterns. Second, we present the results of a comparative analysis with neurotypical datasets, highlighting differences in class imbalance, speaking activity, gaze distribution, and interaction dynamics. Then, we evaluate classifiers ranging from SVMs to FSFNet, showing that fine-tuning on MIDD improves performance, though notable limitations remain. Finally, we present the insights gathered through a focus group with six therapists to interpret our quantitative findings and understand the practical implications of atypical gaze and engagement patterns. Based on these results, we discuss data-driven strategies and emphasize the importance of feature choice for building more inclusive human-centered tools.","source":"arXiv","year":2026,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.HC","cs.CV","cs.LG"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.14460","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2603.14460","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2026-03-15T16:10:31Z","score":70},{"id":"arxiv_2603.20227","title":"Telework during the Pandemic: Patterns, Challenges, and Opportunities for People with Disabilities","authors":[{"name":"Mason Ameri"},{"name":"Douglas Kruse"},{"name":"So Ri Park"},{"name":"Yana Rodgers"},{"name":"Lisa Schur"}],"abstract":"Background: Telework has benefits for many people with disabilities. The pandemic may create new employment opportunities for people with disabilities by increasing employer acceptance of telework, but this crucially depends on the occupational structure. Objective: We compare people with and without disabilities in the expansion of telework as the pandemic began, and the evolution of telework during the pandemic. Methods: We use U.S. data from the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2020 and the Current Population Survey over the May 2020 to April 2022 period. Prevalence and trends are analyzed using linear probability and multinomial logit regressions. Results: While workers with disabilities were more likely than those without disabilities to telework before the pandemic, they were less likely to telework during the pandemic. The occupational distribution accounts for most of this difference. Tight labor markets, as measured by state unemployment rates, particularly favor people with disabilities obtaining telework jobs. While people with cognitive/mental health and mobility impairments were the most likely to telework during the pandemic, tight labor markets especially favored the expansion of telework for people with vision impairments and difficulty with daily activities inside the home. Conclusions: Many people with disabilities benefit from working at home, and the pandemic has increased employer acceptance of telework, but the current occupational distribution limits this potential. Tighter labor markets during the recovery offer hope that employers will increasingly hire people with disabilities in both telework and non-telework jobs.","source":"arXiv","year":2026,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.CY"],"doi":"10.1016/j.dhjo.2022.101406","url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.20227","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2603.20227","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2026-03-05T16:18:21Z","score":70},{"id":"crossref_10.1177/10522263251356445","title":"Employing Strength: A Scoping Review of Customized Employment Practices to Support Inclusive Employment for People with Intellectual Disabilities","authors":[{"name":"Jennifer Christianson-Barker"},{"name":"Alex Franzius"},{"name":"Rachel Mills"},{"name":"Arielle Lomness"},{"name":"Rachelle Hole"}],"abstract":"Background Inclusive employment offers advantages for both employers and individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, high unemployment rates persist for people with intellectual disabilities, underscoring the need for alternative approaches. Customized employment (CE) has emerged as a promising strategy by tailoring job opportunities to align with individual strengths and employer requirements. Objective This review answers the question, “What does the literature say about the use of customized employment practices to facilitate paid employment for people with intellectual disabilities?” Methods We conducted a scoping review of the literature. Eight databases were searched, including APA PsycInfo, Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Business Source Ultimate, Social Services Abstracts and Social Science Abstracts. Results Fifty-seven articles were deemed relevant to the research question, revealing clear trends and key characteristics of CE. The literature suggests that CE can lead to improved employment outcomes, greater self-determination and independence, and increased employer satisfaction. However, lack of evaluative measures has led to inconsistencies in delivery and quality of support. CE practices may demand more time and higher costs compared to other types of supported employment. Conclusions When implemented effectively, CE practices can be a valuable method for supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities in securing inclusive employment.","source":"CrossRef","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":null,"doi":"10.1177/10522263251356445","url":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10522263251356445","pdf_url":"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/10522263251356445","is_open_access":true,"citations":3,"published_at":"","score":69.09},{"id":"ss_05570d66e6a83248d617ea191ea9f2c4345db362","title":"Vocational Rehabilitation for People With Psychiatric Disabilities","authors":[{"name":"J. Rubin"},{"name":"E. Brinck"},{"name":"Laura Gorman"},{"name":"M. Sprong"}],"abstract":"People with psychiatric disabilities represent a significant percentage of the individuals served by rehabilitation programs. Research has shown that most individuals with psychiatric disabilities are interested in employment but vocational providers may lack the knowledge, skills, and abilities to assist this population (Henry \u0026 Lucca, 2004; Medar et al., 2017), and this paper may provide valuable considerations to Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors to increase positive outcomes such as securing and maintaining employment. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA, 2012) unemployment of people with psychiatric disabilities is around 60-90%, work has always been an integrating force, although many people with psychiatric disabilities are unemployed. This article will provide information which will contribute to a better understanding of psychiatric disabilities and the employment and career counseling strategies that have proven successful.","source":"Semantic Scholar","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":null,"doi":"10.70385/001c.147020","url":"https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/05570d66e6a83248d617ea191ea9f2c4345db362","is_open_access":true,"citations":2,"published_at":"","score":69.06},{"id":"doaj_10.3390/disabilities5010018","title":"Traumatic Brain Injury as an Invisible Disability: Institutional Barriers in Medical, Social and Financial Services in Finland","authors":[{"name":"Olivia Emelie Engström"},{"name":"Hisayo Katsui"},{"name":"Lieketseng Ned"}],"abstract":"People who sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often experience unmet rehabilitation needs. The aim of our research was to explore how the invisible aspects of traumatic brain injury affect the experiences of survivors of TBI in accessing the necessary medical, social, and financial assistance. Using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological inquiry, we purposefully sampled 11 participants who had experienced TBI when aged 13–27 for interviews. The time since their injuries ranged from 7 to 37 years. Three key themes emerged: (1) lack of knowledge and guidance in medical services, (2) lack of social service assistance, and (3) battles with insurance companies. Our findings show that, due to the hidden nature of TBI-related disabilities and a general lack of societal knowledge about TBI outcomes, survivors face significant difficulties in accessing essential medical, social, and financial services. This study underscores the critical need to address the challenges faced by youth survivors of TBI, as their injuries occur during a pivotal developmental phase when they are developing psychosocial skills, pursuing education, and transitioning into the workforce. Delays or lack of proper medical, social, and financial support hinder rehabilitation and the successful reintegration of these youth into society.","source":"DOAJ","year":2025,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"],"doi":"10.3390/disabilities5010018","url":"https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/5/1/18","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":69},{"id":"doaj_10.57197/JDR-2025-0003","title":"A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis of Disability Research in Saudi Arabia: Trends, Gaps, and Future Directions","authors":[{"name":"Ali Mufraih Albarrati"},{"name":"Siddig Ibrahim Abdelwahab"},{"name":"Rakan Nazer"}],"abstract":"This study employed bibliometric analysis using the Scopus database to evaluate Saudi disability research (SDR). From an initial dataset of 17,102 documents (0.54% of global output), the scope was refined to 13,246 data-driven publications for detailed examination. Trends, themes, and collaborations were analyzed using R packages and VOSviewer. Metrics such as citations, total link strength (TLS), and thematic mapping were used to identify key contributors, emerging topics, and international partnerships. Saudi authors demonstrated strong international collaboration, with 59.53% of publications involving co-authorships, particularly with the United States, Egypt, and India. Prolific contributors include Alkuraya, F.S. and leading institutions such as King Saud University. Key motor themes include “quality of life” and “Alzheimer’s disease,” while emerging themes such as “deep learning” and “molecular docking” reflect a shift toward advanced technologies. Machine learning is a trending topic applied in early diagnosis, drug discovery, and rehabilitation of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and epilepsy. These findings underscore the evolving priorities and global relevance of SDR.","source":"DOAJ","year":2025,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"],"doi":"10.57197/JDR-2025-0003","url":"https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.57197/JDR-2025-0003","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":69},{"id":"arxiv_2505.04583","title":"Modeling Personalized Difficulty of Rehabilitation Exercises Using Causal Trees","authors":[{"name":"Nathaniel Dennler"},{"name":"Zhonghao Shi"},{"name":"Uksang Yoo"},{"name":"Stefanos Nikolaidis"},{"name":"Maja Matarić"}],"abstract":"Rehabilitation robots are often used in game-like interactions for rehabilitation to increase a person's motivation to complete rehabilitation exercises. By adjusting exercise difficulty for a specific user throughout the exercise interaction, robots can maximize both the user's rehabilitation outcomes and the their motivation throughout the exercise. Previous approaches have assumed exercises have generic difficulty values that apply to all users equally, however, we identified that stroke survivors have varied and unique perceptions of exercise difficulty. For example, some stroke survivors found reaching vertically more difficult than reaching farther but lower while others found reaching farther more challenging than reaching vertically. In this paper, we formulate a causal tree-based method to calculate exercise difficulty based on the user's performance. We find that this approach accurately models exercise difficulty and provides a readily interpretable model of why that exercise is difficult for both users and caretakers.","source":"arXiv","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.RO","cs.LG"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.04583","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.04583","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2025-05-07T17:21:45Z","score":69},{"id":"arxiv_2504.13866","title":"Skeleton-Based Transformer for Classification of Errors and Better Feedback in Low Back Pain Physical Rehabilitation Exercises","authors":[{"name":"Aleksa Marusic"},{"name":"Sao Mai Nguyen"},{"name":"Adriana Tapus"}],"abstract":"Physical rehabilitation exercises suggested by healthcare professionals can help recovery from various musculoskeletal disorders and prevent re-injury. However, patients' engagement tends to decrease over time without direct supervision, which is why there is a need for an automated monitoring system. In recent years, there has been great progress in quality assessment of physical rehabilitation exercises. Most of them only provide a binary classification if the performance is correct or incorrect, and a few provide a continuous score. This information is not sufficient for patients to improve their performance. In this work, we propose an algorithm for error classification of rehabilitation exercises, thus making the first step toward more detailed feedback to patients. We focus on skeleton-based exercise assessment, which utilizes human pose estimation to evaluate motion. Inspired by recent algorithms for quality assessment during rehabilitation exercises, we propose a Transformer-based model for the described classification. Our model is inspired by the HyperFormer method for human action recognition, and adapted to our problem and dataset. The evaluation is done on the KERAAL dataset, as it is the only medical dataset with clear error labels for the exercises, and our model significantly surpasses state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, we bridge the gap towards better feedback to the patients by presenting a way to calculate the importance of joints for each exercise.","source":"arXiv","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.HC","cs.AI","cs.CV","cs.RO"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.13866","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.13866","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2025-03-28T10:30:39Z","score":69},{"id":"arxiv_2511.11748","title":"Understanding Mode Choice Behavior of People with Disabilities: A Case Study in Utah","authors":[{"name":"Megh Bahadur KC"},{"name":"Ziqi Song"},{"name":"Keunhyun Park"},{"name":"Keith Christensen"}],"abstract":"Despite the growing recognition of the importance of inclusive transportation policies nationwide, there is still a gap, as the existing transportation models often fail to capture the unique travel behavior of people with disabilities. This research study focuses on understanding the mode choice behavior of individuals with travel-limited disabilities and comparing the group with no such disability. The study identified key factors influencing mode preferences for both groups by utilizing Utah's household travel survey, simulation algorithm and Multinomial Logit model. Explanatory variables include household and socio-demographic attributes, personal, trip characteristics, and built environment variables. The analysis revealed intriguing trends, including a shift towards carpooling among disabled individuals. People with disabilities placed less emphasis on travel time saving. A lower value of travel time for people with disabilities is potentially due to factors like part-time work, reduced transit fare, and no or shared cost for carpooling. Despite a 50% fare reduction for the disabled group, transit accessibility remains a significant barrier in their choice of Transit mode. In downtown areas, people with no disability were found to choose transit compared to driving, whereas disabled people preferred carpooling. Travelers with no driving licenses and disabled people who use transit daily showed complex travel patterns among multiple modes. The study emphasizes the need for accessible and inclusive transportation options, such as improved public transit services, shorter first and last miles in transit, and better connectivity for non-motorized modes, to cater to the unique needs of disabled travelers. The findings of this study have significant policy implications such as an inclusive mode choice modeling framework for creating a more sustainable and inclusive transportation system.","source":"arXiv","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":["physics.soc-ph","cs.CY"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.11748","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2511.11748","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2025-11-13T16:28:58Z","score":69},{"id":"arxiv_2504.19230","title":"Robotic Trail Maker Platform for Rehabilitation in Neurological Conditions: Clinical Use Cases","authors":[{"name":"Srikar Annamraju"},{"name":"Harris Nisar"},{"name":"Dayu Xia"},{"name":"Shankar A. Deka"},{"name":"Anne Horowitz"},{"name":"Nadica Miljković"},{"name":"Dušan M. Stipanović"}],"abstract":"Patients with neurological conditions require rehabilitation to restore their motor, visual, and cognitive abilities. To meet the shortage of therapists and reduce their workload, a robotic rehabilitation platform involving the clinical trail making test is proposed. Therapists can create custom trails for each patient and the patient can trace the trails using a robotic device. The platform can track the performance of the patient and use these data to provide dynamic assistance through the robot to the patient interface. Therefore, the proposed platform not only functions as an evaluation platform, but also trains the patient in recovery. The developed platform has been validated at a rehabilitation center, with therapists and patients operating the device. It was found that patients performed poorly while using the platform compared to healthy subjects and that the assistance provided also improved performance amongst patients. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the speed of the patients was significantly enhanced with the robotic assistance. Further, neural networks are trained to classify between patients and healthy subjects and to forecast their movements using the data collected.","source":"arXiv","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.RO","eess.SY"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.19230","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.19230","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2025-04-27T13:13:43Z","score":69},{"id":"ss_a5c9ec9ecafa9ecd8cbc5bdb3fec2a1cd906ac4d","title":"The Experience of the Social Rehabilitation Teacher on Employment Support for the User in Residential Facilities for People with Disabilities","authors":[{"name":"J. An"},{"name":"Yeonsoo Jeong"}],"abstract":"This study aimed to explore the experiences of social rehabilitation teachers in residential facilities for the persons with disabilities in supporting their employment, analyze their practical roles and the constraints they face, and suggest future directions for residential facility-based vocational rehabilitation practices. For this, six social rehabilitation teachers with experience performing social rehabilitation work in residential facilities for the persons with disabilities were selected through a deliberate sampling method, and non-face-to-face video individual in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed through the process of conceptualization, subcategorization, and supercategorization. The research results were as follows: First, social rehabilitation teachers were performing complex and multi-layered tasks such as establishing individual support plans, admission/discharge and daily management, support for career life and independence, supervision of life rehabilitation teachers, and community linkage, beyond the role of simple job linkers. Second, in the midst of the low job competency and poor training conditions of residential facilities, social rehabilitation teachers were struggling for employment of users and cooperate with external organizations. Third, due to structural constraints such as the lack of job training space within the residential facilities themselves, difficulty in continuing training due to aging and repetitive lifestyle habits, high employment standards, and low community acceptance, job linkage was not smoothly achieved, and as a result, the work burden and burnout of social rehabilitation teachers were increasing. Fourth, in order to activate the job support work of social rehabilitation teachers in residential facilities, it was found that institutional clarification of the job identity and role of social rehabilitation teachers, differentiation of staff placement criteria according to the degree of disability of users, development of low-intensity job training programs, and establishment of a community-centered network were required. In conclusion, the significance of this study was to explore ways to activate the role of social rehabilitation teachers in charge of employment support for people with disabilities in a special environment such as a residential facility for the persons with disabilities and to find practical implications.","source":"Semantic Scholar","year":2025,"language":"en","subjects":null,"doi":"10.24226/jvr.2025.4.35.1.143","url":"https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/a5c9ec9ecafa9ecd8cbc5bdb3fec2a1cd906ac4d","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":69},{"id":"ss_435e887b66b9b7dc926c0c922a03f9a6f252a1c3","title":"Demographic covariates and vocational rehabilitation services as predictors of employment outcomes of people with physical disabilities: a hierarchical logistic regression analysis","authors":[{"name":"Kanako Iwanaga"},{"name":"Fong Chan"},{"name":"T. Tansey"},{"name":"J. Wu"},{"name":"P. Wehman"},{"name":"Maria Medina"},{"name":"C. Kaya"}],"abstract":"Abstract Purpose Stable employment is essential for the health, psychosocial, and financial well-being of people with physical disabilities (PwPD). Unfortunately, the low employment rate for PwPD in the U.S. exposes them to adverse effects of unemployment, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and physical pain. Helping PwPD find gainful employment will improve their general health and well-being. However, few empirical studies examine factors affecting the employment outcomes of PwPD. This study aims to examine the relationship between demographic covariates, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and employment outcomes of PwPD. Materials and Methods This secondary data analysis study includes 17,598 PwPD from the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Case Service Report (RSA-911) dataset. Our analysical approach was hierarchical logistic regression analysis. Results For VR services, workplace support, technology support, job placement assistance, and VR counseling significantly contribute to predicting employment outcomes for PwPD. Even after entering VR services, the demographic variables (age, race, education, referral sources, low-income, long-term unemployment, and disability significancy) were still significant predictors of employment. Conclusions Findings from this study can be used by state VR counselors and other disability service providers to plan and select effective employment-related interventions to improve the employment outcomes of PwPD. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION The alarmingly low employment rate among PwPD significantly impacts their psychological, financial, social, and overall health well-being in the U.S. Vocational rehabilitation services, including workplace support, technology assistance, VR counseling, and job placement support, are pivotal in facilitating employment for PwPD. PwPD who received workplace support exhibited nearly six times higher odds of attaining employment compared to those without such assistance. PwPD who received technology support experienced four times higher odds of achieving employment in contrast to those without technology assistance.","source":"Semantic Scholar","year":2024,"language":"en","subjects":["Medicine"],"doi":"10.1080/09638288.2024.2312259","url":"https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/435e887b66b9b7dc926c0c922a03f9a6f252a1c3","is_open_access":true,"citations":2,"published_at":"","score":68.06},{"id":"ss_181afa3c7e8015665d0abc18f3be70140e232177","title":"Fortune 500 companies and employment of people with disabilities: The intermediary role of disability inclusion policies and practices","authors":[{"name":"Kanako Iwanaga"},{"name":"Fong Chan"},{"name":"J. Bezyak"},{"name":"J. Wu"},{"name":"Deborah Lee"},{"name":"Phil Rumrill"},{"name":"A. West"},{"name":"Patricia Zapata"},{"name":"Hanson Ho"},{"name":"T. Tansey"},{"name":"P. Wehman"}],"abstract":"BACKGROUND: Employing qualified individuals with disabilities can improve organizational competitiveness and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. However, research on disability inclusion policy and practices among employers committed to hiring people with disabilities is limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate efforts of Fortune 500 companies to include disability in their DEI policy and examine the effect of disability inclusion policy and practices on employment of people with disabilities METHODS: Four hundred sixty-six human resource and project managers with hiring authority participated in the present study. The Disability Inclusion Profiler-23 (DIP-23) was used to assess the perceived importance and implementation level of disability inclusion policy and practices in Fortune 500 and non-Fortune 500 companies. Two-sample independent t-tests were used to compare disability-employment rates and disability inclusion scores between Fortune 500 and non-Fortune 500 groups. Parallel mediation analysis was conducted to examine the extent to which executive level and mid-manager level DIP scores mediated the relationship between Fortune 500 companies and disability employment rates. RESULTS: Fortune 500 companies demonstrated higher disability employment rates and better disability inclusion policies and practices compared to non-Fortune 500 companies. CONCLUSION: State vocational rehabilitation agencies and other disability service providers should engage Fortune 500 executives to bolster disability inclusion efforts. Collaboration between vocational rehabilitation professionals and mid-level managers can enhance DIP policy implementation, thereby improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities.","source":"Semantic Scholar","year":2024,"language":"en","subjects":null,"doi":"10.3233/JVR-240026","url":"https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/181afa3c7e8015665d0abc18f3be70140e232177","is_open_access":true,"citations":1,"published_at":"","score":68.03},{"id":"doaj_10.57197/JDR-2024-0006","title":"IoT-assisted Human Activity Recognition Using Bat Optimization Algorithm with Ensemble Voting Classifier for Disabled Persons","authors":[{"name":"Nabil Almalki"},{"name":"Mrim M. Alnfiai"},{"name":"Fahd N. Al-Wesabi"},{"name":"Mesfer Alduhayyem"},{"name":"Anwer Mustafa Hilal"},{"name":"Manar Ahmed Hamza"}],"abstract":"Internet of Things (IoT)-based human action recognition (HAR) has made a significant contribution to scientific studies. Furthermore, hand gesture recognition is a subsection of HAR, and plays a vital role in interacting with deaf people. It is the automatic detection of the actions of one or many subjects using a series of observations. Convolutional neural network structures are often utilized for finding human activities. With this intention, this study presents a new bat optimization algorithm with an ensemble voting classifier for human activity recognition (BOA-EVCHAR) technique to help disabled persons in the IoT environment. The BOA-EVCHAR technique makes use of the ensemble classification concept to recognize human activities proficiently in the IoT environment. In the presented BOA-EVCHAR approach, data preprocessing is generally achieved at the beginning level. For the identification and classification of human activities, an ensemble of two classifiers namely long short-term memory (LSTM) and deep belief network (DBN) models is utilized. Finally, the BOA is used to optimally select the hyperparameter values of the LSTM and DBN models. To elicit the enhanced performances of the BOA-EVCHAR technique, a series of experimentation analyses were performed. The extensive results of the BOA-EVCHAR technique show a superior value of 99.31% on the HAR process.","source":"DOAJ","year":2024,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"],"doi":"10.57197/JDR-2024-0006","url":"https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.57197/JDR-2024-0006","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":68},{"id":"doaj_Effects+of+Eccentric+Tyler+Twist+Extensor-Strengthening+Exercises+in+Lateral+Epicondylitis","title":"Effects of Eccentric Tyler Twist Extensor-Strengthening Exercises in Lateral Epicondylitis","authors":[{"name":"Rimsha  Jalil"},{"name":"Lal gul  Khan"},{"name":"Muhammad Faheem  Afzal"}],"abstract":"Background: Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is characterized by pain and functional limitations at the elbow due to overuse. This study focuses on evaluating the effects of Tyler twist wrist extensor-strengthening exercises, aiming to provide insights into an effective intervention for this condition.\n\n\nObjective: This study aimed to determine the effects of Tyler twist wrist extensor strengthening exercises on pain, disability, and grip strength in patients with lateral epicondylitis.\n\n\nMethodology: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Cina Medical Center Rawalpindi from February 2022 to January 2023. Fifty-two participants meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to either Group A or Group B. Group A received eccentric Tyler twist exercises in addition to conventional physiotherapy, while Group B received conventional physiotherapy alone. Pain, functional disability, and grip strength were assessed at baseline, the second week, and the fourth week. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 25. Demographics and descriptive data is presented in form of percentages, frequencies and mean + SD. Normality of the data is determined via Shapiro Wilk Test. We applied mixed-way ANOVA to find the interaction between two groups.\n\n\nResults: Within-group analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in pain, functional disability, and grip strength for both groups (p-value \u003c 0.01). Between-group analysis revealed a significant difference in pain, functional disability, and grip strength.\n\n\nConclusion: The addition of eccentric Tyler twist exercises to conventional therapy showed a statistically significant difference in terms of pain, functional disability, and grip strength in patients with lateral epicondylitis.\n\n\nKeywords: Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis, Lateral Epicondylitis.","source":"DOAJ","year":2024,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities","Therapeutics. Psychotherapy"],"url":"https://journals.riphah.edu.pk/index.php/jrcrs/article/view/1759","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":68},{"id":"doaj_10.57197/JDR-2024-0021","title":"Unilateral Impaction of Mandibular Canine in a Down Syndrome Patient: A Case Report","authors":[{"name":"Abdullah Ali H. Alzahrani"},{"name":"Nagesh Bhat"}],"abstract":"A 12-year-old female patient, with large nasal bridge, mongoloid slants, clinodactyly, saddle gap of toes, slanting palpebral fissures, and a flat facies with ocular hypertelorism was reported. The patient’s medical history showed intellectual impairment, hypothyroidism, and allergy to penicillin and cow milk. Intraoral examination revealed that there was severe crowding, with Angles class I Dewey’s modification type I. A radiographic examination showed that the root of tooth 44 has sharp dilaceration toward the mesial in the apical third. Impacted canines were measured approximately 17.5 mm from the cusp till root apex. Treatment plan included prescription for pain relief. Oral prophylaxis was followed by root canal treatment and full coverage restoration. Induced eruption was planned. This case report provides insight into various oral conditions associated with Down syndrome (DS). The treatment was challenging and it needed a comprehensive approach with a preventive dentistry practice and regular screening. Dental practitioners should be aware of DS and its effect on oral health with the main focus on an effective treatment plan.","source":"DOAJ","year":2024,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"],"doi":"10.57197/JDR-2024-0021","url":"https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.57197/JDR-2024-0021","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":68},{"id":"arxiv_2406.14795","title":"Design and Control of a Low-cost Non-backdrivable End-effector Upper Limb Rehabilitation Device","authors":[{"name":"Fulan Li"},{"name":"Yunfei Guo"},{"name":"Wenda Xu"},{"name":"Weide Zhang"},{"name":"Fangyun Zhao"},{"name":"Baiyu Wang"},{"name":"Huaguang Du"},{"name":"Chengkun Zhang"}],"abstract":"This paper presents GARD, an upper limb end-effector rehabilitation device developed for stroke patients. GARD offers assistance force along or towards a 2D trajectory during physical therapy sessions. GARD employs a non-backdrivable mechanism with novel motor velocity-control-based algorithms, which offers superior control precision and stability. To our knowledge, this innovative technical route has not been previously explored in rehabilitation robotics. In alignment with the new design, GARD features two novel control algorithms: Implicit Euler Velocity Control (IEVC) algorithm and a generalized impedance control algorithm. These algorithms achieve O(n) runtime complexity for any arbitrary trajectory. The system has demonstrated a mean absolute error of 0.023mm in trajectory-following tasks and 0.14mm in trajectory-restricted free moving tasks. The proposed upper limb rehabilitation device offers all the functionalities of existing commercial devices with superior performance. Additionally, GARD provides unique functionalities such as area-restricted free moving and dynamic Motion Restriction Map interaction. This device holds strong potential for widespread clinical use, potentially improving rehabilitation outcomes for stroke patients.","source":"arXiv","year":2024,"language":"en","subjects":["cs.RO","eess.SY"],"doi":"10.3389/fresc.2024.1469491","url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.14795","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2406.14795","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2024-06-20T23:53:07Z","score":68},{"id":"arxiv_2411.03919","title":"A Causal Framework for Precision Rehabilitation","authors":[{"name":"R. James Cotton"},{"name":"Bryant A. Seamon"},{"name":"Richard L. Segal"},{"name":"Randal D. Davis"},{"name":"Amrita Sahu"},{"name":"Michelle M. McLeod"},{"name":"Pablo Celnik"},{"name":"Sharon L. Ramey"}],"abstract":"Precision rehabilitation offers the promise of an evidence-based approach for optimizing individual rehabilitation to improve long-term functional outcomes. Emerging techniques, including those driven by artificial intelligence, are rapidly expanding our ability to quantify the different domains of function during rehabilitation, other encounters with healthcare, and in the community. While this seems poised to usher rehabilitation into the era of big data and should be a powerful driver of precision rehabilitation, our field lacks a coherent framework to utilize these data and deliver on this promise. We propose a framework that builds upon multiple existing pillars to fill this gap. Our framework aims to identify the Optimal Dynamic Treatment Regimens (ODTR), or the decision-making strategy that takes in the range of available measurements and biomarkers to identify interventions likely to maximize long-term function. This is achieved by designing and fitting causal models, which extend the Computational Neurorehabilitation framework using tools from causal inference. These causal models can learn from heterogeneous data from different silos, which must include detailed documentation of interventions, such as using the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System. The models then serve as digital twins of patient recovery trajectories, which can be used to learn the ODTR. Our causal modeling framework also emphasizes quantitatively linking changes across levels of the functioning to ensure that interventions can be precisely selected based on careful measurement of impairments while also being selected to maximize outcomes that are meaningful to patients and stakeholders. We believe this approach can provide a unifying framework to leverage growing big rehabilitation data and AI-powered measurements to produce precision rehabilitation treatments that can improve clinical outcomes.","source":"arXiv","year":2024,"language":"en","subjects":["q-bio.QM","cs.LG"],"url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.03919","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.03919","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"2024-11-06T13:51:06Z","score":68},{"id":"ss_1f9f771823fc1cf9b2ba0af9cd910eb58679a900","title":"Understanding the provision of self-employment for people with disabilities in the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program: A policy review","authors":[{"name":"Kathryn D. Hansen"},{"name":"Beth Keeton"},{"name":"J. Jones"}],"abstract":"BACKGROUND: State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies play a critical role in helping people with disabilities gain employment; however, self-employment remains an infrequent outcome for VR participants even though self-employment rates are disproportionately higher for people with disabilities than the general population. OBJECTIVE: The study provides a broad review and analysis of state VR self-employment policies to identify barriers that impede equitable access to self-employment services and provide recommendations on how to address these nationally. METHODS: The policy analysis included reviewing 73 VR state and territory agency’s policies across the country, using data from the RSA-911 self-employment data and other sources about the self-employment process through VR agencies. RESULTS: Currently less than 2% of VR participants exit into self-employment nationwide. Three policy areas that could increase outcomes for self-employment are self-employment assessments, market analysis or business planning requirements, and self-employment funding and financing guidelines. CONCLUSION: Policymakers need to explore new opportunities to address unintended barriers and increase equitable access to self-employment such as replacing trait focused self-employment assessments, providing technical assistance from the beginning of the self-employment process, and develop funding policies that better align with those for wage employment services.","source":"Semantic Scholar","year":2023,"language":"en","subjects":null,"doi":"10.3233/JVR-230025","url":"https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/1f9f771823fc1cf9b2ba0af9cd910eb58679a900","is_open_access":true,"citations":2,"published_at":"","score":67.06},{"id":"doaj_10.52567/trj.v7i02.224","title":"Educational environment perception and cognitive load among physical therapy students during e-learning","authors":[{"name":"Zahid Mehmood"},{"name":"Zubair  Ahmad"},{"name":"Asad  Ullah"},{"name":"Anam  Aftab"},{"name":"Junaid  Akram"},{"name":"Abdul Haseeb  Bhutta"},{"name":"Abdul  Wahab"}],"abstract":"         Background: Understanding students' perception of the educational environment and their cognitive load in this context is crucial for optimizing the effectiveness of e-learning platforms.  Objective: To compare educational environment perception and cognitive load in under-graduates Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and post-graduate Master in Science of Physical Therapy (MSPT) students having online learning experiences.  Methodology: In this comparative cross-sectional study, data was collected through non-probability convenient sampling from n=274 under-graduates DPT (n=225) and post-graduates MSPT(n=49) students of either gender having one-semester experience of online learning, Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) for measuring educational environmental perception and Rating Scale of Mental Effort (RSME) for measurement of cognitive load. Online self-structured was developed questionnaire and shared through communication media platform and data analysis was made through SPSS version 28.  Results: There were n=225 under-graduates (DPT) and n=49 post-graduates (MSPT) students in which, there were n=208 females and n=66 males.  The overall DREEM score showed that MSPT students are more significantly positive (p\u003c0.001, Cohen’s d=1.01) than DPT students regarding the perception of the educational environment with a large effect size. While there was no significant difference (p=0.114) between MSP and DPT students regarding cognitive load.  Conclusion: Post-graduates (MSPT) students have better educational environmental perception than undergraduate (DPT) students but there was no significant difference in cognitive load in undergraduate (DPT) and post-graduates (MSPT) students.  Keywords: cognition; cognitive load; mental effort; e-learning; physiotherapist.","source":"DOAJ","year":2023,"language":"","subjects":["Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"],"doi":"10.52567/trj.v7i02.224","url":"http://www.trjournal.org/index.php/TRJ/article/view/224","is_open_access":true,"published_at":"","score":67}],"total":1303475,"page":1,"page_size":20,"sources":["DOAJ","arXiv","Semantic Scholar","CrossRef"],"query":"Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities"}