Interprofessional Case-Based Learning for Collaborative School Practice
This poster outlines a faculty designed, case-based interprofessional education (IPE) framework preparing occupational therapy (OT), speech-language pathology (SLP), and education students for collaborative, data-driven decision-making in school-based practice.
Presented by:
Wendi Buckley, Indiana University South Bend
From the author, in their own words...
Wendi Buckley, Indiana University South Bend
Transcript:
This poster presents a case-based interprofessional learning experience developed by occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and education faculty to prepare participants for collaborative school-based practice.
The 75-minute experience centers on an upcoming annual case conference for an elementary student with autism. Participants review the student’s Individualized Education Plan and progress data. They work across disciplines to interpret the data, examine educational impact, and reason together about ongoing service needs.
Importantly, this is not a scripted IEP role-play. The focus is on how professionals think, question, and problem-solve together.
Small-group discussions are led by community practitioners and faculty who were not involved in designing the experience. Facilitators receive training and structured prompts to support cross-disciplinary inquiry and data-based discussion.
The poster provides a practical framework, facilitator strategies, and design principles that conference attendees can use to create similar learning opportunities.
The goal is simple: move participants from understanding professional roles to reasoning together.
Abstract:
Professional preparation for school-based practitioners often occurs in disciplinary silos, leaving graduates with limited experience in collaborative reasoning. This poster describes the pedagogical design of a case-based IPE framework created by occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and education faculty. Moving beyond scripted role-plays, this model guides students to collaboratively analyze progress monitoring data and determine educational impact. The presentation outlines the structured agenda, facilitator strategies, and design principles. Attendees will gain an adaptable framework for strengthening interprofessional decision-making and cross-disciplinary communication in higher education.
Key Words:
Interprofessional Education, Case-Based Learning, Collaborative Reasoning
Outcomes:
1. Examine instructional designs that support student collaborative reasoning across various professional preparation programs.
2. Analyze how case-based discussions support collaborative reasoning and shared decision-making in school-based practice.
3. Adapt a structured 75-minute agenda framework to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborative reasoning rather than scripted role-plays.
References:
American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, & American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2022). Joint statement on interprofessional collaborative goals in school-based practice. American Occupational Therapy Association.
Curro, K., Shooman, L., & Foo, S. (2022). The use of interprofessional education (IPE) to address collaboration for Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): A retrospective study of occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and special education students’ perceptions. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 6(2), Article 3. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/tlcsd/vol6/iss2/3
Ludwig, D. A., & Kerins, M. R. (2019). Interprofessional Education: Application of Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies to school settings. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 4(2), 269–274. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_pers-sig2-2018-0009
Myers, C. T., & O’Brien, S. P. (2015). Teaching interprofessional collaboration: Using online education across institutions. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 29(2), 178–185. https://doi.org/10.3109/07380577.2015.1017789
Rainville, E. B., Shooman, L., Curro, K., & Foo, S. (2022). Preparing OT student-clinicians for effective school-based interprofessional team dynamics through a remote interprofessional education workshop. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(Supplement_1), 7610505044p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.76S1-P044
Stephenson, P., & Costello, P. J. (2016). Playing well together: Interprofessional practice in pediatrics. OT Practice, 21(21), Children & Youth Special Interest Section Quarterly, 39(4), 1–4.