Interdisciplinary Collaboration Training: An Example of a Preservice Training Series

Boivin et al. (2021) describe a supervision add-on at Melmark. BCBA trainees rotate through speech, OT, PT, and developmental pediatrics. They join assessments, write joint goals, and sit in on family meetings. The paper is a case study. It tells the story of the program, not trial results.

The authors do not report outcome data. They list activities: trainees co-treat, observe feeding clinics, and help write behavior plans with the team. The paper ends with tips for setting up similar rotations.

Donnelly et al. (2025) extend this idea into a short, half-day workshop. Instead of long rotations, ABA and speech students meet for one morning to practice joint case planning. The goal is the same—teach collaboration—but the format is lighter.

Weiss et al. (2020) show a mirror image. They measured pre/post gains after a summer practicum where speech and special-ed students worked together on autism cases. Their data show gains in knowledge and comfort. Boivin gives no numbers, but the practicum structure is almost identical.

Slim et al. (2021) give the vocabulary. They translate empathy and cultural humility into behavior-analytic terms. You can plug these definitions into the Melmark rotations to make soft skills teachable and measurable.

You can copy the Melmark rotation tomorrow. Pick one allied-health department your site already knows. Schedule your supervisee for one shared assessment this month. Use Slim et al.’s behavioral definitions to set clear collaboration targets. If time is tight, swap in Donnelly’s half-day workshop model. Either way, you move past ‘work well with others’ and give trainees real joint work with measurable skills.