Interprofessional Collaboration Between Physical Therapy and Special Education Faculty: A Pilot Study in Early Childhood Special Education

Abstract

Background and Purpose. This pilot study investigated a model for interprofessional collaboration between physical therapists (PTs) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether a series of sessions in sensorimotor development taught by a physical therapy education program faculty member enhanced intervention planning and classroom instruction for teachers enrolled in a graduate course on child development (TAL 614: Typical and Atypical Child Development). Subjects. Eleven teachers participated in a focus group in which they were asked to assess whether their experiences in sensorimotor classes in TAL 614 impacted their intervention planning and classroom instruction. Methods. Qualitative analysis was used to gauge the effectiveness of the sensorimotor sessions on ECSE teachers. Results. Qualitative analysis indicated that the sensorimotor sessions positively impacted the intervention planning and classroom instruction of the ECSE teachers enrolled in TAL 614. Discussion and Conclusion. The ECSE teachers indicated that they felt that the sensorimotor sessions taught by the physical therapy faculty positively impacted their intervention planning and classroom instruction. They also recommended that sensorimotor classes be taught to general education teachers. They felt that all teachers working with children in the educational setting could benefit from learning about these sensorimotor issues and how they impact the teaching and learning process.