Making Effective Teletherapy Decisions for Students with Disabilities: Ensuring Benefit and Compliance
(Room 556A)
12 Nov 26
4:00 PM
-
5:00 PM
Tracks:
Human Resources: Empowering Teams
School districts are increasingly using teletherapy to address shortages of related service providers and expand access to services such as speech-language therapy, counseling, and occupational therapy. While teletherapy can be effective, it also raises important questions about educational appropriateness, implementation fidelity, and compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This session provides special education administrators with practical guidance for determining when teletherapy is appropriate and how it should be documented and implemented to ensure students continue to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Drawing on legal expectations, district implementation challenges, and lessons from dispute resolution cases, the presentation highlights common pitfalls that often lead to parent concerns or complaints. Participants will examine key decision-making considerations, including the student’s disability-related needs, evidence supporting teletherapy for specific services, student engagement, technology access, and the nature of the service being delivered. The session will also address administrative responsibilities such as documenting teletherapy in the IEP, verifying provider qualifications, maintaining confidentiality through secure platforms, and monitoring student progress. Participants will leave with practical strategies and guiding questions to help IEP teams make sound teletherapy decisions while ensuring compliance and effective service delivery for students with disabilities.