Tele-therapy continues to be a speech-language therapy delivery option for preschool and school-age students.  There may be times when delivery of a session or sessions via tele-therapy makes the most sense for you and your child. When tele-therapy is chosen as a service delivery option, these services will fulfill the service mandate in the child’s IEP and are not being delivered in addition to the services your child is authorized to receive.  A child will not be denied services if the parent/guardian does not consent to tele-therapy services or if they request to receive services in-person.

Tele-therapy means that services must be delivered using non-public audio and video at the same time for the duration of the session. A caregiver must participate consistently throughout the entire 30-minute session (or duration identified on IEP) with the child. Tele-therapy does not mean having a telephone call with the therapist or teacher.  In the event that the video component of a tele-therapy sessions becomes unavailable during the session, an audio only service may be continued in order to complete the session.  With tele-therapy, teachers and therapists address the same treatment goals as during in-person sessions.  It is important to prepare your child for a tele-therapy session. Please make sure they are comfortable (fed, dry, awakened from their nap in plenty of time to become alert) and anticipating the session.

What you will need to provide:

• Computer, laptop, tablet/iPad, or smartphone with a webcam
• A private environment
• Good, secure internet connection
• A quiet room with good lighting and relatively free of distractions, such as music, television, siblings, or pets that could make paying attention difficult for your child

Benefits of tele-therapy

Tele-therapy allows for therapy sessions to take place remotely, which can be beneficial for children who have difficulty traveling to therapy appointments or for families who live in rural or underserved areas. In terms of conditions, tele-therapy can be especially beneficial for children with chronic conditions, such as cerebral palsy, or children with complex needs, such as those with multiple diagnoses or seizures, who require frequent therapy sessions.  Another important aspect to consider is that tele-therapy can also be beneficial for children who have difficulty with social interactions, such as children with autism or social anxiety, as it may make them feel more comfortable and less anxious by allowing them to be in their natural environment, e.g., at home.

Tele-therapy may also be used if a family member is ill and it is not wise for the provider to be in your home.  This can make it easier to access services, and can also help to reduce the number of missed appointments. Tele-therapy also allows for real-time observation of the child during therapy, which can help the therapist to better understand the child’s abilities and difficulties. This can help the therapist to make more accurate assessments and to tailor therapy to the child’s specific needs. It allows parents to participate as well. Tele-therapy can also provide opportunities for parent education and training, which can help to support the child’s progress and carryover of skills learned in therapy to the home and community setting. This is because sessions can take place in the home, in the natural environment.

Limitations of tele-therapy

Tele-therapy should not be the only form of therapy provided and should be integrated with other forms of therapy, where possible. Tele-therapy can be a valuable tool to complement in-person therapy, but it’s not a replacement for in-person therapy when it’s needed.

Tele-therapy is not suitable for all children and all conditions, so it’s important to work with a qualified therapist who has experience with tele-therapy, and can provide appropriate care for your child’s needs. Have a list of questions to ask ahead of time. Note that there are certain limitations to tele-therapy that may affect the quality of therapy. For example, it can be more difficult to provide hands-on interventions and to observe the child’s movements and interactions in the physical environment.

Tele-therapy sessions require appropriate technology and internet connection. It’s important to ensure that the child and family have access to the necessary equipment, such as a computer or tablet with a camera and microphone, and that the internet connection is stable enough to support a tele-therapy session. Ensure that the child is comfortable with using technology and that they are able to participate in the session. It’s important to do a test run to make sure that everything is working properly before the actual session.

 Required Guidelines:

The speech therapist will follow guidelines for providing virtual or tele-therapy services in order to ensure appropriate delivery and continuum of care:

• Competence must be obtained prior to offering services and continually reassessed to ensure the provider is servicing clients legally and ethically according to state laws, and individual
• Services shall be provided in a private, HIPAA and FERPA compliant space without risk of breach of protected patient information for both the service provider and the
• Technology devices must be accessible, with as substantial ease of use as for a person without physical or cognitive challenges. The client/facilitator must be able to interact appropriately, and services and devices must be compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) for students served under this
• If clinical expertise demonstrates that virtual services are no longer appropriate, due to progress, lack of progress, limitations of virtual services, or any other circumstance, the virtual service provider shall cease services.
• Documentation and record keeping must adhere to all federal, state, local and/or district Providers must note that the therapy services were provided virtually.
• The therapy services must be a minimum of 30 minutes or the length identified on the IEP.

By checking this box, you acknowledge that you understand, agree to the above, and hereby consent for your child to receive speech tele-therapy.