What are the different Service Delivery Models?

Co-teaching

Friend (1992) divides co-teaching into seven distinct variations. In the one teach, one observe model, the SLP observes the classroom teacher provide instruction in the room. Information gleaned from the observation is often used to assess the students communication skills in a naturalistic setting in order to design future classroom lessons, accommodation or modifications for the student. The one teach, one observe model is also used whenever the SLP or teacher want to model to another individual a particular instructional strategy (e.g., LINCS) or program (e.g., PECS) that can be used with a student. The one teach, one drift model involves one professional providing instruction while another circulates around the room to monitor the students speech and language skills, provide additional support, or redirect behavior. Station teaching occurs when the instructional content and class is divided into two smaller groups in the classroom. Then each group takes turns receiving instruction from the teacher and the SLP during that class period. Next, the parallel teaching model divides the students in the class into two groups. The SLP teaches a group of students using specially designed strategies for students with communication impairments while the teacher teaches the remaining group of students. According to Friend, each professional teaches the same instructional content but in very different ways. In the fifth type of co-teaching, the SLP provides remedial teaching to those students who have not yet mastered portions of the curriculum while the teacher continues on with teaching the remaining students in the classroom on new subject matter. During supplemental teaching, the SLP, learning disabilities specialist or classroom teacher presents a lesson using a traditional presentation format, whereas the other teacher adapts the lesson for students who have difficulty mastering the material (Elksnin, 1997, p. 416). The last variation of co-teaching is team teaching. The teacher and the SLP jointly teach a lesson to students with and without disabilities.

No matter which type of co-teaching service delivery mode is used, in order for it to be effectively designed and implemented, teachers and SLPs must work together to problem solve and design appropriately individualized and differentiated lessons. This can be very difficult to accomplish. There may not be enough time to collaborate with the teacher to design these lessons. Many SLPs have not had pre-service or in-service training in co-teaching, and therefore they are not comfortable trying this approach. Additionally, some teachers, administrators, and parents do not feel that co-taught classroom lessons provide for intensive instruction on communication goals and objectives. There are many barriers to overcome.