The role of occupational therapy at Glenallen is to enable students to actively participate in the curriculum and to be as independent as possible in their daily lives.
There are five Occupational Therapists and one Occupational Therapy Assistant at Glenallen who are accomplished at facilitating each student to develop their skills in a wide range of school activities.
Occupational Therapists at Glenallen assess, design and creatively problem solve to facilitate student learning across a variety of areas.
Hand function
- To develop students’ fine motor skills such as handwriting, object manipulation and functional use of classroom tools.
Upper limb splinting
- To increase students’ hand function, maintain range of movement and prevent contractures and deformity.
Assistive Technology
- To enable students to access Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This includes positioning, mounting systems for electronic communication devices and switches and specialised access for computers.
Sensory based programs
- To develop individualised sensory programs aimed at assisting students to achieve their optimal level of arousal to facilitate engagement and learning.
Provision of specialised adaptive equipment
- To enable students to participate as actively as possible in classroom activities e.g. adapted paint brushes, mounted scissors and angled boards.
Independent living skills
- To encourage independence in students’ personal care, domestic and community based activities of daily living.
Play and social skills
- To provide students with the opportunity to engage in independent play and develop appropriate social skills.
