"From very early on, we send students out into the field—with instructors—to put what they’re learning in our curriculum into practice. It makes for a much richer learning experience.”
As an associate professor of Occupational Therapy, Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L has developed a number of programs that enable students to apply lessons learned in the classroom to real world practice. Professor Ideishi’s students have created programs for preschool-aged children with special needs to expand their abilities. Such programs include photography, gardening and dance forms such as ballet, contemporary, ballroom, and ethnic dance. With the success of these programs, four different area preschools have since adopted these unique, fun initiatives to help their special needs students.
Professor Ideishi and his students have also worked on interesting projects to help children with autism including developing programs at the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences and Walnut Street Theater. They’ve also created a partnership with Einstein Medical Center, Southwest Airlines, the Transportation Security Administration, and Philadelphia International Airport to prepare children with autism to be passengers on air flights.