Pediatric Wheelchair & Seated Mobility
Rehabilitation professionals working with children who need seating support must understand what affects wheelchair propulsion, seating and positioning.
In this online microcredential, you will learn modern approaches to seating, including client-centered assessments, different wheelchair types, proper setup for easy propulsion, seating components, goal setting and managing common posture issues.
You will also gain a better understanding of the factors involved in pediatric client assessment and wheelchair/seating prescription.
This course is designed for physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, kinesiologists, recreational therapists, therapy assistants and other rehabilitation professionals.
Content is delivered through online video lectures, demonstration videos, and required knowledge checks. In addition, participants have the opportunity to observe a complete seating assessment (demo) and complete a case study (assignment).
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Course Enrollment + Format
Now accepting registrations for the next course running September 22 - October 31, 2025.
The course is delivered using a distance format via e‐class external (The University of Alberta's online learning platform) and consists of eight modules to be completed within six weeks. The majority of course content is delivered asynchronously meaning there is no requirement to be online at a specific class date and time.
Upon successful completion, participants will be issued a faculty digital certificate noting the number of educational hours.
The (WSM) course consists of the following eight modules and two case studies:
- Introduction to Pediatric Seating
- Current Practice and Frames of Reference
- Goal Setting
- Physical Assessment of the Client
- Wheelchair Seating Assessment
- Equipment
- Propulsion
- Training in Wheelchair skills
- Case Study Example and Case Study Assignment
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the value of proper wheelchair prescription.
- Describe the theoretical models that guide wheelchair assessment and seating interventions.
- Create appropriate wheelchair and seating goals.
- Identify manual wheelchair classes and parts.
- Identify key components of cushion design and composition.
- Understand the factors that affect wheelchair propulsion and functional performance.
- Describe the steps in the wheelchair assessment process
This course will be of interest to a broad range of healthcare professionals involved in wheelchair assessment/seating prescription.
To apply to take the Wheelchair& Seated Mobility course please complete the online application below and proceed to make your course payment.
Step 1: Course Application
Step 2: Submit Payment for the Course
A 100% refund of the course fee is available to students who withdraw before the first day of the course. Withdrawal requests during the first 3 weeks of the course will be refunded 50% of the registration fee. After 3 weeks (mid-point of the course) no refund will be provided.
Jen Glumpak (PT, MScPT) is a 2009 graduate of the University of Alberta MScPT program. Her clinical work includes pediatrics and wheelchair seating at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and work as an early intervention therapist with the AHS Pediatric Community Rehabilitation Team. Jen worked for several years as the Physiotherapy Technical Consultant at the Edmonton site for the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators’ Physiotherapy Competency Clinical Exam. She has assisted as an assessor for Dr. Jaynie Yang’s research examining motor training in children with early brain injury since 2016. Jen enjoys mentoring students and has been an Instructor for diploma-level healthcare students at NorQuest College since 2013.
The Pediatric Wheelchair and Seating Mobility course is delivered using a distance format via e‐class external (The University of Alberta's online learning platform). The course consists of eight modules and two case studies to be completed within six weeks. The majority of course content is delivered asynchronously meaning there is no requirement to be online at a specific class date and time. Students can complete the learning activities in a place and time of their choosing. Content is accessible 24 hours a day from any location with an internet connection. Each module may consist of online lectures, video presentations, and knowledge checks.
The student is responsible for ensuring all technical requirements for online participation are met and functioning before the course starts. To participate in the online content, the student must have the following minimum requirements:
- Access to a computer or mobile device with a high‐speed internet connection.
- An internet browser (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome).
- To check browser compatibility with The University of Alberta's e-class system Brower Checker.
- You should download the latest versions of Adobe Reader, Quicktime, Flash and Java.
- Lectures are provided in an HTML5 format and so should be playable on most browsers and mobile devices without the need to install Flash.