Speechtails forms strategic partnership to help home schooled children

Elm Grove-based SpeechTails.com, an online speech learning program recently partnered with Wisconsin WorldWide IDEA to provide children who are home schooled access to speech therapy and learning programs. The goal of the partnership is to address the issue of access to speech services for the home school community.
“Homeschoolers who have an articulation speech delay have a particularly difficult challenge in obtaining speech and language services,” said Amy Reno, founder of SpeechTails.com and a licensed Speech Language Pathologist. "We believe this partnership will make it easier for homeschooled children, who often fall through the cracks for supplemental yet fundamental services, to work on their speech development and articulation."
By Law, every child in the United States can obtain speech therapy services from the local school system, but challenges including stricter guidelines for assessing whether a child qualifies for speech services, heavy and restrictive caseloads of the local school’s Speech Language Pathologist, inconvenient location, and the time commitment necessary to access out-of-home speech services can make it difficult for home schooled children to gain access. If children do not qualify for speech services, medical insurance rarely covers the cost and out-of-pocket payment, is often prohibitive, Reno said.
The partnership between WorldWide IDEA and SpeechTails.com offers homeschooling families a more supportive and affordable alternative.
WorldWide IDEA’s mission is to provide innovative education solutions through technology and collaboration to families who homeschool their children. "We are always on the look out for cutting-edge resources to help our enrolled students and their families, and we feel SpeechTails.com will be valuable in assisting those who need help with speech development, learning, and articulation,” said Jennifer Lutey, executive director of WorldWide IDEA.