Speech and other special-education professionals were already in short supply even when classes were in session. Now, with students largely confined to homes, reaching learners who need extra support has become even more of a challenge and priority for school leaders. Long before the pandemic forced schools to close, though, districts have been turning to
Despite cranky computers, conflicting schedules, shaky Internet connections and stubborn software glitches, Danielle Kovach got her whole class together a few Fridays ago for a video chat. Kovach teaches special education in Hopatcong, N.J., and this Friday class session was a celebration: They’d made it through the first few weeks of distance learning. Throughout those
Parents whose children have severe disabilities are in survival mode. The experts they relied on to help educate and socialize their children – and who provide them with a little respite – shut down in-person programs when COVID-19 touched down in Connecticut. School and therapy may be available online now, but their children struggle with
PresenceLearning Offers Teletherapy Training and Online Therapy Platform to Help Special Education Teams Continue Serving Students During COVID-19 School Closures Offering includes professional development training on teletherapy best practices, access to the leading teletherapy platform specifically built for K-12 students with special needs, parent resources, and technical support during school hours
A rural school in Oklahoma uses innovative initiatives to create a culture of support for all students. By Emily Nickell and Emily Springer Communicator February 2020, Volume 43, Issue 6
For this “Day in the Life” article, we’re very excited to share what it’s like working in OT teletherapy, featuring teletherapist Rachel Morris, OTR/L. Thanks, Rachel, for sharing your insight and experience!
If you’re weighing the benefits and downsides of contracting with online therapy providers for supporting students in special education, here are some factors to consider, based on the recent experiences of several administrators whose school districts have used remote delivery to serve students.
Cheryl Hubbard-George, director of the Office of Exceptional Children in South Carolina’s rural Florence County School District 3, was struggling to find therapists to address the needs of her special education students. Hubbard-George searched exhaustively for specialized staff to provide services for the district’s 614 students in preschool through 12th grade with individualized education plans.