Final answer:
An OT aide in the therapy room can supervise a child in a ball pit or assist with handwriting tasks under OTA supervision while the OTA speaks to a parent, but designing and initiating complex therapy activities would require the OTA's direct intervention. The option (C) is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) must manage their schedule to both meet with a parent and initiate a therapy session for the student. While the OTA is speaking with the parent, the OT aide present in the therapy room can assist. The appropriate tasks the aide can partake in while under the supervision of the OTA would include: A. Supervising while the child plays in the ball pit, this is safe and does not require professional intervention. OR B.
Assisting the students as they work on handwriting if the aide has been appropriately trained to do so. OR C. Helping the student select the correct pencil grip for handwriting, which is a supportive task that can be managed by an aide. However, the aide should not D. Design a sensory-based obstacle course and have the student begin the activity, as this requires the professional judgment and expertise of a licensed occupational therapist. Therefore, option (C) is correct.