Andrea Wilson
Purpose: To explore how teachers perceive occupational therapy services delivered using the Partnering for Change (P4C) model, a collaborative practice model that supports children with developmental coordination disorder and may support all students with special needs.
Methods: Ten teachers at one elementary school in British Columbia using P4C participated in one or two focus groups. One teacher participated in a one-on-one interview. Grounded theory structured data analysis and theory development.
Findings: Six themes (ready to collaborate, in the thick of it all, needing knowledge and resources, valuing therapist expertise, appreciating therapist accessibility, and wanting flexibility) represented how teachers strongly preferred P4C. They collaborated with the occupational therapist and embedded new strategies into their teaching.
Conclusion: The P4C model structures comprehensive occupational therapist and teacher collaborations. P4C may enrich students’ learning and reduce wait times for occupational therapy.