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Interprofessional education and practice
154 JCPSLP Volume 15, Number 3 2013 Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
Nicole Limbrick
Top 10 transdisciplinary
resources
Nicole Limbrick
Iam a new graduate speech pathologist who recently
commenced work as an Early Childhood Intervention
Officer in Shepparton, Victoria. My practice follows the
transdisciplinary model and our team consists of speech
pathologists, an occupational therapist, physiotherapist and
educational advisor. While my specialist knowledge is within
the speech pathology realm, I take on a more generalist role
as a key worker for families of children with developmental
delays and disabilities. I also provide consultations for
team members from other disciplines if children have
communication or feeding needs.
Ultimately, thinking outside the square is essential when
working in transdisciplinary teams because activities need
to target broader goals – such as fine and gross motor skills
as well as communication development. In my experience,
working in a transdisciplinary team is supportive and
there are many learning opportunities. However, the
transdisciplinary model of practice can be challenging. The
Top 10 resources listed have a paediatric slant and are
frequently relied upon in our team. A big thank you to the
colleagues who helped me compile this list!
1 Visuals
Never underestimate the power of visuals. Visuals are used
by all members of our transdisciplinary team for a variety of
purposes, including daily routines, schedules, social stories,
regulation of emotions, and communication. For instance,
visuals are essential for implementing the Picture Exchange
Communication System [PECS] (by A. S. Bondy & L. Frost
(1985); available from Pyramid Educational Consultants).
Boardmaker is an essential computer program
(available from $589.00 from Spectronics, http://www.
for generating visuals or symbols
for a wide range of vocabulary items. If creating visuals
from scratch is too time-consuming, Boardmaker Share
is a handy website
com/) where you can access thousands of ready-made
Boardmaker resources (e.g., books, schedules, activities)
for free. There are also online resources that contain ideas
for incorporating visuals in practice. For instance, the
Getting Started resources
parent-info/getting-started-books/) by speech pathologist
Dolly Bhargava outline strategies for using visuals to
target communication, play and self-esteem development,
positive behaviour and emotional management.
2 Key Word Sign resources
Key Word Sign (KWS) is used by our team to promote
children’s communication development and participation in
daily life by enhancing their comprehension and ability to
follow routines. KWS can positively impact children’s
well-being and overall development. Resources available
from Key Word Sign Australia include books containing
vocabulary and scripts for using signs in common activities,
a CD-ROM, and a DVD
research-centre/special-education/key-word-sign-australia/
signing-resources/). KWS workshops are held throughout
Australia and are well worth attending.
Nursery Rhymes to Sing, See and Sign resources include
visuals, KWS posters and song lyrics (e.g., “Wheels on
the Bus”, “Baa Baa Black Sheep”) with corresponding
KWS. These free resources are great for early language
stimulation and encouraging emotional attachment between
children and caregivers
php/site/resources/nurseryrhymes).
3 Hanen resources
The Hanen resources are renowned among speech
pathologists for their evidence-base, sought-after training
workshops and parent-friendly manuals. Our entire team
frequently turn to the More than Words and It Takes Two to
Talk manuals for early communication strategies to combat
the age-old question: “How do I get my child to talk?” The
techniques fit well into families’ everyday routines and are
appropriate for use with children with language delays and
autism spectrum disorder. The pictures, minimal speech
pathology jargon and simple step-by-step strategies make
the Hanen techniques suitable for implementation by other
professionals under the guidance of speech pathologists.
Hanen resources can be purchased online from Dart
Products .
4 Developmental Occupational Therapy
(WA) Inc. resources
Our occupational therapist introduced me to the DOT (WA)
website
handouts/). There are play, motor skill and early language
handouts that are suitable for parents and professionals.