Workshop Details

Abstract

Inter-professional education (IPE) is an educational practice that “occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improved health outcomes” (World Health Organization, 2010, p. 10). There is a need for professionals in educational settings (e.g. teachers, speech therapists, social workers) to use their collective knowledge to provide an optimal plan of care for students with Special Education Needs (SEN). IPE has been developed for some university programs in Hong Kong that work within the medical setting (Chan et al, 2017), but there is a need to develop IPE in programs related to education. This project developed a course and e-learning resources to establish interprofessional education in a speech-language therapy program at the University of Hong Kong. The instructional design integrated case-based simulation and reflective exercises, which was facilitated using online teaching (via zoom) breakout rooms. The use of recorded interviews of professionals who work with children with SEN were used to describe the professional roles & responsibilities and barriers and success stories of interprofessional practice in educational settings. The delivery of the course online facilitated the small group simulations and discussion, as well as a cross-program lesson with undergraduate students from pre-service speech therapy and kindergarten teacher training programs. This project demonstrates the feasibility of the online mode of this IPE course to train pre-service professionals who will serve children with SEN in educational settings upon graduation. The limitations of this project and the areas for expansion will be discussed.

About the Speakers

Dr. Elizabeth Barrett is a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Dean of Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong. She is the Faculty’s Academic Advising and First Year Experience coordinator. Elizabeth teaches students who are training to become speech therapists or early childhood educators. She teaches courses that cover evidence-based practice and child development in the areas of cognition, language, and multilingualism. Elizabeth was awarded the University Early Career Teaching Award (2018); Faculty Outstanding Teaching Team Award (2017); and Faculty Early Career Teaching Award (2016). She is also a Fellow of the Advance HE.

Dr. Patcy Yeung is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong and the Director for The Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE). Her research focuses on the links between cognitive-linguistic skills and reading and writing development among Chinese children with and without developmental dyslexia. Her research also examines reading and writing motivation in Chinese children and adolescents, learning experience of students with visual impairment in higher education and the role of leadership in inclusive education and diversity management. Patcy was awarded with the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2018.

Dr. Anita Mei-Yin Wong is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong. Anita’s research interest is in language development and language disorders in Cantonese-speaking children. Her work has contributed to the evidence-based assessment of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), and understanding of its linguistic manifestations in Cantonese. Anita is currently pioneering a research program on the grammatical intervention of DLD in Cantonese speaking children. She enjoys working with students and works closely with colleagues in the Faculty to bring interprofessional education to our students across programs.