In the swift current of today’s rapidly advancing technology, the ‘high-tech’ equipment of the not so distant past—just twenty or thirty years ago—seem ancient. Just a decade ago, psychologists were using cassette players with stop tape counters for audio test administration of cognitive and achievement batteries; now, in the advent of Q-Interactive, some of these batteries can be administered digitally.
Pencil, paper, test booklets, and easels gave way to examiner and examinee iPads which sync together through Bluetooth; styluses replaced pencils and App recording features cue when needed. It is only a matter of time before this novel and efficient mode of test administration will altogether surmount the world of psychoeducational assessment.
The benefits of technology are not isolated to therapists; new opportunities have been created for teachers and parents alike. Many teachers have online grade books that parents and students can access from home with the click of a button. Many students have district administered Google Chromebooks, which particularly help children with print disabilities, as they can independently and discreetly enlarge the font and access text to speech. Teachers can easily differentiate instruction, accommodate different learning styles, and promote self-directed learning with the use of classroom computers and tablets.
Recent technology advancements have increased access to psychological and educational services like never before. Web-based therapy is starting to take the world by storm. Services are now available in areas in which choices were minimal—where communities experienced a dearth of service providers. The virtual platform has enabled teletherapy companies and individual providers to deliver speech and psychological services, as well as fill staffing needs for more remotely located school districts.
Psyched Services thrives on the latest technology to fully implement our unique collaborative model, with a lead psychologist providing direct assessment and a remote support psychologist working in tandem along the way. Together, we produce a high quality, thorough evaluation report. We also offer virtual parent coaching, which give parents immediate access to our behaviors specialists trained in applied behavioral analysis. With our readily accessible expertise, parents can teach children new skills and reduce challenging behaviors in the moment.
Got big ideas? We’re always on the lookout for talented educational psychologists and behavior analysts who think outside the box. If interested, drop us a line and come ride the wave of innovation with us.