Occupational & Physical Therapists
Occupational and physical therapists they use their unique expertise to help children prepare for and perform important learning and school-related activities. A student's educational needs will vary and may change from year to year; program to program.

Students must be eligible for special education by meeting the following criteria:

1. The student has a documented disability;

2. There is an adverse educational impact on the student's ability to progress in the general education curriculum;

3. The student is in need of specially designed instruction by an occupational and/or physical therapists.

The Role of Occupational Therapists (OTs)

• Assist students to learn sensory strategies and self-regulation.

• Assist students to learn sensory strategies.

• Choose and adjust adaptive equipment.

• Assist students to increase written work production.

• Choose and teach exercises to increase handwriting hand strength.

• Choose and teach exercises to increase bilateral integration.

• Choose and teach exercises to increase visual motor control.

• Design activities to promote self-help skills.

• Design activities to promote social competence.

• Choose and teach activities to promote visual perception.

• Work with students and staff to increase positive behaviors.

• Strategies to implement assistive technology.

The Role of Physical Therapists (PTs)

• Design and implement physical therapy interventions.

• Gross motor services to support the student’s

• individualized education program.

• Adaptive equipment, orthotics, and positioning.

• Strategies to facilitate the student’s full participation in school-related activities.

• Reduce barriers that limit student participation within the school environment.

School Psychologists

School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.

School psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education. They must complete a minimum of a post-Masters degree program that includes a year-long internship and emphasizes preparation in mental health, child development, school organization, learning styles and processes, behavior, motivation, and effective teaching.

School psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB) or by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

The Role of School Psychologists

• Identify and address learning problems.

• Evaluate for special education eligibility, provide counseling and collaboration.

• Support social and emotional needs.

• Address behavioral problems.

• Design progress monitoring systems.

• Collect and analyze data.

• Increase academic achievement by helping others to understand learning issues.

• Train staff on data collection models, understanding disabilities, and behavioral interventions within the school environment.

Speech & Language Pathologists

Students may be considered to have a communication disorder if there is a documented speech or language impairment such as stuttering, voice disorder, language impairment, or impaired articulation which adversely affects a students educational performance and requires specially designed instruction.

The role of Speech & Language Pathologists (SLPs)

• Evaluate and address speech and language issues impacting student learning.

• Provide therapy for:

  • Expressive language issues

  • Receptive language issues

  • Phonological issues

  • Articulation issues

  • Pragmatic language issues

  • Voice issues and speech fluency issues

• Design consultative services.

• Strategies to implement assistive technology

Transition Service
Transition services, which are based on each student's needs, interests and preferences, help students make the transition from school to post-school activities, including college education, vocational training, employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living and community participation.

Transition services defined in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) means a coordinated set of activities for a special education student that:

• Is designed within an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.

• Is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and includes;

  • Specially designed instruction;

  • Related services;

  • Community experiences;

  • The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and

  • Acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation, if appropriate.

Vision Services
Students who qualify as visually impaired (as determined by a doctor's report) are eligible to receive large print and recorded books, adaptive materials (e.g. dark lined paper, large print, and talking calculators, reading stands, magnifiers, binoculars, etc.), and in some cases direct instruction from a Teacher of the Visually Impaired.

Services provided by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired include, but are not limited to, the teaching of Braille reading and writing, instruction for using low vision aids, keyboarding, activities for increasing visual functioning, and other skills related specifically to vision loss. The Teacher of the Visually Impaired works with teachers and other staff members to help ensure that the necessary and appropriate accommodations are being made for the visually impaired student.

Vision Therapy is not a service offered by school districts. This is a field which requires a different kind of training than that received by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired.

Related Services

Related services are supportive services that allow a student to benefit from special education. Related services may include:

• Classified staff services

• Medical services

• Parent counseling and training

• Psychological services

• Recreation and rehabilitation counseling services

• School health services

• Social work service in schools

• Transportation

Other developmental, corrective, preventative or supportive services are allowed if they are required to assist the special education student to benefit from special education. Any necessary related services, supplementary aids and services, and program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the student must be listed on the IEP.

Contact Us

Inclusive Education - (253) 373-7513