Inter‐rater reliability of the assessment of learning powered mobility use, version 2.0, when applied with children and adults engaged in Driving to Learn in a powered wheelchair

Abstract

Introduction The Assessment of Learning Powered mobility use (ALP) tool including the ALP instrument and facilitating strategies, was developed for Driving to Learn. This therapeutic intervention aims to provide children and adults who have profound cognitive disabilities with opportunities to learn tool use through powered mobility practise. To allow for longer intervention periods, a partnership was developed between professionals supervising Driving to Learn and persons accompanying children or adults to their practice sessions. Accompanying persons (relatives or assistants) gradually took on shared responsibility for applying the intervention and conducting assessments with the ALP‐instrument. The aim of this study was to test the inter‐rater reliability of the ALP‐instrument version 2.0 as applied in this novel partnership in assessment and intervention. Method A psychometric analysis compared pair‐wise assessments with the ALP‐instrument version 2.0, made independently by professional supervisors and accompanying persons following each Driving to Learn session. Weighted kappa statistic was used to compare the matched pair ordinal data. Results Eight professional supervisors and 22 accompanying persons independently completed assessments with the ALP‐instrument after 55 sessions with six children and five adults, who each participated in five Driving to Learn sessions. When the scores from the 55 pairs of assessments were compared, a weighted kappa value of 0.85 was obtained, indicating very good inter‐rater reliability between the two rater groups. Conclusion The resulting inter‐rater reliability suggests that it is reliable to implement the ALP‐instrument as part of partnership in intervention between supervisors and accompanying persons. Provision of longer periods of Driving to Learn is possible when those who accompany the child or adult are able to gradually assume responsibility for practice and assessment under the supervision of a professional. This partnership approach enables children and adults with multiple and complex disabilities to practise and learn in accordance with their conditions and needs.

Enhancing Function, Fun and Participation with Assistive Devices, Adaptive Positioning, and Augmented Mobility for Young Children with Infantile-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Scoping Review and Illustrative Case Report

“…Basic steering control is demonstrated at phase 6 and at phase 7 they can use the power mobility device to participate in other activities. The ALP has established validity for a wide range of ages and abilities and inter-rater reliability has recently been established between experienced professionals (ICC 2,1 0.83) [66] and between professionals and relatives or assistants (κ w 0.85) [67].…”

Assessing the Tool-Use Learning Process in Persons with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

“…Studies of the inter-rater reliability of the original eight-phase instrument [18] and the ALP instrument, version 2.0 [15], both showed a very good degree of agreement with a linear weighted kappa value of 0.85 [23,24]. Professionals and researchers, in various powered mobility contexts internationally, have applied the ALP tool, version 2.0 [25][26][27][28][29][30], recommended it in guidelines [31], and also tested the ALP instruments' inter-rater reliability [32].…”

“…First C.M. made an independent assessment of the sampled 23 video clips, following the written instructions for raters used in previous studies of the instrument's inter-rater reliability [23,24]. Then L.N.…”

AMESobreRuedas: early power mobility for increasing participation in children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy type I. Protocol of a randomized controlled trial

“…ALP describes 8 levels (1 = beginner; 8 = expert) of performance during the use of a powered mobility device based on ve categories: level of attention, activity and movement, understanding the use of the tool, expressions and emotions, and interaction and communication. ALP implementation is reliable as part of partnership in intervention between supervisors and accompanying persons (23). ALP levels will be determined once a week by the therapist who will supervise the sessions in the child´s natural environment, in order to indicate the families the strategies that have to be used during their sessions.…”