Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Gail Bass

Keywords

Occupational Therapy -- organization and administration; Psychomotor Disorders -- therapy; School Health Services; Child

Abstract

School-based occupational therapy practice is continually changing to meet the needs of the students and stay in alignment with federal mandates and current research. Current legislative regulations of No Child Left Behind Act of2001 (NCLB 2001; Public Law 107-110) and The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA 2004, Public Law 108-446) together require that education programs be provided in the natural or least restrictive environment. After the review of literature and personal interviews it was found that many occupational therapists, teachers and school based staff were having difficulty fulfilling this requirement, often using the direct, pull-out service model.

The author's intent of the scholarly project was to develop a guide for new and experienced therapists to promote collaboration between occupational therapists and school personnel. The guide was designed to address educationally relevant occupations and foundational skills for 4-6 year olds through activities that can be provided in an inclusive school setting. The intention of Ideas for Inclusion: A Resource for Occupational Therapists is to encourage occupational therapists to use a more inclusive, population-based service delivery model in the school setting through collaboration with and coaching of educational personnel. The activities suggested the product include sensory motor, gross motor, fine motor, self-care, and social skills. These skills were chosen because of their developmental characteristics which promote performance of the higher-level educational tasks such as reading, writing, and socializing with peers based upon literature review. Practitioners and teachers are encouraged to integrate the guide's units and targeted developmental skills into the naturally occurring student's schedule and create new ideas to further the educational success of the targeted students.

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