Parents and Caregivers

What is School-Based Occupational Therapy (OT)?

Occupational therapy services may be provided to students who require the skilled intervention of an occupational therapist in order to participate in their education.

It is possible that a student may have a medical diagnosis or a delay, but it may not adversely affect their performance at school. Children who may qualify for outpatient therapy services may not qualify for school-based OT services. Students who are currently receiving occupational therapy from an outpatient therapy facility should continue with their outpatient therapy. School-based occupational therapy is not a replacement for medical-based, outpatient therapy.

Eligibility for OT

If a student qualifies for special education services, the IEP team determines if the students’ skill deficits are affecting their academic progress. The occupational therapist may assess the student’s

fine motor skills
self-care skills
sensory regulation skills
social emotional skills

The school-based occupational therapist may also assess environmental barriers and provide equipment recommendations.

The team may determine that some students do not require direct occupational therapy services to address their needs but instead would benefit from adult-to-adult consultative services, which may include

providing staff training
assessing equipment and assistive technology needs
collaborating with teachers and administrators on addressing environmental barriers
collaborating with educators and community sites on transitioning to life after graduation

Discharge from OT

The goal of providing occupational therapy in school is for students to become independent. The team will discuss dismissing a student from occupational therapy services when the student has met their goals, is functionally independent with accommodations or modifications, when school staff are able to meet the student’s needs without the skilled intervention of a therapist, or when the student no longer qualifies for special education.

Learn More About School-Based OT:

What is School-Based Physical Therapy (PT)?

Physical therapy services are provided to students who require the skilled intervention of a physical therapist in order to participate in their education, including accessing the curriculum and the physical environment of the school.

It is possible that a student may have a medical diagnosis or a gross motor delay, but it may not adversely affect their performance at school. Children who may qualify for outpatient therapy services may not qualify for school-based PT services. Students who are currently receiving physical therapy from an outpatient therapy facility should continue with their outpatient therapy. School-based physical therapy is not a replacement for medical-based, outpatient therapy.

Eligibility for PT

If a student qualifies for special education services, the IEP team determines if the students’ gross motor skills are affecting their academic progress. The physical therapist assesses the student’s gross motor skills, which may include

walking on level surfaces and stairs
using adaptive mobility devices (e.g., wheelchair or walker)
participating in recess and group gross motor activities
maintaining or changing positions (e.g., moving between sitting and standing or maintaining upright posture)

The school-based physical therapist may also assess environmental barriers and provide equipment recommendations.

The team may determine that some students do not require direct physical therapy services to address their motor needs but instead would benefit from adult-to-adult consultative services, which may include

providing staff training on transfer techniques, guarding, or equipment use
assessing equipment such as standers, walkers, wheelchairs, or orthotics
collaborating with physical education teachers on modifications for accessing physical education
collaborating with teachers and administrators on addressing environmental barriers

Discharge from PT

The goal of providing physical therapy in school is for students to become independent with their functional mobility at school so that it no longer limits their academic progress and participation. The team will discuss discharging a student when the student has met their goals and is functionally independent with accommodations or modifications, when school staff are able to meet the student’s mobility needs without the skilled intervention of a therapist, or when the student no longer qualifies for special education.

Learn More About School-Based PT:

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

APTA Fact Sheets: Providing Physical Therapy Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA - Part B): An Overview of School-Based Physical Therapy

Educationally Relevant Physical Therapy: Scope of School-Based Practice

Ohio Department of Education

Physical Therapist Roles and Responsibilities in Schools

CMSD OT/PT Enrichment Activities

OT and PT Enrichment Website

What is School-Based Orientation and Mobility (O&M)?

Orientation and mobility instruction (O&M) is provided to students who are blind or visually impaired to help them know where they are in space and where they need to go (orientation). It helps them carry out a plan to get there (mobility). O&M instruction often, but not always, involves learning to use the long cane as well as a variety of other skills and techniques that facilitate safe travel.

It is possible that a student may have a visual condition that may not adversely affect their performance at school. To qualify for O&M services, a student must have a visual impairment that, even with correction (i.e., eyeglasses), adversely affects their functioning at school, which may include being aware of where they are in their school and traveling from one location to another.

Eligibility for O&M

If a student qualifies for special education services, the IEP team determines if the student’s orientation and mobility skills are affecting their access and progress in the educational setting and curriculum. The Orientation & Mobility Specialist can assess the student in the following:

orientation to the environment,
navigation through the environment,
need for and use of pre-cane, long cane, or low vision aid to aid in orientation and travel,
spatial and environmental concepts used to travel,
use of information received by the senses to know where they are,
problem-solving skills, such as planning their routes from one location to another or finding an alternative plan when their original route of travel is not available.

The Orientation & Mobility Specialist may also assess environments for adaptations that can make the environment more accessible for the student’s available sensory perception (i.e., available vision or touch sense if the student has no available travel vision).

Orientation and mobility services should not be confused with the federal definition of travel training. Orientation and mobility services means, “services provided to blind or visually impaired students by qualified personnel to enable those students to attain systematic orientation to and safe movement within their environments in school, home, and community; [34 CFR 300.24(b)(6)]. Travel training means “providing instruction, as appropriate, to children with significant cognitive disabilities, and other children with disabilities who require this instruction, to enable them to develop an awareness of the environment in which they live; and learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment.” [34 CFR 3000.26 (b) (4)]. Travel training is not the instructional responsibility of an Orientation and Mobility Specialist.

The team may determine that some students do not require O&M services to address their needs but instead would benefit from adult-to-adult consultative services. Although Orientation & Mobility Specialists are primarily responsible for O&M instruction, their work may not always be done directly with the student and can include or instead involve collaborating with other school providers. For example, the O&M Specialist may provide consultation to the teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, etc. for a preschool-aged child who is just starting to develop early concepts that will be necessary for long range O&M skills to navigate their communities. For an older student who has already attained O&M skills to appropriately navigate their environment, consultation may be provided to ensure continued use of the long cane, low vision aid, or O&M techniques to access their educational setting or curriculum.

Discharge from O&M

The goal of providing O&M in school is for students to become independent with their orientation and navigation at school so that it does not inhibit their access to the curriculum and travel environments. The team will discuss discharging a student when the student has met their goals and is functionally independent with accommodations or modifications, when school staff are able to meet the student’s O&M needs without the skilled intervention of an Orientation & Mobility Specialist, or when the student no longer qualifies for special education.