Case Study: Capital Area Intermediate Unit achieves scalable, uninterrupted online speech therapy with PresenceLearning

Regional Education Service Agency Successfully Pilots Online Speech Therapy with Online Students

Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU), a regional education service agency serving districts around Harrisburg, PA, faced chronic speech‑therapy coverage problems: overflowing caseloads, therapist shortages from leaves or resignations, and difficulty recruiting in rural areas. These gaps risked interrupting student services and forced districts to struggle with compensatory time and classroom pull‑outs.

CAIU piloted PresenceLearning’s online speech therapy with Commonwealth Connections Academy, starting with 16 students in May 2014 and growing to about 80 by September (projected ~100). The teletherapy program converted hesitant families, increased service frequency for students, enabled seamless coverage during leaves or turnover, reduced in‑school pull‑outs, and prompted CAIU to explore online occupational therapy, counseling, and cross‑contracts with other intermediate units.

Capital Area Intermediate Unit

Arlene Moll

Project Administrator of the Student Services Team at CAIU