Try and ensure privacy similar to a typical classroom setting as much as possible. Online Conferencing Guidelines – BOCES of NY is a great web site resource that helps describe how to protect your virtual meetings for privacy and security.
Make sure your online conferencing tool is approved by your district.
Provide joining information in advance of your meeting.
Set clear expectations and establish norms to better ensure appropriate online conferencing.
Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking.
Make sure your student can see and hear before beginning the meeting.
Choose a background/setting appropriate for a meeting.
Eliminate electronic distractions (such as ringtones and notifications) and physical distractions that could be in your surroundings.
Secure your meetings to avoid unwelcome intruders.
Start your meeting early to allow participants to work out any video and audio issues.
Become familiar with your online conferencing tool before hosting a meeting.
Facilitating Teletherapy Meetings
Keep sessions short and keep length appropriate for the age group.
Document all of your emails, phone calls, and online conferences.
Each student you work with may require activities to be administered in different ways that are specific to his/her needs. Different online tools might have different features that will suit individual needs better than others.
Consider parent/guardian involvement in your online meetings:
Consent from parents is encouraged when possible. While written consent is not required, service providers should keep record of verbal acknowledgment that services will be provided via teletherapy.
Leverage parent support where applicable. Parents and other family members can be pulled more intimately into teletherapy meetings because they are directly witnessing the sessions and they can reinforce the practices and activities with your student. This reinforcement can lead to student improvement with more spontaneous use of techniques by families.
