Cerebral Palsy (CP) refers to a group of developmental disorders that affect movement and posture due to non-progressive impairment in the brain during childhood, causing children and adolescents with this condition to experience restrictions in participation and limitations in performing activities. Children classified in Levels IV and V, in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), have limited participation due to their dependence on mobility. This lack of mobility or locomotion in some way affects cognitive development, learning, independence, and autonomy. In this sense, the ADAPT extension and research project was created, which aims to promote early, motorized, and low-cost mobility, and the participation of children with disabilities who don't walk or who use assistive devices for mobility.

To evaluate the usability of motorized cars to be propelled by different types of adapted switches by the ADAPT project in children with CP classified as GMFCS IV or V.

Children with CP classified as GMFCS IV or V, enrolled in the ADAPT project and who received the adapted motorized car, participated in this study. They were evaluated before and after using the motorized car, through a screening form and the Assessment of Learning Powered mobility use (ALP – scoring between 1 and 7). The Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0 – reference value between 0-5; scores higher than 4 indicate satisfaction with the assistive technology), was individually answered by parents or caregivers, by Google Forms, with the support of a researcher to clarify possible doubts.

Four children with a diagnosis of CP, with a mean age of 5 years and classified by the GMFCS level IV or V, participated in this study. According to the ALP, all children were at level 1 (learner) at the beginning of the evaluation and after the intervention, they progressed to level 3 (novice). In QUEST 2.0, the total score of the questions obtained an average of 4.17 (±0.23), which means that families were between quite satisfied and completely satisfied with the adapted motorized car offered by the ADAPT project.

The usability of the motorized car adopted by the ADAPT project was proven, since all children improved in the use of the switches and their families were satisfied, resulting in a good evaluation of the service provided by the ADAPT project and the adapted motorized car after using it.

The idea of the ADAPT project to adapt and motorize non-electric cars allows more children to have access to this mobility, regardless of their economic condition, providing benefits to the population in general.