VIDBE-Q 2026 Volume 71 Issue 3
content area, but they can lack breadth of knowledge outside of their discipline.
When working with children with multiple service providers, the tendency of
providers might be to "work in silos" and focus on their specific area of expertise
without crossing into other domains. With a nationwide shortage of service
providers, especially those that provide therapy for children with sensory
disabilities, collaboration is crucial to ensure that goals are being addressed across
all disciplines, not only during specific therapy sessions.
The US Department of Education responded to these needs by funding
grants with a focus on promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. A graduate
program called LIMITLESS (#H325K190003) at Illinois State University was one
of the programs funded. The program focused on early intervention and was
designed with intentional interdisciplinary collaboration built into the coursework
and practicums for scholars across three disciplines, teachers of the deaf, teachers
of students with visually impairments, and speech language pathologists. The goal
was to train scholars to be experts in their fields while preparing them to work
effectively with other disciplines. This training in interdisciplinary collaboration
gave the graduates confidence in supporting the whole child. Co-treating, teaming,
and using a coaching method were emphasized to teach family members and
professionals from other disciplines about their area of expertise in order to support
the generalization of skills. Collaboration is essential to improving professional
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