Audience

This online course is intended for physical therapists who provide or intend to provide related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

To register for additional individual sessions in this series - or to register for the full Innovations in School-based Therapy course – visit the On-Demand Courses page.

Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

1. Understand foundational federal laws and regulations for ensuring a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), including provision of required related services for students with disabilities under IDEA and Section 504.
2. Apply evidence and data to individualize and make appropriate decisions regarding evaluation, outcome measures, models of service delivery, individualization, advocacy, and evidence-informed interventions.
3. Apply knowledge gained to influence and advocate for appropriate services, staffing, physical activity and fitness, collaboration across practice settings, adequate supports and self-determination for students with disabilities.
4. Incorporate evidenced-informed evaluation and intervention for students with complex disability.
5. Describe the role of school-based physical therapy in provision of assistive technology, individualized transportation services, and to prepare students and their families for adulthood through post-school transition.

On-demand session

• Physical Therapist's Role in Assistive Technology - Megan Roberts

Session Descriptions & Speakers

Physical Therapist’s Role in Assistive Technology

This presentation will cover the role of the school-based physical therapist on the educational team as Assistive Technology is considered/provided under IDEA, including legal guidance, decision-making frameworks for assessment and implementation, and documentation.

Megan Roberts PT, DSc, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy, is the Program Director for the Oklahoma Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program and Director of Education and Training for the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics section of the Pediatrics Department at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). She is a member of the APTA Specialization Academy of Content Experts. Prior to moving into academia, Dr. Roberts worked as a school-based physical therapist, where she chaired the PT/OT department and developed the assistive technology program for her district. She teaches and mentors current and future service providers and advocates in disability related fields. She provides technical assistance to community organizations, state agencies, and national agencies to improve systems, policies, services, and research related to disability. Her services and leadership target inclusion, participation, and self-direction for individuals with disabilities and their families.