About ISWP

The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), launched in February 2015, was formed in light of the fact that over 70 million people worldwide require wheelchairs for mobility and function, yet most lack access to appropriate wheelchairs or services to repair them. Based on global data, the University of Pittsburgh estimates that 23 million wheelchairs are needed annually, assuming a wheelchair has a three-year useful life. Currently, about 3 million wheelchairs are produced each year, resulting in a 20 million per year deficit.

ISWP’s vision is that all people who need wheeled mobility devices receive the appropriate products and services with dignity, enabling them to access education, employment and health care and to participate in their communities. Our mission is to serve as a global resource for wheelchair service standards and provision through advocacy, education, standards, evidence-based practice, innovation and a platform for information exchange. ISWP’s mission and objectives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, and we work closely with the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization currently is funded through a multi-year grant with USAID, which works to spread the mission of the United States internationally.

ISWP is led by a group of wheelchair experts at the University of Pittsburgh, with strategic partnerships with USAID and WHO. ISWP director is University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) Associate Professor Jon Pearlman, Ph.D., also Associate Director for Product Innovation and Translation at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL). Rory Cooper, Ph.D., HERL founding Director and Distinguished Professor of Rehabilitation Science and Technology (RST), is Co-Director. Mary Goldberg, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, is Co-Investigator.

An Advisory Board comprised of an experienced cross-section of wheelchair clinicians, research scientists, humanitarian organizations and manufacturers provides direction and counsel. Working Groups of representatives from the international wheelchair community meet regularly to develop and implement action plans related to the objectives. Ten University of Pittsburgh staff and students support the program.

Learn more about us in our website here: http://wheelchairnet.org/

About ISWP

“The SMART helped me organize a hands-on workshop on wheelchair skills and the students' feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”

“We all know how important it is to teach these skills and help the future generation of therapists feel confident to pass on the skills to their clients.”

“SMART is an open access resource that has been a very friendly user toolkit for all of us.”

“With the help of the SMART, the next generation of therapists will know how and why to teach wheelchair skills to their clients.”

“SMART is a key component of a comprehensive wheelchair education and training.”

“Integration of the SMART into wheelchair education worldwide helps guide rehabilitative educational curricula development with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of wheelchair service provision.”

“The resources on SMART helped me plan an interactive workshop on wheelchair skills for 2nd year OT students.”

“SMART is a promising toolkit that suggests an opportunity to initiate global partnerships between universities for a standardized and more comprehensive wheelchair education.”