- Facilitate the student's achievement
of his/her educational goals and objectives developed by the
entire IEP team, including the family members.
- According to IDEA, occupational and
physical therapies are related services available to students
who qualify for ESE (Exceptional Student Education) that
necessitate "such developmental, corrective, and other
supportive services that are required to assist a child with a
disability to benefit from special education.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Addresses fine motor,
visual/perceptual-motor, oral-motor, self-care, and sensory
processing skills necessary for the student's active participation
in academic, vocational, and play/leisure pursuits during his/her
school day or within the educational environment.
PHYSICAL
THERAPY
Addresses gross motor skills related to
safe/functional mobility and accessibility, participation in
classroom activities/specials, and the ability to assume/maintain
functional positions within the school environment.
Roles of Therapists
 Assessment
of activity demands, environment, performance skills, and functions
(neurological, sensory, emotional) related to academics
Planning
of
interventions and IEP goals/objectives with teachers
Training
of
staff at the school and district level
Liaison/Facilitator
of information
IEP
Team Member
Intervention/Implementation
of IEP goals
TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS
 Therapy
is comprised of both direct and indirect services, based on
the student’s educational needs.
Direct services
are
provided to the student. A few examples include:
Fine-motor tasks to facilitate manipulation of writing instruments,
scissors, clothing fasteners, and other educationally
related
objects/tools
Gross-motor activities to enable proper sitting/standing posture &
balance; safely navigating school campus;
ascending/descending
stairs; carrying objects such as trays/books
Self-regulatory strategies to facilitate attention, organization,
play skills, and appropriate responses to stimuli
Self-care skills, including obtaining food in cafeteria, managing
clothing during toileting routine, feeding with utensils,
safe and
functional chewing
Visual-perceptual functioning in order to copy from the board, align
math problems, locate objects in desk/classroom
Therapy may include specific skill instruction in a variety of
settings, small groups, or co-lead groups
Indirect services
are provided on behalf of the student and consist of:
Observation
of student in a variety of settings
Program development
(i.e., develop strategies, routines, or adaptations to be
implemented by the IEP team throughout
the student’s educational day
Consultation
with IEP team to model techniques; implement, monitor and revise
programs.
Collaboration
with team members for combining resources; problem solving; and,
assessing progress toward goal
achievement
Provision of and adaptations/modifications
to equipment and environment
SETTING
Therapy services are provided in naturally occurring environments
throughout the school day to impact the student’s academic
functioning.
This may include, but is not limited to classrooms,
transitional areas,
cafeteria, playground, and specialized sites
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