Master Teletherapy: Top Zoom & Google Meet Tips for School Clinicians
Teletherapy has revolutionized access to student support services, providing school clinicians with new ways to connect with students and deliver effective care. However, succeeding in this virtual environment requires mastering digital tools like Zoom and Google Meet. This guide is packed with tips to help you deliver engaging, impactful teletherapy sessions and optimize your workflow for a smooth, productive experience.
Discover actionable advice to enhance your sessions, minimize disruptions, and keep students engaged—plus, learn how AMN Healthcare's Televate™ platform can elevate your teletherapy practice.
Why Mastering Teletherapy Tools Matters
Teletherapy has proven to be a game-changer in the education field, ensuring students have access to essential services no matter where they are. For school clinicians, success in teletherapy hinges on mastering the available digital tools. From facilitating effective communication to creating interactive and engaging sessions, knowing your way around platforms like Zoom and Google Meet can greatly enhance the quality of care you provide.
Plus, by streamlining workflows and leveraging advanced tools, clinicians can focus more on students’ needs, reducing time spent navigating technical challenges.
Essential Teletherapy Tips for Zoom and Google Meet
Zoom Teletherapy Hacks
1. Minimize Background Noise
Disruptions during therapy sessions can break focus and derail valuable time. Zoom's built-in feature for suppressing background noise is a lifesaver.
- Navigate to Settings > Audio and click Advanced in the bottom right corner.
- Check “Show in-meeting option to enable original sound.”
- Adjust persistent and intermittent noise suppression to “Aggressive.”
- Pro tip: Share this feature with students’ families to limit distractions from their side.
2. Use the Waiting Room for Breaks
For evaluations or activities requiring clinician preparation, the Waiting Room feature allows you to manage session flow.
- Access this by clicking Participants during a meeting.
- Hover over the participant’s name, click More, and select Put in Waiting Room.
This is especially helpful during eligibility reviews or when scheduling back-to-back appointments.
3. Enable Annotations for Interactive Sessions
Engagement is key to success in teletherapy, and Zoom's annotation tools are perfect for this.
- Enable annotations in Settings > Meeting > Toggle Annotation On.
- During meetings, use Share Screen > Annotate to draw, highlight, or write on shared materials.
This feature allows students to interact directly with reading passages, worksheets, or games, enhancing their learning experience.
Google Meet Teletherapy Tips
1. Download Grid View for Group Sessions
Google Meet’s default view doesn’t display all participants simultaneously, which can be challenging during group therapies.
- Add extensions like Google Meet Grid View, which ensures clinicians and students can view everyone in the session at once.
- Provide students with the link to download this tool for shared benefits.
2. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
Shortcuts can speed up your workflow and help you maintain focus on the session. Two must-know commands include:
- Turn camera on/off: `Ctrl + E`
- Mute/unmute microphone: `Ctrl + D`
3. Split Your Screen for Multitasking
Whether you're showing an educational video or interactive game while observing students, split-screen functionality helps maintain visibility.
- Use Chrome’s Dualless extension or open two browser tabs side by side for better multitasking.
Benefits of Partnering with AMN Healthcare
For school clinicians looking to streamline their teletherapy practice, partnering with AMN Healthcare offers unmatched advantages. Their dedicated teletherapy solution, Televate™, is more than just a video conferencing tool—it’s a therapy-specific platform tailored for student care.
Here’s how Televate™ supports your success in virtual programs:
- Therapy-Focused Features: Integrated therapy materials, whiteboarding, and second-camera capability for OT or evaluation activities.
- Seamless Caseload Management: Simplify scheduling, track IEP goals, and manage attendance all in one place.
- Student-Friendly Technology: HIPAA and FERPA compliant with easy access for students across devices, including Chromebooks.
- Improved Outcomes: Televate's robust tools deliver engaging sessions while maintaining high standards of care.
Why Choose Televate™?
By combining AMN Healthcare’s therapy expertise with Televate’s cutting-edge platform, school clinicians can offer best-in-class therapy services without compromising security or quality.
Request a Demo Today to experience the Televate™ difference.
Teletherapy Delivers Big Wins for Students and Clinicians
Mastering Zoom and Google Meet isn’t just about learning shortcuts—it’s about empowering clinicians to provide engaging, impactful care for students anywhere. Combine these tips with the advanced capabilities of Televate™ to unlock your full potential, ensuring every student receives the support they deserve.
Take your teletherapy program to the next level with tools, strategies, and partnerships designed for success.
