This toolkit is designed to assist and guide driving educators through a framework to provide driver education to new/novice teen drivers. ADED encourages you to use this resource to help advance education and on-road training. Provided are driver readiness checklists, glossary of terms, CDRS referral form, and resources for common conditions. UPDATED September 2024

Vision Badge Level 1 

$195 Members | $390 Non-Members | 5 ADED Contact Hours
Online, on-demand all education and quizzes are included in this purchase. 
To earn the badge, the participant must successfully complete all coursework and knowledge checks and score 75% or better for quiz components.
You have 6 months from the date of purchase to complete all items and earn your badge. For proper function and the best experience, please review the FAQs and technology requirements https://elearning.aded.net/faq... 

The vision badge is a succession of badges focused on complex factors related to anatomy of the eye, functional vision and the impact of vision and common impairments on driving fitness. The badges are structured to provide an overview with increased complexity and application for the driver instructor/educator and/or health care professional. The succession of badges need to be taken in order and all individuals wishing to take subsequent levels must take Level 1.

The Level 1 (Beginners) Badge is designed for the driving instructor and health care professional needing to review basic vision concepts or other individuals wanting to learn about basic concepts of vision. A basic overview of anatomy of the eye, vision skills, and common vision and visual perceptual impairments that can impact driving fitness or fitness to drive. Discussion on how these conditions can impact driving and community mobility. Click here for the matrix. 

Prerequisites - This badge requires participants to possess a current: 

• registration or license as a driver instructor/educator who has met or exceeded local government requirements and passed approved courses necessary to work as a behind-the-wheel driving instructor in their state or province, verification required via upload of current state registration/license

OR

• current state registration as an allied health professional. Health related degrees include Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Kinesiotherapy, Speech Language Pathology, Therapeutic Recreational Therapy, Nursing, and Exercise Physiology verification required via upload of current state registration/license

Upon completion of the Level 1 (Beginners) Vision Badge, the attendee will consume education on the following competencies and have an understanding of:

• Client Intake: Medical History and Pharmacology; Visual History; Driving History; Age and activities
• Vision Terminology: Medical terminology; Abbreviations; Ophthalmologic specialists; Glossary
• Visual Impairments: Age related vision changes, comorbidities, and medications on vision; Common Eye diseases: Cataracts; Macular degeneration; Glaucoma; Diabetic retinopathy; Astigmatism; Albinism; Nystagmus; Hereditary eye diseases; Reduced acuity and visual fields. Conditions associated with vision impairments: Stroke; Brain injury; Multiple Sclerosis; Muscular Dystrophies; Brain Tumors; Cancer (of eye or neurological structures)
• Basic Vision Screening: Visual acuity; Peripheral vision; Visual Fields; Stereopsis
• Visual Perceptual Overview: Impairments; Assessment; Impact of visual perceptual impairments on driving safety
• Driving Errors Associated with Visual Impairments
• Documentation - State/Province vision guidelines
  • Remains current with relevant research and evidence related to vision and driver training needs
  • Understands and complies with ADED Code of Ethics
  • Understands and complies with ADED Best Practice Guidelines for the Delivery of Driver Rehabilitation Services

The vision badge Level 1 holder will continuously strive to improve quality of services by doing the following:
• Remains current with relevant research and evidence related to vision and driver training needs
• Understands and complies with ADED Code of Ethics
• Understands and complies with ADED Best Practice Guidelines for the Delivery of Driver Rehabilitation Services

Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. Fees paid are non-refundable.  ADED reserves the right to modify content at any time. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

Current CDRS' & DRPs please refer to policy 403 for educational activity and maximum contact hours. 

ADED's Education Code of Conduct applies to this and all ADED education.  

Help Hope Live 

Sonny Mullen, Director of Outreach discusses the Help Hope Live program and how it can benefit clients. 

Help Hope Live supports community-based fundraising for people with unmet medical expenses and related costs due to cell and organ transplants or catastrophic injuries and illnesses. Even with insurance, a health crisis can become a financial crisis. Since 1983, Help Hope Live has helped thousands of people raise millions of dollars for to pay a wide range of expenses, including out-of-pocket costs for: medications, durable medical equipment, home health care, wheelchair-accessibility modifications, physical therapy, innovative treatments, medical travel and temporary relocation, even emergency living assistance. Our program has also helped thousands pay it forward and assist others with their medical expenses.

Navigating QAP: A Roadmap for Successful Collaboration

ADED Members Only  | Complimentary | 1 ADED Contact Hour

Driver rehabilitation specialists are key players in educating clients and providing thorough information and reliable resources with respect to auto mobility equipment.  This presentation aims to equip participants with an understanding of vehicle modifications and equipment installation best practices, emphasizing the repercussions when clients and referral sources deviate from those recommended best practices and guidelines. Through exploration of past client experiences, attendees will recognize the negative consequences associated with suboptimal choices and gain insight into the importance of adherence to industry standards. Additionally, the session will delve into the intricacies of the Quality Assurance Program (QAP), enabling participants to comprehend and communicate its rules and guidelines effectively.  Armed with this knowledge, participant will be better prepared to advocate for consumers, as well as navigate the complexities of auto mobility landscape, contributing to enhanced safety and client satisfaction.

Learning Objectives: 

At the conclusion of this sessions, participants will:

• Recognize the negative consequences when clients bypass recommended best practices for vehicle modifications and equipment installations.
• Develop a greater understanding of QAP Rules and Guidelines.
• Be prepared to communicate the benefits of QAP dealers to clients and referral sources.
• Identify and make use of resources for clients to self-educate and make informed decisions regarding safe and reliable equipment and vehicle selections.

Presenter bios:

Amy Lane, OTR/L, CDRS is the Director of Education, Training & Conference at the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. Prior to this, she was a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology at the University of Pittsburgh and managed a comprehensive driver rehabilitation program. She has more than 30 years of experience practicing as an occupational therapist, with more than 20 of those years dedicated to the field of driver rehabilitation and auto-mobility industry. She has published in both trade and peer reviewed publications, has contributed book content, and presented regionally, nationally, and internationally on the topics of driving and transportation options for persons with disability. She has collaborated with her state’s Department of Transportation, American Occupational Therapy Association, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) and served on various national panels related to driver rehabilitation, low vision driving, and community mobility.

Amy Schoppman, CAE is NMEDA’s Director of Government Relations & Public Policy. She represented nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations as a Washington, DC-based lobbyist prior to joining NMEDA in 2016. Amy was the 2023 recipient of ADED’s Distinguished Service Award. 

ADED Members Only | Complimentary | 1 ADED Contact Hour 
Please note: This presentation is 60 minutes in length. Fast forward is not permitted. Participants must watch the full 60-minute presentation to unlock the survey and contact hour certificate.

Contact Hour certificates MUST be claimed by December 31, 2024, 11:59 PM ET. 

Thank you to our course sponsor 

Driving Risk Calculator Basics, Updates and Questions
Presented by Ann Forrest Clark, OTR/L, CDRS, LDI
1.5 ADED Contact Hours | $45 ADED Members | $90 Non-Members 
After purchase, you have 6 months from the date of purchase to watch the recording, complete the survey, and claim your contact hours. 

The Driving Risk Calculator (DRC) is a framework that organizes the process of administering and interpreting results from standardized clinical driving skills tests.  The goal of the DRC is to help determine when an individual should or should not be referred for a behind-the-wheel assessment based on clinical skills testing results.  The performance of the DRC has been the subject of previous presentations that are available for viewing on the ADED e-learning platform.  This session will demonstrate how to access and use the fillable test recording forms created for the DRC and posted on the ADED eLearning portal for ADED Members.  Continuous improvement of the DRC is sought through the use of updated evidence-based testing.  Updated standardized tests and resources added over the past months will be presented.   

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will experience the Driving Risk Calculator's purpose, process, and application to the driver rehabilitation assessment process.
• Attendees will learn through demonstration how to access and utilize the Driving Risk Calculator fillable forms available to ADED members on the ADED website.
• Utilization of the DRC as a decision-making tool during clinical testing will be demonstrated through case studies review.

Registration confirmation and payment receipts are e-mailed to the attendee. Refunds will not be issued after purchase or if the purchaser does not complete the content and claim contact hours in the 6-month time frame. ADED does not offer refunds because of technological issues, please consult our FAQs page for any issues you may experience. All complaints relative to the content, instructor, and registration procedures are to be directed to the ADED executive office: 200 1st Ave NW #505 Hickory NC 28601 or via email eLearning@aded.net

Current CDRS' & DRPs please refer to policy 403 for educational activity and maximum contact hours. 

The Driving Risk Calculator (DRC) is a framework that organizes the results from standardized clinical tests to help determine when an individual should or should not be referred for an On the Road Driving assessment.  It was developed for use by OT clinicians across a health care system.  The developer worked with the ADED Research Committee to survey ADED members for feedback on the DRC framework as a method for clinical reasoning. This recording will present the Driving Risk Calculator framework, background and purpose.  It will demonstrate the tests used in the DRC. It will also discuss how the DRC is used as part of clinical reasoning and the development of client recommendations.  The process used to develop the ADED survey, survey results and research path will be examined. 

After registering you will be able to view all content. 

• The Content Tab contains videos to explain the Driving Risk Calculator and all of the resources/references. 
• There are (3) Driving Risk Calculator Forms found in the Handouts Tab. Please be sure you are using Google Chrome as your browser to open the forms. 

This area houses numerous resources for the field of driver rehabilitation.

This 7-hour course addresses empirically based methods for evaluating the cognitive, visual, visual perceptual, behavioral and executive functions which are required to drive. These capacities are often not evident to the outside observer or to the driver. We will address symptoms and diagnoses that raise special concerns for driving. After a presentation of some of the major resources and test protocols, we will focus on their use in transitioning to behind-the-wheel assessment and training with a focus on reviewing clinical deficits effects on performance and appropriate training approaches for clients. The workshop will offer best practices in documentations and communication with the client and other professionals. The workshop will also review strategies for intervention, re-evaluation and address when training may be implemented/recommended or discontinued. 

Learning Objectives: 

1. Recognize hidden cognitive, perceptual and behavioral deficits related to neurological pathology that may impact the driving task.
2. Identify several evidence-based off-road clinical procedures to assess these deficits.
3. Develop skills to analyze the results of a clinical assessment in relation to potential difficulties that may arise during assessment behind the wheel and, ultimately, in driving.
4. Develop skills to interpret how clinical deficit may affect driving performance and identify factors that will determine client’s potential for training.
5. Develop skills for writing an effective plan of care, documenting reportable outcomes to client, family, physicians and state agencies and how best to communicate outcomes to clients, funding agencies and mobility dealers.
6. Understand BTW training techniques that may address cognitive perceptual difficulties and recognize training approaches that meet the needs of all level clients.
7. Recognize potential outcomes of training and use of objective re-assessment to ensure progression of skill development while identifying when clients may be discharged or if training should be terminated.
8. Develop skills for intervention planning for clients with cognitive perceptual or physical difficulties.

Speakers: Rosamond Gianutsos Psychologist, Ph.D., FAAO, CDRS & Amanda Plourde, COTA/L, CDI, CDRS
7 ADED Contact Hours

DriveSafety assessment and treatment interventions to support the CDRS

Speakers: Susie Touchinsky, OTR/L, SCDCM, CDRS and Johnell Brooks, PhD

Description:

When used properly, simulators are a valuable assessment and intervention tool for addressing a range of client factors (cognitive, visual, motor). While simulators do not replace on-road evaluations and training, simulators can be utilized to provide a repeatable, low-risk phased approach that is tailored specifically to the client’s needs. The DriveSafety phased approach allows the clinician to safely work on specific driving skills (e.g. steering, pedal usage, reaction times, visual scanning). For a client recovering from a mild stroke impacting coordination of the left arm and leg, the clinician could begin by working on steering tasks, then move to just pedal tasks, and then eventually work on combined tasks. Once mastered, the client would then progress into driving scenarios to practice the combined skills. Using this phased approach allows the clinician to assess and sharpen individual skills in preparation for in-vehicle work with the specialist. The phased approach was carefully designed to minimize simulator sickness.

Learning objectives:

• Identify the value of DriveSafety's phased approach which uses a combination of interactive exercise and driving scenarios.
• Identify the process that should be used within a clinic to reduce simulator sickness.

ADED Town Hall meetings are offered to ADED members only. Contact hours are not available for these meetings, but invaluable information is provided to help you stay informed of products and services to help your clients and enhance your practice. This Town Hall will be recorded and made available in the Members Only section of eLearning after the event.

ADED believes that information about products and services that could benefit drivers and/or vehicle passengers with disabilities and the aging should be made available to professionals in the driver rehabilitation specialist community to help them make informed choices for evaluation, training, referrals, and recommendations. As such, reference to specific products, services, organizations, or claims made in ADED Sponsored Town Hall Meetings does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by ADED, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. While we make every effort to provide accurate and reliable information, ADED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or efficacy of information contained in any advertisement or sponsorship.

ADED Town Hall June 15, 2021 - Members Only

Thursday, June 17 5:30 – 6:00 PM EST

This Month’s Topic: Driver Rehab and the Veterans Administration System

Description: In a recent survey to ADED driver rehabilitation specialist members, 57% of respondents do not provide services through the VA system. However, 88% of those respondents would like to increase their opportunities to work with the VA and veterans who have benefits. Join the ADED’s Veterans Administration Special Interest Group at the June Town Hall Meeting to learn more about the VAMC system, navigating services for veterans, and the role of the VA as a payor source.