Improving Clinician Capacity to Provide Interventions for Manual Wheelchair Users (SKILL)

May 14, 2026 updated by: Lynn Worobey, University of Pittsburgh
The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of remote manual wheelchair skills training program for clinicians. The study will use three-group approach: intervention with remote feedback (Group 1), control group (Group 2), and structured self-study (Group 3). This demonstrates how the intervention compares not only to a control, but also to the next "best alternative" - therapists sourcing web-based training materials and learning independently.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

A randomized, single-blinded, two-period cross-over study design for Groups 1 and 2 will be used. Participants will complete baseline assessments and then be randomized to either Group 1 or Group 2. After enrollment for Groups 1 and 2 is completed, Group 3 participants will be enrolled.

Group 1 will receive the active intervention (intervention A) which will include a two-part training in wheelchair skills. For Part 1, they will review approximately 4 hours of educational videos on how to complete and teach wheelchair skills. For Part 2 they will complete a practice-feedback loop with a remote trainer providing asynchronous feedback. Group 3 will mirror Group 1 but complete only Part 1 of the training. Group 2 will receive the control intervention (intervention B) participants will review approximately 4 hours of educational videos. Participants will have 8 weeks to complete either training program. Both groups will then complete follow-up at 2 and 6 months. Following this, participants will cross over to receive the other intervention (Group 1 and 3 will receive intervention B, Group 2 will receive intervention A) and complete follow-up at 8 and 12 months.

Additionally, rehabilitation professionals who are not therapists will be able to access the training through a structured self-study (Group 4). This group will receive access to both trainings with follow-up at 2 and 6 months.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
235

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15219
        • University of Pittsburgh / Rehab Neural Engineering Labs

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Practicing rehabilitation professional whose client population includes wheelchair users.
  2. Willing and able to attempt practicing wheelchair skills
  3. Access to a spotter(s)
  4. Access to an Internet-ready device with video capabilities.
  5. Speaks English

Exclusion Criteria:

1) Confident in teaching (Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting [SEATS] item score = 5) and able to complete (WST-Q capacity item score = 2) >50% of skills targeted by the training intervention.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: Group 1: therapists
Group 1 will receive the active intervention (intervention A) of remote wheelchair skills training. They will cross-over to receive the control intervention (intervention B) of education on wheelchair provision at 6 months.
Other: Part 1 of intervention A - Wheelchair skills training modules

Clinicians will review a suite of training videos in a prescribed order that discuss motor learning principles, safe spotting, and how to complete 15 intermediate and advanced skills:

  1. Opening/closing doors
  2. getting over a gap
  3. getting over a threshold
  4. ascending a low curb
  5. descending a low curb
  6. ascending a high curb
  7. descending a high curb
  8. performing a stationary wheelie
  9. descending a high curb in a wheelie position
  10. descending a steep incline in a wheelie position and stopping
  11. ascending stairs
  12. descending stairs
  13. completing a floor-to-chair transfer
  14. car transfers
  15. folding and unfolding wheelchair
Other: Part 2 of intervention A - Asynchronous feedback from a remote trainer
Participants will practice of wheelchair skills paired with remote feedback. Participants will be reminded to practice once per week. The participant will practice any number of the 15 skills for a self-selected duration. Following each practice session, the participant will upload video(s) of the skills practiced and a session log, indicating any difficulties they encountered. The remote trainer will then review the video-recordings and reply to the participant with feedback.
Other: Intervention B: Education on wheelchair provision
Participants will be provided with access to web-based wheelchair provision education modules. When the content is viewed will be self-selected by participants. Participants will be asked to complete a feedback survey at the end of the modules. Participants will receive weekly reminders to complete the intervention until a feedback survey completed.
Other: Group 2
Group 2 will complete the control intervention (intervention B) of education on wheelchair provision. They will cross-over to receive the active intervention (intervention A) of remote wheelchair skills training at 6 months.
Other: Part 1 of intervention A - Wheelchair skills training modules

Clinicians will review a suite of training videos in a prescribed order that discuss motor learning principles, safe spotting, and how to complete 15 intermediate and advanced skills:

  1. Opening/closing doors
  2. getting over a gap
  3. getting over a threshold
  4. ascending a low curb
  5. descending a low curb
  6. ascending a high curb
  7. descending a high curb
  8. performing a stationary wheelie
  9. descending a high curb in a wheelie position
  10. descending a steep incline in a wheelie position and stopping
  11. ascending stairs
  12. descending stairs
  13. completing a floor-to-chair transfer
  14. car transfers
  15. folding and unfolding wheelchair
Other: Part 2 of intervention A - Asynchronous feedback from a remote trainer
Participants will practice of wheelchair skills paired with remote feedback. Participants will be reminded to practice once per week. The participant will practice any number of the 15 skills for a self-selected duration. Following each practice session, the participant will upload video(s) of the skills practiced and a session log, indicating any difficulties they encountered. The remote trainer will then review the video-recordings and reply to the participant with feedback.
Other: Intervention B: Education on wheelchair provision
Participants will be provided with access to web-based wheelchair provision education modules. When the content is viewed will be self-selected by participants. Participants will be asked to complete a feedback survey at the end of the modules. Participants will receive weekly reminders to complete the intervention until a feedback survey completed.
Other: Group 3
Groups 3 will mirror Group 1 but for intervention A will only complete Part 1 of the training and then be cued weekly to practice.
Other: Part 1 of intervention A - Wheelchair skills training modules

Clinicians will review a suite of training videos in a prescribed order that discuss motor learning principles, safe spotting, and how to complete 15 intermediate and advanced skills:

  1. Opening/closing doors
  2. getting over a gap
  3. getting over a threshold
  4. ascending a low curb
  5. descending a low curb
  6. ascending a high curb
  7. descending a high curb
  8. performing a stationary wheelie
  9. descending a high curb in a wheelie position
  10. descending a steep incline in a wheelie position and stopping
  11. ascending stairs
  12. descending stairs
  13. completing a floor-to-chair transfer
  14. car transfers
  15. folding and unfolding wheelchair
Other: Intervention B: Education on wheelchair provision
Participants will be provided with access to web-based wheelchair provision education modules. When the content is viewed will be self-selected by participants. Participants will be asked to complete a feedback survey at the end of the modules. Participants will receive weekly reminders to complete the intervention until a feedback survey completed.
Other: Group 4: rehab professionals, not therapists
Group 4 will mirror Group 3 but receive access to both interventions at the same time.
Other: Part 1 of intervention A - Wheelchair skills training modules

Clinicians will review a suite of training videos in a prescribed order that discuss motor learning principles, safe spotting, and how to complete 15 intermediate and advanced skills:

  1. Opening/closing doors
  2. getting over a gap
  3. getting over a threshold
  4. ascending a low curb
  5. descending a low curb
  6. ascending a high curb
  7. descending a high curb
  8. performing a stationary wheelie
  9. descending a high curb in a wheelie position
  10. descending a steep incline in a wheelie position and stopping
  11. ascending stairs
  12. descending stairs
  13. completing a floor-to-chair transfer
  14. car transfers
  15. folding and unfolding wheelchair
Other: Intervention B: Education on wheelchair provision
Participants will be provided with access to web-based wheelchair provision education modules. When the content is viewed will be self-selected by participants. Participants will be asked to complete a feedback survey at the end of the modules. Participants will receive weekly reminders to complete the intervention until a feedback survey completed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q) score
Time Frame: baseline vs. 2 months
Clinician capacity and confidence to complete wheelchair skills, as measured by wheelchair skills test questionnaire (WST-Q), will improve following training (Group 1,3) compared to the active control group (Group 2). The WST-Q includes values from 0-3 for each of Capacity, Confidence, and Performance. These three scores will be averaged. A higher value indicates a better outcome.
baseline vs. 2 months
Change in Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting (SEATS) score
Time Frame: baseline vs. 2 months
Clinician confidence to provide wheelchair skills training, as measured by the Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting (SEATS), will improve following training (Group 1,3) compared to the active control group (Group 2). The SEATS evaluation rates Assessing, Training, and Spotting, on scales from 0-5 for each skill. The values will be combined and averaged to assess progress over time. A higher score indicates improvement.
baseline vs. 2 months
Change in number of wheelchair users trained
Time Frame: baseline vs. 6 months
Clinician training of wheelchair users will increase in quantity (number of wheelchair users trained, duration of training) in the six months following training (Group 1,3) compared to the active control group (Group 2).
baseline vs. 6 months
Change in quality of wheelchair skills trained
Time Frame: baseline vs. 6 months
Clinician training of wheelchair users will increase in quality (number of wheelchair skills trained, capacity of trainees) in the year following training (Group 1,3) compared to the active control group (Group 2).
baseline vs. 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in rehab professional Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q) score
Time Frame: baseline vs. 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Rehabilitation professional capacity and confidence to complete wheelchair skills, as measured by wheelchair skills test questionnaire (WST-Q), will improve following training. The WST-Q includes values from 0-3 for each of Capacity, Confidence, and Performance. These three scores will be averaged. A higher value indicates a better outcome.
baseline vs. 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Change in rehab professional Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting (SEATS) score
Time Frame: baseline vs. 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Rehabilitation professional confidence to provide wheelchair skills training, as measured by the Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting (SEATS), will improve following training. The SEATS evaluation rates Assessing, Training, and Spotting, on scales from 0-5 for each skill. The values will be combined and averaged to assess progress over time. A higher score indicates improvement.
baseline vs. 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Change in rehab professional quantity of wheelchair users trained
Time Frame: baseline vs. 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Rehabilitation professional training of wheelchair users will increase in quantity (number of wheelchair users trained, duration of training) following training.
baseline vs. 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Change in rehab professional quality of wheelchair training
Time Frame: baseline vs. 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training
Rehabilitation professional training of wheelchair users will increase in quality (number of wheelchair skills trained, capacity of trainees) in the year following training.
baseline vs. 6 months, and 1 year (Group 1,3 only) following training

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Pittsburgh

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Dalhousie University
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Lynn Worobey, PhD/DPT, University of Pittsburgh

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 22, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 16, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 16, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 27, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 27, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 14, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY22010071
  • 90SIMS0010 (Other Grant/Funding Number: NIDILRR)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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