Integrated Services
Port Phillip Specialist School uses an Integrated Model of Service Delivery.
When teachers, specialists, and therapists collaborate in an integrated service delivery model, each brings a unique knowledge, including an understanding of the curriculum, materials, and classroom management techniques. The knowledge base of collaborators is continually evolving as they search for instructional approaches that assist the learning efforts of children with specialist needs. The teachers and teacher assistants learn from the specialists and therapists and the therapists and specialists learn from the teachers and teacher assistants. Using this collaborative model ensures that all staff are involved in developing strategies to best help the student with disabilities. It also means that when therapists are not present, then teachers and teacher assistants can provide the program that has been devised in conjunction with the therapists and specialists.
This model ensures that students are learning efficiently more of the time. The model also requires that staff work collaboratively in teams to set appropriate goals, ensure that goals are achieved (as everyone is working toward shared goals), and write appropriate reports. Many of the therapy practices are embedded into the curriculum as part of daily prctices.