Assistive technology curriculum structure and content in professional preparation service provider training programs

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Special Education
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Assistive technology (AT) and AT services are crucial for enabling children and youth with disabilities to participate in society.
• The integration of AT/AT services into professional preparation programs for service providers is not well understood.
• Ensuring service providers are adequately prepared to offer AT/AT services is essential for contemporary practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the extent to which occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education, and speech-language pathology programs in the U.S. include AT/AT services in their curricula.
• To identify commonalities and differences in how AT/AT services are taught across these professional programs.
• To identify gaps in curriculum content related to AT/AT services.

Main Methods:

• An electronic survey was distributed to program directors of occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education, and speech-language pathology programs nationwide (n = 959).
• Data were collected from 153 program directors regarding curriculum content, teaching methods, and faculty involvement related to AT/AT services.
• Analysis focused on the scope and depth of AT/AT services instruction within these diverse professional programs.

Main Results:

• Nearly all responding programs (n = 153) incorporate AT/AT services into their curriculum.
• Programs generally reported satisfaction with the time allocated to AT/AT services and utilized similar faculty and teaching patterns.
• Significant variations were observed in the time spent and emphasis on content specific to each program type, with notable gaps in cultural influences on AT use and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting requirements.

Conclusions:

• While AT/AT services are widely covered, disparities in curriculum emphasis and content gaps may lead to service providers with limited knowledge scope.
• Entry-level curricula require enhancement or expansion to comprehensively cover AT information and instruction.
• Enriching curricula is vital to promote contemporary practice and ensure effective service delivery in the growing area of AT/AT services.