Service learning is philosophically congruent with the objectives of progressive occupational therapy curricula. This article presents a case-based research study that examined the attributes and outcomes of a service-learning course that included Level I fieldwork. Analysis of the case study identified three themes: (a) the translation of theory to practice, (b) the value of contextual learning, and (c) the gestalt of occupational awareness. Service learning can be considered a pedagogical [2] model that promotes the synthesis of conceptual models to clinical practice. Furthermore, it enables students to develop a professional and personal philosophy of occupation earlier in their careers.

Abstract-Deficiencies in upper-limb motor function and executive functioning can compromise an affected individual's ability to complete everyday activities. Impaired motor and executive functioning therefore pose a risk to increasing numbers of veterans who have been diagnosed with acquired brain injury. This article reports on changes in upper-limb motor function and executive functioning of 12 adult participants with chronic acquired brain injury using a novel, computer-based, motor and cognitive rehabilitation program called PreMotor Exercise Games (PEGs). Manual muscle, goniometric range of motion, and dynamometer assessments were used to determine motor functioning while the Executive Function Performance Test measured cognitive functioning. A three-level repeated measures design was conducted to determine changes pre-and postintervention. Participants demonstrated significant improvement in shoulder (p = 0.01) and wrist (p = 0.01) range of motion and clinically relevant improvement for elbow range of motion. Participants demonstrated clinically relevant improvement in shoulder, elbow, and wrist strength. Finally, participants demonstrated significant improvement in executive functioning (p < 0.05). Using PEGs as a modality for both motor and cognitive intervention is a potentially beneficial adjunct to rehabilitation and warrants further study.

The application of occupational justice is essential to promote client-centred AT services particularly in evaluation of needs, selection and acquisition of AT devices, and training and support for use of AT devices.

The Evaluation of Social Interaction (ESI; Fisher & Griswold, 2008) assesses a person's performance of social interaction skills in the natural context with typical social partners during any area of occupation. We used Rasch analysis of 175 observations of 128 people, ages 4-73, to examine internal scale validity, the items' skill hierarchy and intended purpose, and the ESI's ability to differentiate between people with and without disabilities. The ESI demonstrated validity for 24 of 27 skills and six intended purposes, with a hierarchy of performance. Of the observations, 95.3% demonstrated goodness of fit to the Rasch model, indicating person response validity. People without a disability demonstrated significantly higher social skills performance than those with a known disability (t= 4.468, df= 83 p= .000). The ESI has the potential to provide a quantitative assessment of social interaction performance in the natural context of a person's desired occupation and may be useful for intervention planning and outcome measurement.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Evaluation of Social Interaction (ESI) in a community-based program for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as its effectiveness in measuring occupational therapy intervention. Ten people who experienced a TBI and were participating in a community-based program were a convenience sample for this study. The Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM) provided the theoretical framework. The ESI provided a pre-test performance measure and also served as a guide for an eight-week occupational therapy intervention program, and as a post-test to measure intervention effectiveness. This study showed that the ESI was effective in guiding therapist intervention related to social skill performance of participants during their participation in a community-based program. As a group, the difference between pre and post ESI logit measures was also significant (t=4.977, p=0.001). The study provides initial considerations for the utility of the ESI to guide intervention related to social skill performance during daily occupations. It further documents the effectiveness of the ESI in measuring occupational therapy intervention, based on OTIPM, and supports occupational therapy services provided in a community-based program context for those living with TBI.

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