Placing people in the same room is not enough: An interprofessional education intervention to improve collaborative knowledge of people with disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study evaluates a continuing interprofessional education (CIPE) intervention designed to improve the skills and knowledge related to managing people with disabilities (PWD) in the educational, healthcare, and social insurance systems, and to improve shared knowledge and promote inter-organisational collaboration. The intervention comprised both on-site and online courses where participants could design their own curriculum based on their perceived needs. A longitudinal survey study was conducted with questions about knowledge of other organisations’ work with PWD, knowledge concerning disability policies, competence in meeting PWD, shared values across organisations, and inter-organisational collaboration. Participants’ knowledge about disability, disability policy, and how other organisations work with PWD significantly increased after the intervention. Changes in shared values, attitude towards inter-organisational collaboration, or effects on actual collaboration could not be determined. The results suggest that CIPE interventions where participants are allowed to form customised curriculums may increase general knowledge about disability among professionals. Results on knowledge of and collaboration with other organisations were less conclusive, where this may be explained by an educational setting that included little interaction between course participants. To promote professional exchange and experiential learning activities, contextualized educational settings that place more focus on interaction between participants may be advised.