ADED eLearning

Breakfast & General Session | Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Current practices for enhancing driver training
Jacqueline Milani, NHTSA Highway Safety Specialist
Learning Level: Intermediate | Contact Hours: 1 hour

Driver education and training has continued to evolve as roadway design and vehicles have evolved. New learning methods and tools are needed to appropriately keep up with engineering design of vehicles and roadways, technological advancements, and social learning styles. TIRF and HSS with support from NHTSA, prepared a systemic review of literature to explore information gaps on best practices for teaching. The review of the literature focused on three categories: the value of blended learning, the use of deliberate practice, and the application of technological approaches to driver education. It has become critically clear that educational methods and styles must change to meet generational transitions.

Learning Objectives:

• Why it is important to adjust educational training methods and styles to address engineering design of vehicles and roadways, technological advancements, and social learning styles across generations.

Seminar 12 | Ask Us Anything…About Driver Rehab
Nikki Simmons, MS, OT/L, CDRS, Moderator
Panelists: Bryan Garrison, RKT, MHA, CDRS, Kate Lopez , OTR/L, MHS, LDI, CDRS & Kathy Woods, OTR/L, CDRS, LDI
Learning Level: Introductory | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

A panel of experienced CDRS will share their knowledge and experiences with the audience in this ask us anything panel. A moderator will have a list of questions to begin the discussion from topics regarding best advice for new driver rehab professionals, ethical issues and how the profession has changed. The audience will be able to ask questions of the panel as well during a Q&A session toward the end. 

Learning Objectives:

• After participating in the session, attendees should be able to apply the knowledge shared by the panelist to their practice in driving rehabilitation.

Seminar 13 | The Driving Risk Calculator: A Multifaceted Clinical Tool
Jenny Nordine, OTR/L, CDRS & Breanna Snyder, OTRL, CDRS
Learning Level: Introductory | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

The Driving Risk Calculator (DRC) is a free resource available to all ADED members. In this educational session, attendees will understand how to use the DRC to leverage community-based referrals for behind the wheel services, interpret community-based results to guide clinical reasoning, and review case studies to guide a behind the wheel assessments.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn to interpret community-based results of the DRC to guide clinical reasoning and develop a plan for behind the wheel assessment.
• Understand how the DRC can be used as a marketing tool to generate community-based referrals

Seminar 14 | Here Comes the Sun!!! Sunshields & Filters for Driving & Bioptic Driving
Brenda Eadens, MRC, CRC, CDRS
Learning Level: Introductory | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

This session is about low vision conditions and specific sunshields and filter combinations that help people with driving. Provide explanations of various visual impairments. Spotlight sunshields that help with various visual conditions. Discuss how an appropriate choice of sunshield can greatly assist in safe driving. Show how specific sunshields and filter combinations help color blind people with driving. Discuss equipment that is helpful to low vision drivers. 

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss functional vision and the need for sunshields to improve contrast or color
• Associate certain sun shields with a particular visual impairment
• Identify equipment that is helpful to low vision drivers

Seminar 15 | Roll with the Changes Roundtable Discussions
Stephanie Scharf, OTR/L, CDRS, CDI
Learning Level: Intermediate | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

ADED recognizes the importance of driver rehabilitation specialists engaging in deep and diverse conversations with their peers for continual knowledge sharing and growth in their careers. The experiences and perspectives of those at other programs and in varying stages of skill in the field can help provide novel approaches and perspectives from simple to complex cases. This session will offer moderated discussion on cutting-edge driver rehabilitation, topics focusing on Where We’ve Been, What We’ve Learned and Where We’re Going. Topics will include current challenges in the field, top trends and equipment, evidence-informed decision making, and best practices. 

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze clinical and professional reasoning for challenging cases.
• Examine how interprofessional collaborations can help assist your practice.
• Discuss best practices in specific driver rehabilitation cases.

Seminar 16 | Managing Driver Retirement/Cessation and Navigating Difficult Conversations
Lea Bertoni, OTR/L, CDRS & Jill Sclease, CTRS CDRS
Learning Level: Introductory | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

As driver rehabilitation professionals, we understand how crucial an objective assessment is to determine one’s fitness to drive, and are often faced with difficult conversations. This presentation explores the complexities involved in driver rehabilitation assessments that may ultimately lead to driver retirement/cessation decisions. We will examine the key factors that influence the assessment process and support these recommendations for both novice and experienced drivers. Additionally, the session will focus on the delicate task of navigating difficult conversations when the assessment outcome indicates they do not have the potential to continue, resume, or pursue driving. Attendees will learn effective communication strategies to handle these conversations with empathy and respect, while addressing the emotional and practical aspects of driver retirement. Case studies will be used to discuss ethical dilemmas and challenging situations. Key takeaways will include best practices for assessment, talking points to guide the conversation, and how to support our clients and their families following a driving cessation recommendation.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand objective clinical findings that can indicate heightened risk for driving and support a driver retirement recommendation
• Differentiate between major vs. minor errors on behind the wheel assessment
• Provide communication strategies to aid in navigating challenging conversations
• Understand ethical and legal considerations following a driver retirement recommendation
• Identify practical supports and resources for a transition into driver retirement

Seminar 17 | Lessons Learned: Why Professional, Industry, and Regulatory Standards Matter
Amy Lane, OTR/L, CDRS, Moderator
Panelists: Cassy Churchill, Chuck Hardy, Petra McCarney, MS, OTR/L, CDRS, Ron Mohr
Learning Level: Intermediate | Contact Hours: 1.5 hours

This panel presentation brings together experts from driver rehabilitation, mobility equipment dealers, and manufacturing to explore the essential collaboration required to ensure client success with adaptive equipment and vehicle modifications. Attendees will gain insights into the importance of applying and adhering to best practices while managing the challenges of clients seeking solutions outside regulatory standards and professional guidelines, including short and long-term consequences.
The session will explore lessons learned from real-world experiences, common pitfalls due to communication gaps, working with other stakeholders and funding agencies, and the value of aligning with federal standards and guidelines for client safety. Panelists will share hard-earned knowledge and practical strategies to address surprisingly frequent issues that arise in this field. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the critical coordination necessary to deliver effective, compliant, and safe mobility solutions.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the roles and collaborative contributions of driver rehabilitation providers, mobility equipment dealers, and manufacturers in delivering successful client outcomes.
• Identify key federal standards and guidelines applicable to adaptive equipment and vehicle modifications and understand the consequences of non-compliance.
• Analyze common issues that arise between various stakeholders and clients, and propose strategies to mitigate these challenges related to safe and reliable equipment and vehicles.

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