The second cohort of Illinois State University’s Special Education Interdisciplinary Teaming in Learning Environments of Family Systems (LIMITLESS) grant is halfway through their program and is ready to put their skills into practice. The interdisciplinary cohort is comprised of 18 graduate students in the domains of speech-language pathology (SLP), low vision/blindness (DTV), and deaf/hard of hearing (DTH). The students have taken classes to learn about early intervention as it pertains to children under three with sensory disabilities.
“I’ve really enjoyed the interdisciplinary aspect of the program because it allows me to hear perspectives from individuals in different fields. Learning from others’ experiences broadens my knowledge of their domains and assists me in becoming a stronger clinician,” said SLP graduate student Delaney Phelan.
After coursework about early intervention and intervention strategies, the SLP graduate students will be providing services to young children in the area this summer. They will be taking their education from the classroom and going into the child’s homes to provide family and routine-based services with the guidance of an SLP.
“The LIMITLESS program is providing me with the opportunity to go into the child’s natural environment and communicate with caregivers about their child’s speech and language goals. I will implement strategies and techniques to show the caregivers how they can continue providing language-rich environments for their children,” said SLP graduate student Sarah Blatt.
An important aspect of early intervention is providing strategies and resources to the parents, as they are the ones who spend the most time with their children. Family-centered services focus on taking the families’ priorities and concerns into consideration when implementing therapy strategies.
“We are not just there to help the child as one hour of speech therapy a week wouldn’t enough. We are teaching the caregivers strategies and how they can utilize them in different daily routines so they can continue promoting their child’s language development throughout the week,” said SLP graduate student AJ MacKenzie.
