Working with individuals with intellectual disabilities presents unique opportunities and challenges. In addition to challenges presented by having a disability (e.g., communicating with others), is the obscurity of coordination of services within an often fragmented service delivery system. One response has been to create a system that brings…

This article describes transdisciplinary consultation, a classroom-based team model in which team members focus on implementing a transdisciplinary model of service delivery. An evaluation of the model by nine preschool professionals indicated the teams perceived the model to have a positive impact on their personal and team development. (Contains…

This article describes efforts in Colorado to develop collaborative relationships among educators to better meet needs of students with disabilities. The article stresses the importance of developing common understanding, developing a full array of services within the delivery system, and addressing school scheduling issues. (JDD)

Part of a volume which explores current issues in service delivery to infants and toddlers with handicapping conditions (ages birth to 3), this chapter discusses issues relating to staffing of early intervention programs and reports the results of a study designed to clarify the staffing and teaming options currently used by selected intervention…

The traditional team concept in rehabilitation is a differentiated team in which each member performs a different function. In practice, such teams are rarely cooperative and their additive services are disjointed. Presented is the philosophic rationale for the revitalization of a large rehabilitation center serving mental patients. Reorganization…

This monograph represents the collective thinking of parents of children with special health needs, family members, and professionals concerning what is necessary and important in collaborative relationships. Collaboration is viewed as a way to improve quality of life and health of children and their families, by working together to humanize the…

The report describes the University of Florida Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program (MDTP), jointly administered through the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Special Education. It functions as a diagnostic, training, and consultative resource to local school districts in north central Florida and provides short-term…

This article discusses the history of integrating services for students with disabilities and modern service integration initiatives. Examples of requirements for service integration are listed and interprofessional collaboration is described. The complexity, difficulties, and opportunities associated with school-related integration and…

This article discusses the role of speech-language pathologists in serving preschool children with dysphagia. Current approaches to feeding and swallowing intervention, etiologies and programs, transdisciplinary teaming, developmental and feeding evaluation, and types of service delivery models (home-based and center-based) for preschool children…

This article reports the outcomes of British government-funded research into the provision of speech and language therapy services and identifies 13 key themes that emerge from a review of these findings. Recommendations are made, many of which focus on the need for enhanced collaboration at a range of levels. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Part of a volume which explores current issues in service delivery to infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) with handicapping conditions, this chapter addresses the nature and challenges of effective administrative leadership of early intervention programs. Basic administrative tasks are identified, such as: building an early intervention team,…

Guidelines for implementing a transdisciplinary (TD) team approach for delivering special education services to rural students cover team development, assessment, program planning, implementation of service delivery, training of team members, role release, ongoing monitoring, and regular team meetings. Includes a checklist for evaluating teams…

This paper proposes a systematic approach to the application of assistive technology that takes advantage of the strengths of key members of the rehabilitation team. The report begins by describing the roles of the vocational rehabilitation counselor, the vocational evaluator, and the assistive technology practitioner. The limitations of the…

A framework is presented for developing collaborative, community-based programs to assist substance-using women and their young children. Five types of service providers are identified: medical personnel, welfare and child protective services, illicit drug use and mental health programs, community protection services, and ethnically based advocacy…

This article presents two models to assist speech-language pathologists in overcoming potential barriers to effective service delivery collaboration: peer coaching, in which teachers and therapists model techniques and lessons for each other; and coteaching, in which classroom teachers plan activities to meet curriculum goals while therapists…