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In the school setting, Occupational and Physical therapy are considered to be related services and are governed by federal and state special education laws under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). OT/PT services are provided to students ages 3-21 who qualify for special education with an eligible disability and have an active Individualized Education Plan (IEP). OT and/or PT can be listed as a related service only if that student requires that service to be able to benefit from their special education programming and function in their education setting.
In the school setting, Occupational and Physical therapy are considered to be related services and are governed by federal and state special education laws under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). OT/PT services are provided to students ages 3-21 who qualify for special education with an eligible disability and have an active Individualized Education Plan (IEP). OT and/or PT can be listed as a related service only if that student requires that service to be able to benefit from their special education programming and function in their education setting.
Please see below for specific details on roles of occupational and physical therapists in the school setting.
Please see below for specific details on roles of occupational and physical therapists in the school setting.
occupational therapy
occupational therapy
Occupational Therapists (OT's) help people across the lifespan participate in desired or needed daily life activities or "occupations".
The focus of OT services in a school setting is to promote functional independence or participation within the educational environment. Educational OT services are those services developed by educational personnel and the family and authorized in a student's IEP. These services may be delivered directly to the child, on behalf of the child (consultation with parents and teachers) or through modifications and support for school personnel that will be provided for the child (in-service training, modifying the classroom environment, adapting learning materials to facilitate successful participation). OT services are not intended to satisfy the medical needs of a student and therefore may not meet the total therapy needs of the student (families may wish to pursue therapy services outside of the educational setting).
Occupational Therapists are part of the educational team and use their unique expertise to help students prepare for and perform important learning and school-related activities in order to fulfill their role as students. In the school setting, Occupational Therapists support academic and non-academic outcomes for children and students with disabilities, 3 to 21 years of age.
Student occupations that may be supported by occupational therapy practitioners in the school setting:
- Self-help skills/self- care (feeding, dressing, hygiene)
- Fine, gross and visual motor skills
- Sensory processing and visual processing skills
- Positioning, functional mobility and transitions
- Functional communication through alternative methods
- Adaptive devices/equipment & using educational tools/toys
- Play/Leisure/Social
- Organization
- Prevocational/Vocational skills
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapists (PT's) are health care professionals who treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PT's provide care for people in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings and nursing homes.
School based physical therapy services:
- are delivered to improve ability to perform tasks towards independent function
- are delivered to prevent, through early intervention, initial or further impairment or loss of function
- are intended to promote access to the educational environment and curriculum-based activities
- are intended to support access to special education programming (working on weak motor skills would not be addressed if a student is successfully accessing the special educational environment and curriculum-based activities
- may not meet a child's total therapy needs-some students may require clinic or home health based interventions to satisfy the medical needs of the child
The goals of school based physical therapy are to:
- directly or indirectly (through consultation) support a student's functional access to educational activities and the school environment through assessing their strengths and needs-in their functional mobility (including maneuvering around their classrooms and the school building) and gross motor skills acquisition (including PE and playground skills)
- collaborate with teachers and support staff to improve a student's physical ability to participate in school based activities
- educate teachers, family members and other staff about the impact of a student's disability on their mobility and participation in school and how to implement any accommodations or adaptations
- educate teachers and support staff in training for safety and prevention as it relates to good body mechanics and transferring of students
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