Home / News /
Feldner Awarded NIH Grant for DRIVE Study
Heather Feldner, PT, PhD, associate professor in the University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, has received a $3 million National Institutes of Health R01 grant to lead the DRIVE Study, or Dynamic, Real-world Learning, Innovative Mobility, and Versatile Exploration.
Feldner will conduct the study with Kat Steele, PhD, of UW Mechanical Engineering and collaborators from Oregon State University, Grand Valley State University, and the University of Southern California.
The five-year study will compare a powered mobility intervention with dose-matched usual-care physical therapy for toddlers with cerebral palsy. Researchers will examine outcomes related to development, motor skill acquisition, and parent-reported activity performance and satisfaction.
The DRIVE Study builds on Feldner’s research exploring how young children with disabilities learn to use mobility technology and how early access to self-initiated movement can support development, exploration, play, and participation. Her recent work has also examined how powered mobility experiences influence caregivers’ perceptions of their children’s abilities and opportunities for independence.
Feldner’s research focuses on the intersection of mobility, disability, and technology. Drawing on her background in pediatric physical therapy, disability studies, and engineering, she uses multidisciplinary, mixed-methods, and participatory approaches to develop and evaluate mobility technologies in partnership with children and families.
She directs the IMPACT Collaboratory, or Igniting Mobility, Play, and Access for Children with Technology, and co-founded the Go Baby Go Seattle program. She is also core faculty in the UW Disability Studies Program and associate director of the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences.
The study has the potential to strengthen evidence supporting early powered mobility and inform pediatric rehabilitation practices for young children with cerebral palsy and their families.
Feldner Awarded NIH Grant for DRIVE Study
Heather Feldner, PT, PhD, associate professor in the University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, has received a $3 million National Institutes of Health R01 grant to lead the DRIVE Study, or Dynamic, Real-world Learning, Innovative Mobility, and Versatile Exploration.
Feldner will conduct the study with Kat Steele, PhD, of UW Mechanical Engineering and collaborators from Oregon State University, Grand Valley State University, and the University of Southern California.
The five-year study will compare a powered mobility intervention with dose-matched usual-care physical therapy for toddlers with cerebral palsy. Researchers will examine outcomes related to development, motor skill acquisition, and parent-reported activity performance and satisfaction.
The DRIVE Study builds on Feldner’s research exploring how young children with disabilities learn to use mobility technology and how early access to self-initiated movement can support development, exploration, play, and participation. Her recent work has also examined how powered mobility experiences influence caregivers’ perceptions of their children’s abilities and opportunities for independence.
Feldner’s research focuses on the intersection of mobility, disability, and technology. Drawing on her background in pediatric physical therapy, disability studies, and engineering, she uses multidisciplinary, mixed-methods, and participatory approaches to develop and evaluate mobility technologies in partnership with children and families.
She directs the IMPACT Collaboratory, or Igniting Mobility, Play, and Access for Children with Technology, and co-founded the Go Baby Go Seattle program. She is also core faculty in the UW Disability Studies Program and associate director of the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences.
The study has the potential to strengthen evidence supporting early powered mobility and inform pediatric rehabilitation practices for young children with cerebral palsy and their families.
