Occupational therapists help people with disabilities overcome obstacles in daily living through customized interventions. They work in schools, hospitals, clinics, and other settings to improve functional skills and independence through activities, exercises, assistive devices, and environmental modifications. As part of a multidisciplinary team, occupational therapists evaluate clients, develop treatment plans, and collaborate on goals to support special needs students both in and out of the classroom.

1. Occupational Therapist

2. Table of Contents
• Abstract
• Definition
• Role of this professional
• Workplace of the occupational therapist
• Occupational therapy Work with Special Needs
• Occupational Therapist and Special Needs
Students
• Occupational Therapist and Multidisciplinary
Team

3. Abstract
Occupational therapy is a profession that was
designed to help people with mental, physical,
emotional, and developmental disabilities to
overcome the obstacles they face in their daily lives.
Their work is not limited in private clinics, their
work extends to hospitals, prisons, foster home,
and schools.

4. General Definition about Occupational
Therapy
Occupational therapy is the art and science of
enabling engagement in everyday living, through
occupation.

5. Workplace of the Occupational
Therapist
• Schools
• hospitals
• skilled nursing facilities
• home health
• outpatient rehabilitation clinics
• psychiatric facilities
• community health programs
• long-term-care facilities

6. The Role
• use of occupations, exercises, and activities.
• Training in self-care
• self –management
• home management
• community/work reintegration.
• Care coordination
• Development, remediation compensation of physical,
cognitive, neuromuscular, sensory functions and
behavioral skills.
• Design
• fabrication
• application
• Fitting

7. The Role
• case management
• transition services.
• Consultative services
• Education and training of several individuals including family
members, caregivers..
• Modification of environments (home, work, school, or
community)
• Assessment
• training in assistive technology & adaptive devices.
• training in techniques to enhance functional mobility,
including wheelchair management
• Management of feeding, eating, and swallowing
• Application of physical agent modalities and use of a range of
specific therapeutic procedures (such as wound care
management)

8. Occupational Therapy Work with
Special Needs
• Conduct appropriate evaluations .
• prepare written reports
• Participates in meetings as a member of the IEP
team.
• Participates in the development of IEP
• Provide direct and indirect occupational therapy
• Travel to and among schools to provide services
• Maintain records of services provided.

9. Occupational Therapist and Special
Need Students
In-Class
• Provide services within their regular education
classroom with their non-disabled peers.
• working with a student on writing/computer
skills
• Developing self-feeding skill
• facilitating social/play skills at recess

10. Out of Class
• It is necessary for the student to make effective
progress in his/her educational program.
• It should be an ongoing processes.
*It happens when :
• working on distractibility
• working on low self-esteem
• there is need for privacy
• there is need for specialized equipment

11. Occupational Therapist and
Multidisciplinary Team
The responsibilities of the Occupational Therapy
In the process include:
• Information sharing
• Participation in the decision-making process
• Shared responsibility for the implementation of
IEPs.

12. References:
Townsend, E.A. & Polatajko, H.J. (2007) Enabling Occupation ІІ: Advancing an
occupational therapy vision for health, well-being & justice through occupation.
Ottawa, ON: CAOT.
Online resources
Bober, P., Corbett, S. (2011). Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy: A Resource
and Planning Guide
Second Edition. Retrieved from
https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/ot-pt-guide-2nd-edition.pdf
Definitions of Occupational Therapy from Members Organisations. (2013). Retrieved
from www.wfot.org
Guidelines for Provision of Occupational Therapy Services in Massachusetts Public
School. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://maot.org/resources/Documents/56519%20MAOT%20Guidelines2.pdf
Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain & Process 3rd Edition. (2014).
Retrieved from
http://www.terapia-ocupacional.org
Workforce Trends in Occupational Therapy. (2013). Retrieved from
www.AOTA.org