Consult services are useful if a student no longer requires direct instruction from a provider but can still benefit from having the staff who supports the student continue to learn from that specialist. For example, if a student is doing well in the use of their AAC device, the staff may still need additional support to update and implement the device correctly with the student. Similarly, a student may no longer need direct specialized academic instruction (SAI) minutes but may still benefit from their general education teacher receiving consult time with the special education teacher to support accommodating their classwork.
Another example is occupational therapy — an OT can support sensory needs in the learning environment via consult and collaboration with the teacher. Given that the student is in the classroom daily, it may make sense for the teacher to receive this level of support to ensure that the student’s needs are being supported all day every day, not just when the OT is present.
For more information, see our article What Are Related Services in an IEP?
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