Tutorial five: Video production

As Occupational therapy students we are required to take part in a number of "placements". During my first year I was placed in a setting that assessed clients for complex wheelchair seating.


 

Here is a clip of a young man with Muscular Dystrophy showing us that even though he may not be able to drive a car yet, he can still participate in the popular sport of drifting.



 

 This clip shows the advances in the world of powered wheelchairs.



 

 All terrain wheelchairs have the ability to allow the user the chance of easily accessing areas they may not have been able to before.



 

 Here we see concept wheelchairs utilising all terrain tracks to enable the effortless climbing of stairs.



 

 For the everyday wheelchair user a great deal of the world can be just outside of their reach, these powered chairs allow the user accessibility without making the wheelchair physically any larger than a standard model. Although this technology does come with a substantial pricetag.

Tutorial six: On-line communities

Here are the links to three online communities i have selected that are of relevance to my studies as an Occupational Therapist

http://www.myhandicap.com/community-international.html

http://www.workbridge.co.nz/?page=1331

http://www.disabledonline.com/community/


My handicap is a information and support site for people living with disability. It provides information on health issues, relationships, schooling, travel and mobility as well as sports fixtures. It is a free website and is run not for profit. The site does have a "Donations" tab which helps to cover the cost of maintaining a website. The site has a "login portal" that allows registered users access to a question and answer forum.


Disabled On-line is an on-line shopping and social networking site for people with disability. It host shopping opportunities for a number of assistive devices. Members  also have the opportunity to participate in live chats, post in the forums, write blogs, play arcade games, add a classified, share an event, watch videos, upload photos, take polls, and quizzes. The site is non-profit and is supported by sponsorship by 1800Wheelchair.com and Rollator.


Workbridge is an information site designed to create employment opportunities for people with disability. It is not an interactive site as such, but provides employers with a strong argument for employing people with disability. Workbridge is contracted to ACC to provide a range of vocational assessment and vocational rehabilitation services for people throughout New Zealand. Workbridge works in partnership with other providers to supply services like employment maintenance and graduated return to work programs, as well as a range of other work preparation  schemes and assessments. The site allows contributions in the form of a "comments" page and also hosts a "jobs vacant" section.

My handicaps followers contribute to the site by making their own posts on boards seeking answers to issues they may be facing. They are able to use the site to stay in contact with like-minded people and share information. This involves the site acting as a portal for users worldwide who can relate to the concepts of “occupational deprivation” and “occupational disruption”. Information and different perspectives shared by its members go toward helping other members that may experience issues involving these concepts.

Workbridge has contribution in the form of a “feedback” page allowing people to post comments and thoughts about the service itself.  Prospective employers may use the site as a method of contact with the service. The site provides information on disability issues, compensation schemes as well as information on possible employees. The site addresses the concept of “occupational transition” as it enables people living with disability the opportunity to enter or re-enter the workforce.

Disabled community followers are able to use the site as a social networking tool as well as being able to post on in-site blogs. Advertising in the form of classifieds as well as postings on forum topics mean the information is a “two way street”.

Ethical issues

When dealing with the facelessness that any social networking site offers, there will be the users that take advantage. Users must take this on board and realize that the information they choose to disclose is available to all. The sites themselves have a form of self-regulation, inappropriate blogs or forum post are removed and unsavory members can be flagged.