Mary Jane Rapport

Least Restrictive Environment: Understanding the Direction of the Courts

A clear understanding of judicial opinions is essential to individuals responsible for providing children with disabilities with an appropriate program within a least restrictive environment (LRE). To assist in achieving this understanding, the purpose of this paper was twofold: (a) to identify and delineate the LRE standards established within federal circuit courts and (b) to create an alternative, more comprehensive, standard that reflects the explicit mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990. In addition to a current overview of LRE court decisions and specific legal issues, the similarities and differences of four standards are discussed.

Motor activity in children with autism: a review of current literature.

&NA; Physical therapists have expanded their role and visibility in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Limitations in motor activity have not been considered in the assessments of core deficits of this population; however, physical therapists should be prepared to discuss and address these limitations in children with ASD. Purpose: The primary purposes of this review were to summarize current evidence for motor activity limitations in children with ASD and suggest further areas of research in physical therapy and autism while considering how physical therapy may benefit children with autism. Method: A literature search was carried out in 2009 and 2010 by using multiple search engines. Results: Forty-nine articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Conclusion: Findings indicate that limitations in motor activity may be present in individuals with ASD, and further research is needed to identify specific functional limitations.

Providing Special Education in the Juvenile Justice System

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990, all students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education, including incarcerated youth with disabilities. Based on legal research, we discuss pertinent issues integral to providing appropriate educational services to incarcerated youth as addressed by the courts and education professionals. We address (a) prevalence rates of disabilities among juvenile delinquent populations, (b) problems facing correctional facility personnel in providing special education services to inmates with disabilities, (c) recent developments in case law regarding the implementation of special educational services for juveniles in correctional facilities, and (d) recommendations for facilitating special education programming in correctional institutions.

Practices Across Disciplines in Early Intervention: The Research Base

The most recent compilation of DEC Recommended Practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (S. Sandall, M. E. McLean, & B. J. Smith, 2000) contains 240 recommended practices across 7 strands. The recommended practices evolved from a process involving input from literature reviews, scientific experts, 9 stakeholder focus groups, and field validation of the synthesized practices (Sandall, McLean, & Smith, 2000). One of the 7 strands addresses recommended practices in interdisciplinary models. The 19 practices in this strand emphasize teamwork, loose boundaries between disciplines, functional intervention, and support to caregivers. The article briefly describes the process used to identify these 19 recommended practices and focuses on the literature base of 30 articles that supports the interdisciplinary models strand. An analysis of the literature was undertaken to better understand the types of research (eg, qualitative or quantitative) and the elements (eg, study setting, study participants) used to support this group of practices as well as gaps currently existing in the research and literature base lending support to these practices. The article suggests the importance of using these recommended practices as the foundation by which practitioners in early intervention/early childhood special education go about their daily routines and practices. By examining the empirical base in the published literature, it is possible to suggest modifications that could help a team move toward meeting recommended practices and suggest future research endeavors to strengthen the empirical support available in this field.

Essential competencies in entry-level pediatric physical therapy education

Background: The Section on Pediatrics (SoP) convened an Education Summit in July 2012 to examine, discuss, and respond to documented inconsistencies and challenges in teaching pediatric physical therapy (PT) content in entry-level professional education programs. Despite previous attempts by the SoP to provide guidance around teaching pediatric PT, variability continued to be extensive across programs. Key Points: This article presents the core competencies developed out of the Summit to inform pediatric content in the entry-level PT curriculum. In addition, the core competencies were linked to teaching strategies, learning activities, assessment outcomes, and curricular structures. Statement of Conclusions: Consensus was reached on 5 core competencies that represent a knowledge base essential to all graduates of PT programs. In contrast to prior SoP documents, these competencies were specifically designed to focus on knowledge and skills unique to pediatric practice but essential for all graduates of accredited entry-level PT education programs. Video Abstract: For more insights from the authors, see Supplemental Digital Content 1, at http://links.lww.com/PPT/A50.

Activity-focused Motor Interventions for Infants and Young Children With Neurological Conditions

This article presents a model to guide activity-focused motor interventions as a component of early intervention services for physical and occupational therapists working with infants and young children with neurological conditions and other developmental disabilities. Activity-focused interventions involve structured practice and repetition of functional actions, and are directed toward the learning of motor tasks that will increase the childs participation in daily routines. According to this model, the pediatric physical therapist or occupational therapist, as a member of the intervention team, develops activity-related goals in collaboration with the childs family. The therapist plans activity-focused interventions by (1) using guidelines based on principles from motor learning and motor development, (2) adapting these guidelines, when necessary, to address the young childs individual strengths and needs, and (3) integrating impairment-focused interventions with activity-focused interventions, optimally within the context of everyday routines and activities. The elements of this model will be discussed through an example that is applicable to early intervention.

Legal Guidelines for the Delivery of Special Health Care Services in Schools

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes school health services in a list of possible related services. The rising costs associated with education and the request for more extensive and costly services by children who have special health care needs have made the delivery of these services in schools as part of free, appropriate public education increasingly controversial. An examination of relevant documents and court decisions from the past 10 years provides insight into congressional intent, federal regulations, and local implementation of service delivery related to children with extensive health care needs.

Experiential Learning With Children: An Essential Component of Professional Physical Therapy Education.

Purpose: The Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association has developed a number of resources to support and improve the consistency of professional pediatric physical therapy education, including a set of core competencies that all graduates must attain. The purpose of this article is to advocate for the inclusion of experiential learning activities with children, including children with participation restrictions, as a necessary component to achieve the core competencies. Key Points: Experiential learning is a form of practice-based education that provides exposures and opportunities for students to explore the work, roles, and identities they will encounter as future professionals. Experiential learning is learning by doing, and occurs within a relevant setting. Six representative curricular exemplars are presented to provide readers with a variety of suggestions for development and integration of experiential learning. Summary: Recommendations for future research are provided and 4 key recommendations are provided.

Extended School Year: Legal Issues and Implications

Much of the research and material published on the extended school year (ESY) to date has failed to provide comprehensive and accurate information on determining eligibility and the need for ESY services for children with disabilities. Eligibility for ESY can be based on several criteria, including individual need, nature and severity of the disability, educational benefit, regression and recoupment, self-sufficiency and independence, and failing to meet short-term goals and objectives. An examination of the ESY case law history reveals that it is difficult to determine “judicially manageable standards” for the various categories of eligibility. Therefore, decisions regarding ESY are based on an assimilation of criteria, particularly when considering ESY for children with severe disabilities. This article provides a thorough (exhaustive) review of the legal issues, including statutory and case law, and practical guidelines that will assist educators in their efforts to comply with federal statutes.

Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education: Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future

The physical therapy profession continues to respond to the complex and changing landscape of health care to meet the needs of patients and the demands of patient care. Consistent with this evolution is the rapid development and expansion of residency and fellowship postprofessional programs. With the interested number of applicants exceeding the number of residency and fellowship slots available, a “critical period” in the educational process is emerging. The purposes of this perspective article are: (1) to analyze the state of residency and fellowship education within the profession, (2) to identify best practice elements from other health professions that are applicable to physical therapy residency and fellowship education, and (3) to propose a working framework grounded in common domains of competence to be used as a platform for dialogue, consistency, and quality across all residency and fellowship programs. Seven domains of competence are proposed to theoretically ground residency and fellowship programs and facilitate a more consistent approach to curricular development and assessment. Although the recent proliferation of residency and fellowship programs attempts to meet the demand of physical therapists seeking advanced educational opportunities, it is imperative that these programs are consistently delivering high-quality education with a common focus on delivering health care in the context of societal needs.