A delegation from the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) went to Tokelau in 2007 in response to a request from the Tokelauan government to help establish services for children with special education needs. The team was led by Ezra Schuster and made up of a special education advisor, a speech-language therapist, an advisor on deaf…

The professional preparation of allied health professionals typically focuses on the acquisition of knowledge in a particular area of expertise with less consideration of training on social-emotional development and on how to engage parents in the clinical process, parent-child relationships, or principles of mental health. The authors explore how…

As a pediatric physical therapist, the author usually hears this question, "Now What?," after months of frustration as parents attempt to figure out the procedure of getting an item for their child. Unfortunately, there is not a specific answer except "it depends," which can be just as frustrating as the question at hand. Typically, a piece of…

Health professionals use critical thinking, a key problem solving skill, for clinical reasoning which is defined as the use of knowledge and reflective inquiry to diagnose a clinical problem. Teaching these skills in traditional settings with growing class sizes is challenging, and students increasingly expect learning that is flexible and…

The purpose of this paper is to describe collaborative teaching between preschool teachers, adapted physical educators, physical therapists, and occupational therapists of motor skills for preschoolers with developmental delays. The motor domain is typically taught by the classroom teacher who may have little to no knowledge of how to initiate a…

With focus on interdisciplinary education models, social work and physical therapy faculty from two proximate universities partnered to create an evidence-based geriatric assessment and brief intervention research, training, and service project for community-dwelling older adults. Assessment tools and interventions were selected from the…

When a child first receives a diagnosis and a treatment plan that includes recommendations for bracing, the prospect of intensive orthotic intervention can be daunting for the parent. Braces traditionally represent a prominent visual cue that the child has trouble walking. The classic brace seems awkward and hard to get into and out of. It is…

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

Recent attention to the childhood obesity and inactivity epidemics in the United States would seem to bode well for public school physical education. I argue that it is actually a mixed blessing. Its effect is mixed because it presents physical activity as an obligation or duty. This stands in stark contrast to movement in the broader liberal arts…

Horses have always been appreciated by humans for their strength, beauty, and gentle demeanor. Children, especially, have gravitated toward them and many experience their first horseback riding lesson at a young age. However, horses can play a very different role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. Hippotherapy is physical,…

As the discipline and the various professions evolved over time, the content of disciplinary classes offered at universities sometimes became less "connected" with physical education. "Core" courses in the discipline were required to try to meet the demands of the expanding professional programs, while at the same time meeting the knowledge…

Although there have been claims of significant therapeutic benefits arising from the use of deep touch pressure techniques with children with autistic spectrum disorders, to date there have been few empirical investigations of its use with adults with autistic spectrum disorders and anxiety in clinical practice. This paper reports on the…

The related service areas of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and orientation and mobility share some areas of professional practice but are quite distinct in the way services allow children with disabilities to fully participate in contemporary school environments. This article presents an overview of the roles and responsibilities of…

Inclusion is a way of thinking--a deeply held belief that all children, regardless of ability or disability, are valued members of the school and classroom community. Inclusive classrooms are places where all students "are integral members of classrooms, feel a connection to their peers, have access to rigorous and meaningful general education…

In the author's opinion as a pediatric physical therapist, with the exception of a wheelchair, there is no other piece of assistive technology that is more beneficial to children and adults with special needs than a standing device. Postural symmetry during standing and walking activities is extremely important for everyone. Very few children…