Teamwork in a School Setting

Case Study: Teamwork in a School Setting

Mya is a 5-year-old girl who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She attends a half-day general education preschool class in her community elementary school each day. Because of her disability, Mya has her own individualized education plan (IEP), an important legal document, that spells out her individual learning needs, the services the school will provide, and how her progress will be measured. Several people, including Mya’s parents, her teacher, a special education teacher, and the school psychologist, were involved in creating this document. Although Mya’s IEP stipulates that she is entitled to speech, occupational, and physical therapy services in school, Mya’s parents decline. Her parents prefer to continue the private speech, occupational, and physical therapy services that she has participated in for the past 3 years. Mya’s parents are very active participants in all of her therapies and decide they can communicate her strengths and areas of special need to her IEP team so that her therapeutic goals can be supported in her daily school activities. As part of her IEP, an aide accompanies Mya to school each day.

Mya’s class consists of 21 children, ages 4 to 5 years, who are entering kindergarten in the fall. The classroom has three adults: Mya’s teacher, one teacher’s aide, and Mya’s own aide. In the classroom, Mya demonstrates emerging verbal skills and can put together up to four-word sentences. She has good large motor skills; however, her fine motor skills are still emerging. For example, she has trouble using scissors and eating with a fork and spoon. Mya has some sensory issues with different textures and does not like getting things, like paint or glue, on her hands. One of Mya’s greatest challenges is socialization. She usually engages in solo play and rarely interacts with the other children. Mya displays behaviors such as hand flapping and makes a “growling” type of sound when she is overstimulated.

The teacher has a positive relationship with Mya and makes the required adaptations. Mya is a visual learner, and the teacher has adapted the classroom to accommodate her learning style. For example, all the learning materials in the classroom are located on shelves that have been clearly labeled with a picture of the type of learning material that is located on that shelf. This adaptation helps Mya, as well as her classmates, to easily find class materials and be able to return them to the appropriate place in the room when their work is completed. The teacher also provides the class with a picture schedule of the sequence of events that will occur each day at school. Although this was originally done only to help Mya in making transitions, the teacher found that all the students benefited from having a picture schedule. It is now a class tool for all children.

Mya’s aide assists her throughout the day and tries to be as “low key” as possible to allow Mya to “blend in” better with the other children. The aide rotates around the room and assists other children as well as Mya. Even though the teacher and the aide make a sincere effort to naturally include Mya in all class activities, the children interact with her cautiously. The teacher and aides wonder what more they can do, especially in helping Mya to communicate more clearly with the other children and in improving her fine motor skills.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe the importance of input from the speech–language pathologist (SLP), occupational therapist (OT), and physical therapist (PT) in developing Mya’s IEP.
2. What is the present method of communicating information from Mya’s SLP, OT, and PT to the IEP team?
3. Is it effective? Why or why not?
4. If you found it ineffective, identify at least two more effective and efficient ways to communicate her speech, occupational, and physical therapy needs to the IEP team.
5. Compare and contrast the quality of Mya’s future IEP with her existing IEP, if the future IEP is developed under the following circumstances:
6. The IEP team, as described in the case study, develops the future IEP with additional input from the SLP, OT, and PT, using the communication tools and techniques that you identified in 2, b.
7. The IEP team, as described in the case study, develops the future IEP with the actual presence of the SLP, OT, and PT at the IEP meeting to collaborate.

1. The importance of input from the speech-language pathologist (SLP), occupational therapist (OT), and physical therapist (PT) in developing Mya’s IEP is significant. These professionals play essential roles in assessing Mya’s specific needs and designing appropriate interventions to support her education and development. Here’s why their input is crucial:
   • Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): Mya’s SLP can assess her speech and communication abilities, identify any speech or language disorders, and determine the most effective strategies for improving her communication skills. The SLP’s input helps the IEP team set specific speech therapy goals and plan interventions that align with Mya’s abilities and challenges.
   • Occupational Therapist (OT): Mya’s OT evaluates her fine motor skills, sensory issues, and ability to perform daily activities. The OT’s insights are essential for designing activities and accommodations that address her fine motor difficulties and sensory sensitivities, ultimately helping her become more independent in school tasks like using scissors or eating utensils.
   • Physical Therapist (PT): The PT assesses Mya’s gross motor skills and physical needs. This professional can identify any physical challenges that might impact her participation in school activities, and their recommendations can inform strategies to improve her mobility, coordination, and participation in physical education or other activities.
2. Present Method of Communicating Information from SLP, OT, and PT to the IEP Team:

   a. Is it effective? Why or why not?

   • The case study does not provide specific details on the present method of communication between the SLP, OT, PT, and the IEP team. However, it is crucial for the IEP team to receive regular updates and reports from these professionals to ensure that Mya’s individualized plan is tailored to her evolving needs. The effectiveness of the current method depends on the frequency, clarity, and timeliness of these communications.

   b. If you found it ineffective, identify at least two more effective and efficient ways to communicate her speech, occupational, and physical therapy needs to the IEP team:

   1. Regular Progress Meetings: Establishing regular progress meetings involving the SLP, OT, PT, and the IEP team can facilitate effective communication. These meetings can occur quarterly or as needed, allowing professionals to share updates on Mya’s progress, discuss challenges, and adjust her goals and interventions accordingly.
   2. Shared Online Platform: Create an online platform or shared document where the SLP, OT, and PT can regularly input progress reports, recommendations, and observations. This platform should be accessible to the IEP team members, ensuring they have real-time access to the most up-to-date information about Mya’s therapy needs and progress.
3. Comparison of Mya’s Future IEP with Existing IEP:

   a. Future IEP with Additional Input from SLP, OT, and PT using Communication Tools and Techniques:

   • The future IEP developed with additional input from the SLP, OT, and PT, using improved communication tools and techniques, is likely to be more comprehensive and tailored to Mya’s evolving needs. With timely updates and collaborative input from these professionals, the IEP can better address her speech, occupational, and physical therapy needs. It can also incorporate the latest insights to ensure Mya’s therapy goals are aligned with her progress.

   b. Future IEP with the Actual Presence of SLP, OT, and PT at the IEP Meeting to Collaborate:

   • Having the SLP, OT, and PT present at the IEP meeting allows for immediate discussion and collaboration. This real-time exchange of information and ideas can lead to a more holistic and effective IEP, as professionals can provide firsthand insights, address questions, and collectively plan interventions to support Mya’s development.

In both scenarios, the involvement of these specialists, improved communication, and collaborative efforts are likely to result in a more effective and tailored IEP for Mya, addressing her speech, occupational, and physical therapy needs more comprehensively.