Summary and Wrap Up

Let’s review what you have learned in Module 3: Communication for Collaboration about communication strategies that can be used with professionals and families to promote collaboration.

    • In Step 1 you read about a practice dilemma involving Shawanda, a teacher, and Ashley, a speech therapist working with Shawanda to support the IEP goals of a 4-year-old named David and his family.
    • In Step 2 you turned this practice dilemma into an answerable question, with a focus on finding out whether intentional communication practices are effective in promoting collaboration with other professionals and families.
    • In Step 3 you considered key sources of knowledge about communication, including the best available research evidence about the effectiveness of communication practices, policies and professional guidelines, and experience-based knowledge about communication for collaboration.
    • In Step 4 you integrated these sources of evidence with the perspectives of Shawanda and Ashley to make an informed practice decision, and completed an implementation plan related to your decision.
    • Finally, in Step 5, you considered ways to evaluate the communication plan.