Occupational and Physical Therapy in Educational Environments

Occupational and Physical Therapy in Educational Environments covers the major issues involved in providing lawful, team-oriented, and effective occupational and physical therapy services for students with disabilities in public schools. For those involved with students with disabilities, this book helps them make sound decisions about services that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children.

Since the 1975 enactment of Public Law 94--142, which mandated that occupational and physical therapy be provided “as may be required by a handicapped child to benefit from special education,” this required link between therapy and education has continued to lead to confusion and controversy about which students should receive therapy in school and what types of services should be provided. The purpose of Occupational and Physical Therapy in Educational Environments is to clarify the major issues surrounding occupational and physical therapy in public schools, and to provide a framework for delivery of team- and family-oriented services that meet individual needs of students with disabilities.

For those unsure of current regulations regarding handicapped students, or those who need clarification on the law, the book begins with a review of legislation and regulations. This begins to guide and shape schools’provision of therapy services. The following chapters assist occupational and physical therapists and important members of the educational teams of disabled students to make sound decisions about which students need school-based therapy services:

• Laws that Shape Therapy Services in Educational Environments: summarizes the major statutory law, federal regulations, and case law interpretation in which school-based practice is grounded.
• Pediatric Therapy in the 1990s: reviews contemporary theories of motor development, motor control, and motor learning that have had major impact on therapy for school-age children with disabilities.
• Related Services Decision-Making: describes a strong team approach to determining a student’s need for occupational and physical therapy services, which takes into account the unique characteristics of both the student and the educational team.
• Assessment and Intervention in School-Based Practice: describes an approach to assessment and intervention in schools that clearly illustrates a relationship between therapy and educational programs that result in meaningful outcomes for students.
• Challenges of Interagency Collaboration: reports on a qualitative study that points out that schools are not the only settings in which many students with disabilities receive services, so coordination between various agencies is essential to avoid gaps, overlaps, and cross purposes.
  
  Those who can benefit from Occupational and Physical Therapy in Educational Environments include occupational and physical therapists who work in public schools, school administrators, teachers, and even parents of disabled children.