# Online EZY Tai Chi: Simplified 8-Form Program for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

> **NIH NIH R43** · DOUBLE S INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS · 2022 · $121,781

## Abstract

Project Summary
 People with intellectual disabilities (ID) commonly have below average motor
competence with mobility limitations, especially in the areas of balance and gait,
leaving them at high risk for falls and injuries. There is a need for exercise
intervention programs that target the specific motor needs of this population.
One successful approach to reduce falls in people with ID is Tai Chi.
 This project, Online Ezy Tai Chi: A Simplified Program for Individuals with
Intellectual Disabilities, will utilize Behavioral Skills Training (BST) and target
individuals with ID and a Learning Partner (LP: a parent, direct support staff, or
foster care provider to achieve our aim of developing and testing the efficacy of
simplified 8-form Tai Chi program developed specifically for adults with ID. This
Phase I online program enables adults with ID to learn some basic Tai Chi
moves at home in a familiar environment with the support of a Learning Partner.
In Phase II we will incorporate the complete routine and include additional user-
friendly features such as instant replay, an “exercise scheduler” function, video
clips showing movement analysis and extended teaching segments. The final
unit in Phase 2 will feature “Moving into the Community,” with guidelines for
identifying and engaging in locally available Tai Chi programs.
 The primary objective of this project is to develop a Tai Chi program with
instructional strategies known to be effective for individuals with ID and a
Learning Partner. Phase I has three specific aims: (1) design and develop the
first five forms of the 8-Form Tai Chi exercise program; (2) conduct a usability
test of the online program with five dyads (n=10) representing typical users to
gauge the overall usability and content of the online program; and (3) recruit
thirty dyads for a feasibility study of the first five of the 8-form program with a
sample of 30 individuals with mild to moderate ID and 30 Learning Partners
(n=60). Feasibility will be demonstrated by met recruitment goals, low attrition
rate, high log in rate, high system usability, and high satisfaction. We will what we
learn in Phase 1 to expand the Phase 2 program to include all eight forms, and
additional instructional features to create an easy to learn routine and conduct a
randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the finished product.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10477642
- **Project number:** 1R43AT011836-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** DOUBLE S INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS
- **Principal Investigator:** MARTIN R. SHEEHAN
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $121,781
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-05-11 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10477642

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10477642, Online EZY Tai Chi: Simplified 8-Form Program for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (1R43AT011836-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10477642. Licensed CC0.

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