Advancing Inclusivity in School-Based Rehabilitation: Insights from McMaster’s FIRST Program Evaluation

By Alexander Danne

In February 2022, the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Office (which includes the Continuing Health Science Education Program) awarded a research grant to the School of Rehabilitation Science for evaluating the FIRST Program. Developed by McMaster University’s School of Rehabilitation Science and CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, the FIRST Program is an open online course offered through the Division of e-Learning Innovation on the MacHealth website. Its primary goal is to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of school-based rehabilitation services for children. To date, it has been accessed by nearly 2000 program registrants from 68 different countries.

Associate Professor in Rehabilitation Science, Wenonah Campbell, is the principal investigator and led a comprehensive review of the FIRST Program, surveying its registered users. “Our evaluation of the FIRST Program has underscored the essential role of ongoing assessment in refining and enhancing professional development initiatives. By seeking feedback from participants, we’ve gained valuable insights into how to meet the evolving needs of school-based health professionals,” Wenonah commented.

The final report released in March 2024 highlighted the program’s effectiveness in advancing professional development and implementing best practices in school-based services.

Participants particularly appreciated the program’s clear examples and its unique support for clinical roles within a tiered service model. Anthony Levinson, a Professor in Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, and co-investigator, said, “Well-designed online learning can be very effective for individual training and professional development. However, high-quality instructional design is only one part of the picture; adoption and implementation of this type of program depends on a lot of other organizational factors and policies.”

The evaluation also uncovered significant barriers within organizations that hinder effective implementation, indicating a need for strategies targeting more than just therapists. Feedback from respondents called for the development of resources aimed at management and leaders responsible for implementing school-based services, as well as the funders of these programs.

Wenonah further outlined future directions, stating, “Going forward, our research team will be creating additional resources that support not just therapists but also the leaders and managers who drive the adoption of innovative practices in educational settings. Some of this work is already happening as part of our ongoing collaboration with the Division of e-Learning Innovation. We look forward to sharing more information about these new resources over the next year.” This initiative underscores the vital role of targeted professional development in fostering substantial organizational change in the realm of school-based rehabilitation services.