Telerehabilitation: An Adjunct Service Delivery Model for Early Intervention Services
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2011.6071Abstract
Early Intervention (EI) services for children birth through two years of age are mandated by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); however, personnel shortages, particularly in rural areas, limit access for children who qualify. Telerehabilitation has the potential to build capacity among caregivers and local providers as well as promote family-centered services through remote consultation. This article provides an overview of research related to telerehabilitation and early intervention services; discusses the feasibility of telerehabilitation within traditional EI service delivery models; examines telecommunications technology associated with telerehabilitation; and provides hypothetical case examples designed to illustrate potential applications of telerehabilitation in early intervention.
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Additional Resources
American Occupational Therapy Association’s Position Paper on Telerehabilitation, http://media.americantelemed.org/ICOT/AOTA%20telereh05.pdf
American Physical Therapy Association’s Position on Telehealth, http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=67435&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Position Statement on Telepractice http://www.asha.org/docs/html/PS2005-00116.html
American Telemedicine Association, http://www.americantelemed.org
American Telemedicine Association’s A Blueprint for Telerehabilitation Guidelines, http://www.americantelemed.org/files/public/standards/ATA%20Telerehab%20Guidelines%20v1%20(2).pdf; also available at http://telerehab.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/Telerehab/article/view/6063/6293
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