Demystifying Tele-Counseling: Meeting Student Needs Through Ethical Decision-Making and Collaborative Consultation

Abstract

Digital technology has been an integral part of transforming educational resources for students in recent decades, however, the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has focused education on infusion of digital technologies throughout programs to better meet students’ needs. School districts have benefited from the American Rescue Plan Act funding and the surge of new or re-envisioned resources and tools launched in the aftermath of the pandemic’s influence on school environments. Through this phenomenon, new opportunities have become particularly accessible to students with disabilities, and educators are in a new position to collaboratively consult to ensure resource availability. This paper discusses implications of the progressing landscape of technology in schools for providing mental health services. Using a fictional district-wide memo it illustrates how collaborative consultation can guide practitioners to use ethical considerations and ideal practices in technology integration and collaboration to meet the needs of students with disabilities.