Students with Physical

DisabilitiesErin Ennis

ED 602

A person with a disability means any person who has “a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity.”

- American Disabilities Act of 1990

What do they all have in common?

Variety of Physical Disabilities

AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT of 1990:

Orthopedic SpeechVisual

Cerebral Palsy Muscular DystrophyMultiple Sclerosis

Cancer TuberculosisMetabolic Diseases (diabetes)

Heart Disease Severe Food AllergiesAddiction

HIV ParaplegiaQuadriplegia

Physical Disabilities continued

IDEA added:

Asthma Sickle Cell AnemiaNephritis

Heart Condition Rheumatic FeverHemophilia

Lead Poisoning

General Accommodations in the Inclusive Classroom:

Education of ALL staff in the school: sensitivity, understand accommodations, awareness of complications, preventative measures

Frequent conferencing with parents

Resource areas for students to work with an occupational therapist or instructional assistant

Buddy system with non-disabled student(s)

Record keeping of performance to detect changes, improvements, difficulties as well as what adaptations/modifications are working and not (for instructor’s reference and for other staff/substitutes)

FLEXIBILITY

PATIENCE

KNOWLEDGE AND COLLABORATION

Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders

• 2.7 million Americans of all ages

• 315k students

• What is it?

• Neurological Condition which results from disturbances within the electrical functions of the brain. Normally, there is electrical impulses between nerve cells, but a burst in this activity can cause a seizure.

• Many different types that range in severity

• Small, virtually undetectable, occur up to 100 times a day and last seconds

• Grand mal (Tonic-clonic): Body stiffens, jerks, noisy breathing, varies in length, disorientated afterwards

Epilepsy information continued:

• Typically take anti-convulsants

• Can cause:

• concentration problems

• confusion

• memory loss

• language problems

• sleep loss (which could cause all of the above, too)

Epilepsy Accommodations

• Educate the class about what it is, the signs, what to do if it happens

• Keep a log

• Recognize warning signs: abnormal movements, rhythmic jerking, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, odd sounds, blanking out

• Have a trained person on site who can administer medication, attend to student in event of seizure and can also come on field trips and extracurricular activities

• Quiet (dark) place for them to go if they feel like they may have a seizure, have headache, see “auras”

• Repetition

• Redirection

• Cues

• Mnemonics

• Tests: extra time, untimed, retakes

• A number of brief tests or assignments rather than 1 big one

• Focus questions on recognition over recall due to memory problems

• Break down tasks into more steps

• Accommodate absences due to seizure and permit make-up work/tests

• Post assignments on a class website for student to do at home and for parents to keep on top of

• Allow for coming in late if student has difficulty waking up early (sleep schedule can trigger seizures)

Mobility Disabilities

• Adaptive Technologies:

• Access

• levels instead of handles on doors

• Ramps

• Wide paths between desks, doorways, library stacks (minimum 36”, preferably 42”)

• Computer stations that are 36” high

• Restrooms with accessible fixtures

Mouth Stick

Head Wand

Tracker Ball and Adapted Keyboard

Sip and Puff Controls

Adapted Keyboard

Lesson Plan on the Renaissance:

Activity:Students are going to learn about interviews. One part of their performance assessment is to conduct a news human interest type interview. They will work in pairs: one will be a Renaissance historical character and the other will be the interviewer. On this day, we will have a local news anchor come in to discuss how to conduct an interview. Students will learn how to ask and answer questions to develop a full picture of their character. They will learn what constitutes a good interview: i.e. flow of conversation and leading questions to develop an insightful portrait of the person, the time period and demonstrate their knowledge of the era.

They will watch a video of a TV news interview both before and after a presentation by the guest. Each time they will complete a rubric analyzing them which will be similar to the one they will be assessed on. We will discuss what they learned from the beginning of class to the end and have a question and answer session with the guest.

Preparation: Inform guest of child with physical disability (incase of seizure; if guest will need to have adapt presentation) and help prepare for the class.

Accommodations:

Have videos available on class website so child can re-watch if need be. Modify rubric with less information, bold or larger font to emphasize main points and provide a sample of a completed one. Do not require it to be handed in during class and give them extra time to complete. Provide web based copy (could be read to student and will work with adaptive software so they can complete it.

Provide copy of power point with notes prefilled in so student can concentrate on presentation and to insure they get all of the information. This will help them focus and will accommodate any problems writing or language impairments.

Set up class so student can use adaptive technology to participate: ask questions and participate in discussion via computer or smart board. Screen the video on the student’s computer if there are visibility issues with the front screen (angle, distance, etc.) and so they can pause it or slow it down

Assume classroom is already set up to allow wheelchair or other mobility assistance device. Talk to guest about answering questions via email after class

References:

• Accommodations: • www.pacer.org

• www.Washington.edu/doit/MathSci/strategies.html

• http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-law/29875-idea-accommodations-for-students-with-physical-disabilities/

• http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-law/29875-idea-accommodations-for-students-with-physical-disabilities/

• http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/files/pld/pdf/ysn-06.pdf

General reference information about physical disabilities and accommodations continued:

http://nichcy.org/disabilityhttp://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/children/resources.htmhttp://www.ed.gov/http://www.bridges4kids.org/Disabilities/CerebralPalsy.html#2 (includes more

links for specific accommodations for various disabilities)

Epilepsy information:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/http://epilepsywisconsin.org/