Occupational Therapy Commons^™

The Impact Of Sensory-Based Movement Activities On Students In General Education, Julie Anderson

School of Occupational Therapy Post-Professional Doctoral Theses

OBJECTIVE. Movement throughout the day in the school setting may help support skills such as time on task, and academics. This study examined the impact of sensory-based movement activities on academic learning. In addition, the teacher and student perceptions of the activities were analyzed.

METHOD. A mixed method design followed students in six classrooms during intervention (three classrooms) and control (three classrooms) (N = 135) with results based on participation in pre and posttest scores on STAR reading and math and DIBELS assessments. Students in the intervention group participated in six sensory-based movement activities, twice daily, once in the …

Factors Affecting The Capacity Of Occupational Therapists To Serve In A Formal Leadership Position In The School-Based Practice Setting, Emily Garza

School of Occupational Therapy Post-Professional Doctoral Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to estimate the prevalence and explore the perceptions of occupational therapists across the U.S. in regards to leadership positions in the school-based setting. A survey was completed by 116 occupational therapists who were members of either Early Intervention & School System, Developmental Disabilities, or Administration & Management special interest sections (SIS) of the American Occupational Therapy Association. The findings indicated that there is a higher prevalence of occupational therapists in formal leadership positions than the literature suggested, with 26% of respondents (n = 116) reporting that they have held a leadership position during …

Effects Of A Collaborative Rti Based Integrated Kindergarten Motor And Academic Program, Wendi Trummert

School of Occupational Therapy Post-Professional Doctoral Theses

Objective: This study examined the effects of a collaborative program of fine motor activities, linked to state academic standards, in two general education kindergarten classrooms, on dexterity, handwriting skills, reading ability and math skills.

Method: A modified randomized design, with two experimental and two control classrooms, contained pre and post testing of motor and academic skills. Classrooms receiving intervention engaged in 25-30 minutes of activity over 18 weeks using a program designed through teacher-therapist collaboration. Teacher and students were surveyed for their perceptions.

Results: Both control and intervention groups made significant gains in all academic and motor areas evaluated. Compared …