Occupational Therapy (OT)
KPBSD employs 5 occupational therapists. OT is a related service to assist students with disabilities in accessing their special education program. OT can include working on handwriting or fine motor skills, sensory difficulties, organization of the workspace in and around the desk, and working with the teacher to modify the classroom and/or adapt learning materials to facilitate successful participation.
What does your friendly neighborhood OT want you to know?
~ Related services, including OT, should not be added /dropped/changed without the provider’s consultation and presence at the meeting.
~ If a student with an IEP has an OT concern, the case manager should contact the OT to discuss the nature of the concern—sensory or fine motor needs. Teams need to understand that these needs do not automatically move the student towards an evaluation. It may be normal, may be able to succeed with simply interventions.
– Refer to the “Interventions for Classroom Difficulties” and the flowcharts for students with IEPs and without to receive OT support at the KPBSD website
~ OTs do not write stand alone goals—must be attached to or supporting an educational goal.
~ OT consult services don’t have specified service minutes and do not have a link to a goal. Consult is appropriate when the team needs support for the student. Consult is provided to the student’s team, but the OT may need to observe student to give suggestions.
If you have questions, contact your school’s occupational therapist! They are a wealth of information and always ready to help!!