CMC Assistive Technology & Adaptive Devices 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with C6 tetraplegia wants to drive independently. Which hand control configuration is most appropriate given their preserved wrist extension but absent hand grip?
- Push-right/pull-left controls
- Tri-pin spinner knob with push-pull hand control (Correct answer)
- Standard steering wheel with pedal extensions
- Joystick driving system
Correct answer: Tri-pin spinner knob with push-pull hand control
A tri-pin spinner knob accommodates lack of hand grip while push-pull hand controls replace foot pedals for a C6 tetraplegic who retains wrist extension.
Question 2: Which power wheelchair drive wheel configuration provides the tightest turning radius, making it best suited for indoor use in tight spaces?
- Rear-wheel drive
- Front-wheel drive
- Mid-wheel drive (Correct answer)
- All-wheel drive
Correct answer: Mid-wheel drive
Mid-wheel drive power wheelchairs have the drive wheels positioned at the chair's center of gravity, enabling the tightest turning radius ideal for indoor navigation.
Question 3: A client reports that their hearing loop (telecoil) assistive listening device is ineffective in certain areas of a public building. What is the most likely cause?
- Battery depletion in the hearing aid
- Inadequate loop system installation or signal gaps (Correct answer)
- Interference from the client's cochlear implant
- Excessive ambient noise overwhelming the signal
Correct answer: Inadequate loop system installation or signal gaps
Coverage gaps in a hearing loop are typically caused by poor loop installation, insufficient overlap zones, or inadequate signal strength in certain areas.
Question 4: When evaluating a client for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, which access method would be most appropriate for a user with severe spastic cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs but with reliable head control?
- Direct touch screen access
- Head mouse or head-tracking system (Correct answer)
- Sip-and-puff switch
- Eye gaze technology
Correct answer: Head mouse or head-tracking system
A head mouse or head-tracking system leverages reliable head control to navigate and select on-screen targets without requiring limb coordination.
Question 5: Which type of orthosis is specifically designed to maintain joint alignment and prevent deformity during sleep or rest periods rather than to assist functional movement?
- Functional orthosis
- Dynamic orthosis
- Resting/static orthosis (Correct answer)
- Articulating orthosis
Correct answer: Resting/static orthosis
A resting or static orthosis holds joints in a therapeutic position during non-functional periods to prevent contractures and maintain alignment.
Question 6: A Certified Mobility Consultant is recommending a scooter versus a power wheelchair for a client with moderate COPD and mild lower extremity weakness. What factor most strongly favors a scooter?
- The client has good trunk stability and can walk short distances (Correct answer)
- The client requires tilt-in-space positioning
- The client uses the device primarily indoors
- The client has significant upper extremity weakness
Correct answer: The client has good trunk stability and can walk short distances
Scooters are most appropriate when a client has sufficient trunk stability, can transfer independently, and uses the device primarily for longer community distances rather than indoor maneuvering.
Question 7: Which vehicle modification allows a driver who uses a manual wheelchair to load and stow the chair independently without transferring out of the driver's seat?
- Hydraulic lift system
- Automated wheelchair loader/stower (Correct answer)
- Tie-down system with remote control
- Swivel seat base
Correct answer: Automated wheelchair loader/stower
An automated wheelchair loader (such as a robotic stower) independently folds and stores a manual wheelchair in the vehicle's cargo area without assistance.
CMC Assistive Technology & Adaptive Devices 2
A client with C6 tetraplegia wants to drive independently.
Which hand control configuration is most appropriate given their preserved wrist extension but absent hand grip?