Therapy Services
Occupational and Physical Therapy
Widener Memorial School has Occupational and Physical Therapists assigned to our school. School-based services assist students in getting to and from school safely and functioning in the classroom and in other areas of the school. School-based services provide reasonable accommodations so that students can benefit from the educational program. Therapy addresses fine motor and gross motor skills and activities.
Components of a school-based physical and occupational therapy program include:
- screening and evaluation of children with a wide variety of functional deficits
- program planning based on evaluation
- direct therapy activities designed to meet educational goals
- comprehensive student support team participation
- consultation to teachers, other school personnel and parents to optimize classroom performance and home programming
- staff development and training for individual and groups working with special needs children
Examples of such services include:
- teaching the student to use assistive devices that make it possible for him or her to sit better or move about the school environment
- teaching the student how to climb and descent stairs safely
- teaching the student to use assistive technology to make it possible for him to write or access classroom activities.
- helping the student use his hands to manipulate school materials
- assisting the student with strategies to manage activities of daily living
Speech Therapy:
The Speech Department at Widener Memorial School is committed to giving each of our students a viable way to communicate at school, at home and in the community. Our students have a variety of communication needs. Some students need assistance with speech production due to their physical disabilities while other students need help with language structure. A number of our students require augmentative and alternative communication systems. They may be entirely nonverbal or have severe oral motor involvement.
In such cases, we match a student’s communication needs to low technology or high technology devices. It is our responsibility to support the student’s classroom functions and academic requirements in the area of language and communication.
Vision Support Therapy:
Vision support is available to students who meet the eligibility requirements. Assistive technology may be necessary for certain students depending on the degree of their visual impairment. Services may be provided on a push-in or pull-out basis. All levels of visual impairment support is available at Widener, including Braille instruction. Orientation and Mobility instruction are also provided on an as-needed basis. An evaluation for service is initiated based on the ophthalmologist’s report.
Hearing Support Therapy
Hearing support is available to students who meet the eligibility requirements. Assistive technology may be necessary for certain students depending on the degree of their hearing impairment.