It’s 8 o’clock am, the birds are chirping and the streets are empty. Suddenly, the world feels eerily like a zombie apocalypse movie. As we learned of the pandemic, many are in a frenzy as concerned parents ponder how their special needs kids will be attended to. In the midst of chaos, Ryan Gibson is ready and set to connect with his therapist for a speech lesson. 

Eager and excited with a smile and with an oversized headset on, he clicks on the link as he heads into his first-ever virtual speech lesson during the COVID-19 outbreak. Ryan is a 5 year old kindergartener, embarking on a new journey in speech therapy. Jamie, Speech Language Pathologist has engaged Ryan in functional WH questions using picture cards. Ryan has a correct response to which he is rewarded and the interaction is getting more exciting. “You’re amazing!” says Jaime and Ryan ends his session today looking forward to the next one. 

Luckily, he is one of many students who has access to a readily available ReadySetConnect platform, while many students are delayed in service as providers seek for alternative solutions. While the world has adapted to tele-everything, uncertainty looms: can students learn without being in person? More specifically, 15% of the children in the United States with diagnosed disabilities?

Although telehealth and videoconferencing have become the new norms, when it comes to children, parents wonder if their child can engage with their therapists online, and whether the sessions can be as effective as in the clinic. Clinicians worry whether their online practice can be as effective, whether creating and maintaining records would be simple, secure and confidential. 

Breaking Barriers using a Friendly Therapy Platform 

“Emma had learning differences beyond what local schools could successfully cope with. I found the answer in an Academy that offered a program for Emma. I would drive her a couple of hours each way to school and to her physical, occupational and speech therapists in the evenings. 

Emma’s therapists and special academic instructors playfully engage her on ReadySetConnect and Emma enjoys it. She stays with me at home and we have a better quality of life. Thanks to Microsoft Azure’s cloud web service that securely hosts it.”

—— Jennifer Ayala, Emma’s mother

Children in rural areas often have poor access to much needed professional help. Public schools, under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act are required to support special needs of students. Several K-12 programs struggle to comply with the law as specialty resources can be sparse. Consequently, students do not receive much needed interventions. Science can attest that if children receive timely and effective interventions, their disability is managed, and the foundation necessary for them to succeed is built. 

The platform engages with features that allow for live interactions complete with annotation, whiteboard, audio jingles, and images. Users of the platform note progress, track data and reports with great ease from any of their mobile devices. Collaboration is fostered through easy sharing of data and documents. Decision making is facilitated with analytics and reports drawn on command.

Reimagining Live Online Interventions that are Effective and Engaging

Nicole Townsend was shocked when she found a note from her 14 year old. Her teen was suicidal. “I didn’t think one time a month was good enough,” Townsend said. “She was suicidal.” Most teenagers surveyed in rural and semi rural areas of the country would rather not see the counselor for the fear that “the counselor might know someone in our church.” They definitely prefer seeing someone online who would not know their parents or neighbour. Yet access to quality online services seems limited. 

Backed by ‘in the trenches’ clinicians who have tried and failed, but learned firsthand delivery of care models that are effective and also have their clients engage well. Though new in the marketplace, ReadySetConnect is updated regularly using ‘on the ground’ feedback from its clients and users. 

Helping Build Therapy Practices and Clinics

The pandemic brought unprecedented times where pediatric therapy practices rooted in hands-on care were challenged to their cores. Services needed to continue, clinical practices needed to keep running, and most importantly, children with special needs needed to get the right interventions right away, and in the safety and comfort of their homes. 

Designed to deliver to the challenges of our time, ReadySetConnect is one stop shop to set out a calendar, appointment reminders, live online interactions, progress notes, and reports.