If you are using teletherapy in your school, or considering adding in these services, you might be wondering how it works when you have something beyond the usual therapy services, such as an IEP meeting. It works a lot like a regular IEP meeting, but there are a few things to consider to make sure you get the most out of each meeting and to ensure they are as secure as possible.

Using teletherapy in IEP meetings

Here are some of best practices for using teletherapy in IEP meetings:

• Video conferencing to see the IEP
  • While a phone conference can work for your IEP meetings, video conferencing is best. This ensures that everyone, whether using their cameras or not to see each other, can see the IEP as you all go through it together.
• Everyone has a mic or can call in to share info and discuss
  • Having a microphone to speak, or calling in, is also important. This way everyone can have a chance to share any updates or ideas they have for your students, as well as add any additional input as the team creates and finalizes the IEP together.
• Be able to edit your IEP as needed during the meeting
  • Using a platform that helps you to share your screen, so you can edit the IEP live together is also best practice. When doing this, the team is able to see the edits and make sure everything the student needs is updated and reflects their present levels and needs.
• Follow HIPAA and privacy compliance
  • When you do choose a video conferencing software or site, make sure that it is secure, so you are following HIPAA and privacy compliance laws. Not all sites are secure and ensure your privacy, but there are many that do and can be used for IEP meetings, therapy sessions, classroom conferences, etc.
• Send draft to all team members in case anyone needs to call in ahead of time
  • As with any IEP meeting, whether virtual or in-person, having a draft of the IEP sent out to team members is crucial. In the virtual setting, this helps you make sure that everyone who is attending the teletherapy IEP meeting can see it, whether or not it is shared on the screen or they are calling in for the meeting.
  • To share these, make sure you use a secure portal or password protect the IEP.

In the teletherapy world, whether you are a virtual school or traditional setting, IEP meetings are a part of your therapy and school services. In order to provide the best services, you can use these techniques and more for your online IEP meetings.

Learn more about teletherapy

Teletherapy, sometimes called telepractice or online therapy, is a great resource to have in your school district, whether you are a virtual school or brick and mortar. It can help you provide services to students that otherwise might not receive them and have more therapists on hand then you could otherwise. For the most part, it works the same way as in-person therapy, because it is still face-to-face, just sometimes from across the country!

To learn more about teletherapy, check out the telepractice resources and organizations that we have gathered for you and contact us at info@electronic-therapy.com to see how we can help provide services to your schools.

This article first appeared on the E-Therapy blog at https://www.electronic-therapy.com/blog/best-practices-for-using-teletherapy-in-an-iep-meeting/