Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects
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This collection includes capstone projects authored by doctoral students in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
If you are an OTD student and need access to upload your project, please contact the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Scholarship (digschol@iupui.edu).
If you are an OTD student and need access to upload your project, please contact the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Scholarship (digschol@iupui.edu).
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Browsing Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects by Subject "accessibility"
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Item Accessibility Guidelines for Increasing Independence in Daily Life for Children with Disabilities(2023-04-30) Prentice, Alex; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Chase, TonyThere is often a gap between how the environment is designed and what individuals with disabilities are able to do (Solvang & Haualand, 2014). I analyzed the limitations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to all areas of disability. Universal design is a good alternative to design recommendations from ADA as it strives to design for all people regardless of ability level. Universal design concepts and recommendations from an architect and disabled self-advocates were combined to create accessibility guidelines that surpass the limitations of the ADA. These guidelines were presented to a group of caregivers of children who use wheelchairs. Feedback received from the caregivers indicated that the guidelines will be used to assist them in making home modifications. The guidelines will continue to be updated and annually given to caregivers of participants in a community-based wheelchair skills program.Item Addressing Early Childhood Accessibility at a Children’s Museum: A Community-Based Capstone Project(2024-04-29) Sharlow, Teri; Van Antwerp, Leah; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Handel, ElyseThe occupation of play is vital in early childhood for the development of crucial life skills including motor, social, emotional, language, and executive functioning. Young children with disabilities often face challenges and barriers to participation in play, especially when visiting a community facility like a children’s museum. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (TCM) has an ongoing commitment to provide accessible and inclusive facilities and experiences for their guests, yet recognizes that there are many opportunities for growth within their accessibility programming. The aim of this capstone project was to contribute to TCM’s accessibility programming through the assessment of an exhibit that had not yet been addressed in depth by their accessibility team. Using information gathered from the assessment and best practices from the literature, the student developed a detailed accessibility report that outlined strategies and guidelines for accessibility improvement within the exhibit. The project was presented to relevant museum staff and distributed throughout the facility so the report can be used as a resource for future accessibility initiatives within the exhibit. To evaluate the effectiveness of the project, attendees of the report presentation took a brief survey and provided feedback to the student. Overall, the results indicated that the project was successful in contributing to the museum’s accessibility programming and that staff members had an increased understanding of accessibility principles and how they can be applied within exhibits in future projects.Item Promotion of Health and Fitness Programming Using an Occupation-Based Approach: A Doctoral Capstone Project(2023-05-01) Feldman, Anna; Chase, Tony; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Tilley, VickiThere is an abundance of health and fitness programming that has been developed. However, considerations need to be made in order to meet the needs of the individual accessing programming. For individuals with intellectual disabilities, factors such as poor health, limited accessibility, lack of modifications, and other barriers are common and can impact engagement in healthy lifestyles. Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) is one organization that aims to be inclusive and promote health and fitness among this population. While the organization offers various opportunities to participate in health-related activities, enhancements can be made in order to increase accessibility, engagement, and participation from athletes of all ability levels. SONC Health partnered with the Indiana University capstone student to address a gap found in current programming. The ultimate purpose of the project was to create and implement sustainable and impactful resources that incorporated health and fitness education as well as occupation to increase accessibility and engagement. Project materials acted as a virtual supplement to a specific program previously developed by the site. Results collected through multiple surveys demonstrated positive outcomes related to the achievement of project goals as well as suggested possible directions for future site endeavors.