# data[].attributes.body
Definition:
Hearing impairment is defined by IDEA as "an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance." (1)

Incidence:
·       About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. (2)
·       Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing. (3)

Ways to make your classroom more accessible to children with hearing impairment WITHOUT ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY (4)

Seating, try encourage students with a hearing loss to seat themselves toward the front of the class, lecture or theatre where they will have an unobstructed line of vision.

Ensure that any background noise is minimized.

Repeat clearly any questions asked by students in the lecture or class before giving a response.

Do not speak when facing the blackboard. Be aware that moustaches, beards, hands, books or microphones in front of your face can add to the difficulties of lip-readers.

Students who lip-read cannot function in darkened rooms. You may need to adjust the lighting in your teaching environment.

Provide written materials to supplement all lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions. Announcements made regarding class times, activities, field work, industry visits etc, should be given in writing as well as verbally.

Any videos or films used should, where possible, be captioned. When this is not possible, you will need to consider alternative ways for students with hearing impairment to access the information.

Groupwork or whole class activities make sure the children can see the speaker and control the discussion so that only one person is speaking at a time.

Ways to make your classroom more accessible to children with hearing impairment WITH ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Loop Systems:  A loop system is also known as an audio induction loop.  It consists of a microphone to pick up the auditory information and an amplifier that processes the signal that is then sent through the loop cable.  A loop cable is a wire placed around the perimeter of a specific area such as a church, meeting room, service counter, etc. that transmits a magnetic signal to the hearing aid.  A HI (hearing impaired) student uses the T coil function on their amplification device to pick up the magnetic wireless signal that is being sent from the loop. (5)

FM systems: FM systems are wireless devices that enhance the use of personal amplification devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants (CI).  They can also assist those who don’t wear a personal amplification device but are hard of hearing access auditory information better in a noisy environment or across large distances.  An FM system has two parts: the transmitter worn by the speaker and the receiver worn by the HI student. The transmitter picks up the audio signal via a microphone and sends the signal directly to the receiver.  FM systems are used to reduce background noise and effects of distance on hearing. (6)

Streaming devices: A streamer is a small device worn around the neck on a cord.  It connects sound wirelessly from a mobile phone, laptop, tv, mp3 player or any other device directly to the amplification device worn by the HI student. (7)

Alerting Devices: An alerting device is used to keep people connected and safe in everyday situations, such as an alarm clock .  Alerting devices use visual, vibrotactile or auditory signals to alert the HI student. (11)

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services: Many services are available to HI students that help support communication.  These can include the following:

Cart Services: An on demand closed captioning service. (10)

Closed Captioning (CC) Options: Closed Captioning allows for HI students to read the words of the conversation that is happening.  Real time CC is when a person is typing in the conversation as it happens.  There are CC companies like CART that do this, apps that can be downloaded onto a phone or computer, software that is pre-programmed into applications such as zoom, google meets, etc.  There are many movies or web-based materials that have had CC added to them as a way for HI individuals to access cc for those particular materials. There are also newer web-based sites such as Streamer that allow real time cc options.  A HI student can also purchase a CC device that can be used to provide cc options in other environments. (9)

Relay Services: These services are free and can be used by HI students as well as hearing people contacting a HI person. You can contact your state ADA office to find a local relay service number and to help determine which relay service type works best for the HI individual requiring the service. (8)

References:

1)     The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, formerly the Education of the Handicapped Act (P.L. 94-142) https://dphhs.mt.gov/schoolhealth/chronichealth/developmentaldisabilities/hearingimpairment

2)     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Identifying infants with hearing loss - United States, 1999-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 59(8): 220-223.
Vohr B. Overview: infants and children with hearing loss—part I. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2003;9:62–64.

3)     Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012 (PDF). National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(260). 2014.

4)      Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) 2022 https://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/specific-disabilities/deaf-hearing-impaired

5)     Loop Systems: https://www.hearinglink.org/living/loops-equipment/hearing-loops/what-is-a-hearing-loop/

6)     FM system options: https://www.phonak.com/us/en/support/product-support/accessories/further-accessories-fm-systems.html

7)     Streaming device options : https://hearwi.org/

8)     Relay Services: https://www.nad.org/resources/technology/telephone-and-relay-services/relay-services/

9)     Closed Captioning Services: https://www.core77.com/projects/55969/A-Wearable-Captioning-Device-for-the-Hearing-Impaired

10)  Cart Services: https://deafservicesunlimited.com/capabilities/captioning/?gclid=CjwKCAjwoZWHBhBgEiwAiMN66Q2mLjjzKTWJtTR7R66Y-3tiFYEEhBUQDELbGGb2JxlE_5Yl7DBvDRoC8voQAvD_BwE

11)  Alerting device options: https://www.chchearing.org/assistive-listening-and-alerting-devices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Accommodations 101: Assistive Listening Devices

# data[].attributes.headline
Welcome to the CERT 11/2022 Cohort 4 Categories of Disabilities

# data[].attributes.subject
Welcome to the CERT 11/2022 Cohort 4 Categories of Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
Please scroll to the right or left to see all our Cohort members' contributions. Please scroll up and down to see additional links by each individual.

# data[].attributes.headline
Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia) by David Swanson

# data[].attributes.subject
Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia) by David Swanson

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/MWxespPvXJY

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY:

A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. (B.I.G. Solutions, 2021)

More specifically, I am interested in researching more information, assistive technologies, and other accommodations regarding dyslexia.

DYSLEXIA:

A language-based disability that affects both oral and written language. It may also be referred to as a reading disability, reading difference, or reading disorder. (Colorín Colorado, 2019)

Please click on the link below to learn more about dyslexia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE3DqJP-nkI

Useful Tools:

1. Learning Ally

2. All About Spelling

3. Dyslexia Quest

4. Sound Literacy

5. Co-Writer

6. E-readers and tablets

7. Reading Intro by Oz Phonics

8. Ginger Page

9. Glasses and colored overlays

10. Smartpens

For more details and information about each tool please follow the link:

https://scanmarker.com/2021/04/25/11-essential-tools-to-help-children-with-dyslexia/

References:

B.I.G. Solutions. (2021). 13 Categories of Disability Under IDEA Law. B.I.G. Solutions, LLC. https://behavioralinspiredgrowth.com/special-ed-resources/categories-disability-idea-law/

Colorín Colorado. (2019). Dyslexia. WETA Public Broadcasting. https://www.colorincolorado.org/glossary/dyslexia

Gillis, M. (2018). What Is Dyslexia? | Dyslexia Explained. Understood.org. https://youtu.be/kE3DqJP-nkI

Scanmarker. (April 25, 2021). 11 Essential Tools to Help Children with Dyslexia. Scanmarker LLC. https://scanmarker.com/2021/04/25/11-essential-tools-to-help-children-with-dyslexia/

Willner, L.S. (2016). Adjusting instruction for ELLs with disabilities: Dyslexia.  Colorín Colorado, WETA Public Broadcasting. https://youtu.be/MWxespPvXJY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Adjusting instruction for ELLs with disabilities: Dyslexia

# data[].attributes.body
Deaf-Blindness

Definition

The phrase actually refers to a person who has some degree of vision and hearing loss. The level of visual or hearing loss will vary from person to person. Deaf blindness, according to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (abbreviated as NICHCY), does not always imply total loss. Deaf blindness is more accurately referred to as deafness multiplied by blindness than as deaf plus blindness. Although some people are fully deaf and completely blind, most deaf-blind people still have some degree of residual hearing or vision. (The Definition of ‘Deaf-blindness’ in Special Education, n.d.)
Deaf blindness can be classified as low incidence. The services for the deafblind are very specific and different than that of someone who is just blind or just has hearing loss. The loss of both senses affect behavior, intelligence and learning potential is underestimated.

Assistive technologies (Foley, 2019)

Depending on their particular needs, deaf-blind people employ a combination of AT for blind users and AT for deaf people.

AT for visual disabilities

Screen readers: An application that analyzes a website's layout and content and produces text-to-speech translation. The user can control the playback speed, and commands let them click links, skip from heading to heading, and perform other crucial operations.

Braille displays: A tool that converts digital text into finger-readable braille dots.

Dictation: Using voice commands, a user may navigate, type, and interact with websites thanks to speech recognition software.

AT for hearing disabilities

Alerting devices: A gadget that transforms an audio alert (such as a doorbell or an alarm clock) into a perceivable visual or physical alert.

Telecommunications: Amplified telephones, TTY / TDD, Text-to-911, and video chat.

Enhanced listening: An audio feed can be directly connected to a person's hearing aid or cochlear implant using systems.

Visual communication: A visual representation of audio information is provided by captions and transcripts.

Other accommodations

- A person who is deaf-blind can use braille devices to translate documents and transcripts that have been designed with accessibility in mind.

- In Virginia, a resident who is deafblind can use TTY (text telephone)-to-braille to make phone calls with the assistance of a Virginia Relay Communication Assistant in which the deaf-blind person uses their braille device to read the messages that the CA types out and acts as a translator between the two parties.

- For persons who are deaf-blind, the government program iCanConnect provides free technology and training. This program's goal is to provide deaf and blind people with access to the technology they need to maintain social connections. This includes braille devices, computers, tablets, smartphones, vibrating alert devices, accessories, and software.

References

Program Helps Deaf-Blind Access Technology. (2014, April 8). Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-_iOZCZAPI

The Definition of “Deaf-blindness” in Special Education. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/deaf-blindness/

Early Intervention Vision Services and Deaf-Blind Awareness. (2021, July 8). Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKn-h7kltSc

Foley, E. (2019, August 9). Understanding Assistive Technology: How Do Deaf-Blind People Use Technology? | Level Access. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.levelaccess.com/understanding-assistive-technology-how-do-deaf-blind-people-use-technology/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Program Helps Deaf-Blind Access Technology

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Braille Buzz for preschoolers - Retrieved rom: FamilyConnect: A Parent's Voice 2020

# data[].attributes.body
Visual impairment is is where people experience any kind of vision loss. This can vary anywhere from partial vision loss (mild, moderate or severe) to total blindness, which can also  be class as legally blind. Partial vision loss can be a distant or near sighted vision impairment or both.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Sec. 300.8 (c) (13) officially states "Visual impairment, including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness."
Click the link to their video below to learn more;
https://youtu.be/Bnfx3EIrCPI

Causes
Visual impairment can either progressively worsen through life or can be from birth. There are many diseases as a cause of visual impairment such as;

Cataracts

Diabetic Retinopathy

Macular Degeneration

Ocular Albinism

Optic Atrophy

Retinopathy of Prematurity

Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinal Detachment

Stargardt’s Disease

Impact on Education
"Young children with early onset severe vision impairment can experience delayed motor, language, emotional, social and cognitive development, with lifelong consequences. School-age children with vision impairment can also experience lower levels of educational achievement." (WHO,2022)

“Assistive technology” refers to a range of tools, devices, and strategies that allow a student to accomplish a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or would have difficulty accomplishing effectively. Assistive technology can be simple or complex. Examples of low tech tools for students with visual impairments might include enlarged text or raised line paper, while high tech tools may encompass digital tools that “read” to the student, connect to a braille display, or even incorporate GPS.

Here are some great examples of assistive technologies used today;

Digital Text - To aid with reading, 'digital text' can be a wide range of options for varying needs. For example, enlarging text size, or connecting to a larger monitor for mild to moderate sight impairment. For more severe impairment to total blindness, using text-to-speech software or connecting refreshable braille hardware displays, connected to a digital source, can be used.

Manual or electric braille writing devices - Much like a typewriter, this old aged technology aids students with writing in the early stages. They can then progress to electric before beginning to use a braille notetaker.

Braille notetaker - Students can use this device to connect to Wi-Fi, GPS, access emails, navigate the internet and complete assignments with speech input and output.

eSight - This low vision device, more commonly referred to as electronic eyewear, functions by stimulating synaptic activity from the remaining photoreceptor function of the user’s eyes. Using a cutting edge camera, smart algorithms, and high-resolution screens, the assistive technology maximizes the visual information provided to the brain to naturally compensate for gaps in the user’s field of view. (eSighteyeware.com)

Braille touchscreens that work in the same way as tablets have already proved popular among students and teachers. BraiBook, a Braille e-reader that fits into the palm of a hand, and even an electronic toy called the Braille Buzz, designed to teach Braille to preschoolers.

References
1. RNIB - Nov 2017 - Understanding Vision Impairment in Children - Lily-Grace - [video] https://youtu.be/7wGP_k_UP9c

2. World Health Organisation - Blindness and vision impairment (2022)

3. IDEA Special Education Categories [video]The IDEA's Special Education Categories: Visual Impairment Including Blindness (2017) https://youtu.be/Bnfx3EIrCPI

4. Nemours Children's Health - Jonathan H. Salvin, MD (2016) Visual Impairment

5. Lisa R. Tebo, M.Ed., OTR/L, ATP - A Resource Guide to
Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairment

6. https://www.esighteyewear.com/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Vision Impairment in Children - Lily-Grace

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
eSight eyewear - Retrieved from betakit.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Electronic braille writer. Retrieved from  - IDSA

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Refreshable Braille Display - Retrieved from; pathstoliteracy.org

# data[].attributes.body
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder that can last into adulthood.  People with ADHD typically, "have trouble paying attention controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active."

A child with ADHD might:

daydream a lot

forget or lose things a lot

squirm or fidget

talk too much

make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks

have a hard time resisting temptation

have trouble taking turns

have difficulty getting along with others

Assistive Technology
Organization - Google Keep-a note taking program that allows students to take notes, schedule reminders, and create checklists.

Behavior Tracker-Teacher created checklist that allows students to monitor their behavior.

Timers-These allow students to see how much time is left for a task and help them make smooth transitions.

Digitial Graphic Organizer-Mindomo-This allows a student to organize information and easily move it unlike hand-written  mind map graphic organizers.

References
National Centre for Mental Health
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeamHE6Kank

Center for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html#:~:text=ADHD%20is%20one%20of%20the,)%2C%20or%20be%20overly%20active.

Fairfax County Public School
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education-instruction/assistive-technology-services-ats-6

Intervention Central
https://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/self-check-behavior-checklist-maker

Enabling Devices
https://enablingdevices.com/blog/assistive-technology-in-the-classroom/#:~:text=Speech%2Dto%2Dtext%20software%20and,benefit%20from%20communicators%2C%20as%20well.

Mindomo
https://www.mindomo.com/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

# data[].attributes.headline
Traumatic Brain Injuries by Sean Vianello

# data[].attributes.subject
Traumatic Brain Injuries by Sean Vianello

# data[].attributes.body
What effects can Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have on an individual?

TBI can have a wide range of effects on an individual based on the severity of the injury. This can be broken up into three main categories: Immediate Problems, Long-Term Effects and Degenerative Effects.

Immediate Problems
Some of the immediate problems caused by TBI are:
- Seizures
- Nerve Damage
- Blood Clots
- Narrowing of Blood Vessels
- Strokes
- Coma
- Infection of the brain
Most of these risks will disappear as time goes on, however some of them, such as seizures, can become a permanent problem for the person.

Long-Term Effects
The long-term effects of TBI may cause many different brain functional problems, and often it may take months before these effects become visible. Some of them may be temporary while others may be permanent issues in the person's life. These include:
- Cognitive: Difficulty in learning, remembering things, making decisions and reasoning skills.
- Senses: Double vision, affecting tasting abilities or loss of taste all together, ringing sound in the ears, tingling sensations or pain.
- Communication: Inability to talk, read, write, or explain feelings and thoughts.
- Behavior: Difficulties with social situations, relationships, self-control and aggression.
- Emotions: Depression, anxiety, mood swings and irritability.

Degenerative Effects
Experiencing TBI's has been scientifically proven to increase the likelihood of later in life suffering with some of the following diseases:

-Alzheimer's disease: this impairs memory, emotions and thinking skills.
- Parkinson's disease: causing motor skill problems and controlling body movement.
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: causing issues with memory, thinking and motor skills. This is often caused in people who have experienced multiple TBI's.

The educational effects from TBI's are dependent on the severity of the TBI acquired. If it was not very severe, it may have a very short-term effect with slight difficulty with retention of information, which may pass shortly after the incident (one month for instance). With more extreme cases, the student my require individual learning situations, or may have complete brain damage and have no ability to do any form of schooling and may just go through physical therapy working on cognitive development for the rest of their life.

It is extremely difficult to say what requirements from the educational aspect will required for the individual, as it is very dependent on the severity of the injury and what the exact side effects the individual is experiencing.

Some examples of possible equipment that can be used to help the disabled are as follows:

AAC devices: This device is used to help individuals express their thoughts and assist them in practicing their speech. They are specially made for individuals who have suffered from TBI's.

For cognitive disabilities: There are page turners, book holders, and adapted pencil grips which will assist students with moto-neuron damage.

Walking disabilities: wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers are available to help students become mobile and allow students to get to classes on their own or making it easier for assistance in getting to classes.

The list goes on and on. All of the available resources are individually based and can help students are far as possible to be able to life as normal a life as is possible.

References:
-Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institution of Child Health and Human Development, 11/24/2020, What are the possible effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI)? (12/2/2022), {https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/tbi/conditioninfo/effects#}
-Lingraphica, AAC Devices for Traumatic Brain Injuries, (12/2/2022), {https://www.aphasia.com/aac-devices/tbi-aac-device/}
-verywellfamily, How brain Injury Can Cause Learning Disabilites, (12/2/2022), {https://www.verywellfamily.com/brain-injuries-and-learning-disabilities-2162398#:~:text=Many%20students%20who%20sustain%20brain,the%20learning%20disorder%20may%20worsen.}
-Brainline, Assistive technology for people with brain injuries, (12/2/2022), {https://www.brainline.org/article/assistive-technology-people-brain-injury}

# data[].attributes.body
Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, which adversely affects the student’s educational performance (Fairfax County Public Schools).

Assistive Technologies to help deaf students (Maza, 2022).
1. Assistive listening devices: Magnifies the instructor's voice which is translated to the student's cochlear implant
2. Infrared systems: Sound is transmitted with infrared light waves which a hearing aid or cochlear implant can pick up
3. Captioning services for video/audio: There are many resources to provide equal access to video and audio content for students by displaying captions including Described and Captioned Media Program whose goal it is to "promote and provide equal access to communication and learning through described and captioned educational media" (Described and Captioned Media Program, 2022).
4. Translation services: This allows words of a speaker to be transcribed in real time. One example of this technology is Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART).
5. Other: Technology such as Nearpod allow students to do homework interactively and it can be tailored for deaf students to include videos of their teacher signing for reference because many parents may not know educational signs and therefore cannot help as effectively with homework. This is shown in the video above.

References
- Assistive technology in the classroom. Central Institute for the Deaf. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.cid.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Assistive-Technology-in-the-Classroom.pdf

- Maza, L. (2022, May 6). Examples of assistive technology in the classroom. Enabling Devices. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://enablingdevices.com/blog/assistive-technology-in-the-classroom/#:~:text=Speech%2Dto%2Dtext%20software%20and,benefit%20from%20communicators%2C%20as%20well.

- Fairfax County Public Schools. (n.d.). Disability categories. Disability Categories. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education-instruction/procedural-support-disability-categories
- About DCMP. The Described and Captioned Media Program. (2022). Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://dcmp.org/about-dcmp

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Image of emotionally disturbed child (TherapyTravelers, 2018)

# data[].attributes.headline
Emotional Disturbances - Jennifer Suissa

# data[].attributes.subject
Emotional Disturbances - Jennifer Suissa

# data[].attributes.body
Emotional Disability is a condition means a condition displaying one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a degree that negatively impacts a student’s learning and educational performance:

1. "An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers

3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

4. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or

5. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to students who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disability." (Virginia Department of Education, 2019)

Here is a video explaining more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcxPQ3AYpqo
References:

There are 6 types of emotional disturbances which include but are not limited to the following:
- Anxiety disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Conduct disorders
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Psychotic disorders

(Virginia Department of Education, 2019)

Characteristics:
Some of the characteristics and behaviors that can be observed in children can be the following:
1. Hyperactivity (short attention span)
2. Aggression (Acting out)
3. Withdrawal (Not socializing with friends)
4. Immaturity (crying, tantrum, etc.)
5. Learning difficulty (low grade)
(Center for Parent Information & Resources, 2021)

Assistive Technologies:
-Reminder devices: students can sometimes wonder in thought and get distracted so there are these devices whereby a student can wear a watch that occasionally vibrates to gently remind them to get their attention back to class.

Classroom Accommodations:
-Students can benefit from having what's called a "self-monitoring checklist" whereby they tick off action items that have been completed.
-Some students face anxiety at school and having assignments can be anxiety provoking so having the teacher assist by breaking down assignments in shorter segments can help. (Therapy Travelers, 2018)

School Accommodations:

-Counselling can be available to students more often and perhaps a social skills group can be assigned to students are in the same boat suffering from similar emotional disturbances. Being part of a community and not feeling isolated is very important.
-Creative arts therapies/animal assisted therapy can be very helpful and some schools provide this on campus.

Resources:
1. How much do you know ED (Emotional Disturbance)?, Therapy Travelers, 2018. https://www.therapytravelers.com/much-know-ed-emotional-disturbance/
2. Virginia Department of Education, 2019. https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education-instruction/procedural-support-disability-categories
3. Center for Parent Information & Resources, 2021. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/emotionaldisturbance/#ref8

# data[].attributes.body
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) officially defines speech and language impairments as “a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.”

Common Traits

Speech and language impairments tend to emerge at a young age, and the earlier a child is diagnosed and receives services accordingly, the more likely that child can outgrow the disability. Speech-language pathologists work with children with speech and language impairments, as well as with parents and teachers. For example, a speech-language pathologist might work with a child with impaired articulation to help him or her learn to pronounce “s” and “z” sounds correctly.

Assistive Technologies:

1. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC):

These help people with speech and language impairments with language skills and communication. Examples can range from visual aids which include sign language, communication boards, all the way to speech generating devices.

2.Assistive listening devices (ALD):

These create amplified sound that will transmit sound to the individual and help cut distracting background noise. This would include hearing aids and personal amplifiers to inner cochlear implants that help improve sound transmission to the individual.

3.Devices that alert

These are devices that make loud sounds and can connect to the telephone or can be a part of an alarm system that can produce a light signal or other alert to the individual to let them know something is happening.

4.Infrared systems

These systems are worn by the individual and use alerting devices connected by using infrared light to amplify sounds. The use of infrared systems cannot transmit through walls making it a good choice when private and sensitive information is being shared because it is a closed system that stays within the hearing aids or inner cochlear implant.

5.Personal amplifiers

These help cut down on unwanted background noise when some of the other systems may be unavailable like in a car. Devices that are about cell phone size help increase sound while cutting back on unwanted background sounds.

6.Hearing loop systems

These are also known as induction loop systems where the transmitter converts sound through electromagnetic energy that has four main parts.

Four parts of a hearing loop system include:

1. A central source (microphone, television, etc.)

2. Sound converter or amplifier

3. An array of thin wires that are placed around a room or under the carpet or flooring

4. Receiver (headset, etc.)

7. FM systems

These systems are able to spread amplified sound through radio signals. These can be used in larger areas, like a presentation, where the presenter uses specialized devices, like a microphone, and the individual has a receiver on a special channel to listen to the speech.

Sources:
1.U.S. Gov. (2017, May 2). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a
2.Hobbs, K. (2021). Assistive Communication Devices for Children with Autism. https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/assistive-technology-autism/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Elle

# data[].attributes.body
"Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication" (Autism Speak).

Assistive technologies can help people on the autism spectrum in the following areas:

Basic communication

Reading, writing, and math

Telling time and managing schedules

Learning and using social skills

Managing sensory challenges

Below are a list of possible assistive technologies, from low-tech to high-tech, for autistic students, as proposed by Rudy (2021).

Low tech

Stress balls, worry beads, and standing desks can be used in order to increase focus and reduce anxiety of autistic students.

As autistic students are usually visual, hands-on learners, color coding, visual reminders and alphabet blocks can aid learning and organization.

Picture boards and cards are other low cost teaching aids.  A teacher can also invest in, or create, social stories. These are simply short stories that aim to demonstrate how one should, or should not, act in social situations. They should include pictures and not be too word-heavy.

Mid tech

As already mentioned, autistic students are visual learners; therefore, videos may be more effective than lectures and oral instruction.  Audiobooks and recordings are also preferable to give the student a chance to replay parts they may have missed due to a lack of focus.

For some students, sound-proof headphones, calculators, and watches with alarms may aid learning.

Similar to the aforementioned social stories, videos can be used to teach students how to act and communicate politely. A platform that caters to such needs is Model Me Kids.

High tech

Speech to text software such as LiveScribe and Dragon Home can be useful. Lucidchart is another useful platform that allows students to organize and connect ideas in a visual manner.

At the expensive end of assistive technologies are a range of robots. These robots can help autistic with everything from social skills to math.

References

Autism Speaks. What is Autism? https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

Rudy, L. J. (2021). Assistive Technology for Autism. https://www.verywellhealth.com/assistive-technology-for-autism-5076159#:~:text=Examples%20include%20battery%2Doperated%20sensory,in%20children%20on%20the%20spectrum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Non-verbal children living with autism learning to communicate via electronic devices

# data[].attributes.body
Intellectual disability is a disorder that is defined by considerable limits in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.
Intellectual functioning refers to one’s general ability to
learn, problem solve or reason.
Adaptive behavior is the set of conceptual, social, and
practical abilities that individuals acquire and use on a daily
basis. In other words, they are the skills needed to live, work, play and
socialize in a community.

Conceptual skills include language and literacy, concepts of money, time, and numbers, as well as self-discipline.

Social skills encompass interpersonal abilities, social responsibility, self-worth, gullibility, naivete (i.e., wariness), social problem-solving, and the capacity to adhere to laws and norms.

Practical skills include daily living activities (personal care), occupational skills, healthcare, travel/transportation, schedules/routines, safety, handling money, and telephone use.
(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2019)

Since intellectual disability takes many different forms and degrees and the interventions and treatment will vary just as much. What is generally agreed upon, though is early ongoing treatment and collaboration between families, educators, professionals and caretakers of the individual with ID.

Accommodations for ID include:

-          Medications

-          Orthomolecular therapy

-          Physical therapy

-          Speech therapy

-          Talk therapy

-          Occupational therapy

-          Genetic manipulation. Still in its early stages, genetic manipulation is a promising treatment in the future.
(“Therapies for Intellectual Disabilities and Outdated/Unproven Treatments,” n.d.)

Assistive technologies:

Assistive technologies refer to any equipment or technology that improves or maintains the capabilities of individuals with disabilities. These technologies can be low-tech, MedTech or high-tech and the type of technology used depends on the severity of disability.  Here are some types of assistive technologies for individuals with ID:

·        Cognition aids: For memory retention, attention, and thinking skills. These include Time management tools, graphic organizers, activity planners and reminders.

·        Educational aids: To assist with writing and reading difficulties. Examples are screen readers, voice recognition programs, text-to-speech software, graphic organizers and proof-reading software.

·        Communication aids: Allow for alternative or easier communication and include audio books, communication cards and communication books.

·        Math tools: These are technologies that can be used to enable students to perform calculations more easily, such as software designed to allow students to do calculations through speech and display results to the teacher.

(Singh, 2021)

Resources

de, F. (2021). Intellectual disability and scientific research: from diagnosis to treatment. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PFHdI4k7A4

Therapies for Intellectual Disabilities and Outdated/Unproven Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mentalhelp.net/intellectual-disabilities/therapies-and-outdated-unproven-treatments/

Singh, M. (2021, December 13). Assistive Technology For Students With Intellectual Disabilities. Retrieved from Number Dyslexia website: https://numberdyslexia.com/assistive-technology-for-students-with-intellectual-disabilities/

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. (2019). Defining Criteria for Intellectual Disability. Retrieved from Aaidd.org website: https://www.aaidd.org/intellectual-disability/definition

TherapyTravelers. (2018, February 19). Strategies for Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Retrieved from TherapyTravelers website: https://www.therapytravelers.com/strategies-teaching-students-intellectual-disabilities/

LDAOeng. (2018, May 4). Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities - LD@school. Retrieved from LD@school website: https://www.ldatschool.ca/assistive-technology/

Assistive Technology in the Classroom. (2021, March 12). Retrieved from Enabling Devices website: https://enablingdevices.com/blog/assistive-technology-in-the-classroom/#:~:text=Speech%2Dto%2Dtext%20software%20and

# data[].attributes.body
According to the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an orthopedic impairment is defined as a bone-, joint-, or muscle-related disability that is so severe that it negatively affects a child's educational performance.

Orthopedic impairments can affect students' mobility in ways that can be detrimental both in terms of having to travel distances or being able to perform basic motor-skills inside the classroom. For example, students may have a difficult time moving around a school or campus from class to class, or may have issues going on field trips. In the classroom, students may struggle with note-taking, using pens, or a traditional keyboard and mouse.

On an institutional level, there are many things a school can do to make handicap accessible infrastructure. Some countries will have more regulations and requirements, such as providing ramps, elevators, parking spaces, or transportation. Other countries, such as here in Thailand, have very limited regulation, leaving these decisions purely up to individual institutions.

Of course, assistance goes way beyond installing a few ramps and elevators. Depending on the type of orthopedic impairment, students can experience difficulties in the classroom ranging from the following (Heller and Swinehart-Jones (2003, p. 7)):

-speech impairment
-overall fatigue
-experiential deficits and developmental problems
-neurocognitive impairments

These struggles are compounded by the social and environment factors such as these:

-motivation
-self-concept and low self-esteem
-social competence
-behavioral and emotional functioning

Furthermore, it goes without saying that technology can go a long way in bridging the gap for students that suffer from orthopedic impairments. In the classroom, students might use the following (Center for Parent Information and Resources, CP, 2017):

-Special communication devices ranging from picture boards to sophisticated voice synthesizers.

-Voice to text programs for typing.

-Computer technology including special hardware with mouse and keyboard adaptations.

In terms of what we can do as teachers in the classroom, we can take our own steps to make accommodations for OI students. Some seem obvious, but its good to stay attentive and keep a healthy learning environment. The DOIT Center recommends the following:

-Create wide aisles and uncluttered work areas.
-All equipment should be located within reach of the student.
-Having a note taker, scribe, or assistant (This could be another student in some cases).
-Have extended test time or alternative test arrangements.
-Have course and program materials available in electronic format.
-When speaking with a student in a wheelchair for more than a few minutes, sit down or move back to create a more comfortable angle for conversation.

As one can see, a lot can actually go into accommodating OI students. Teachers, administrators and even law makers need to work together in order to meet the needs of these students.

Resources:

Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2017), Cerebral Palsy, Newark, NJ, Author, Retrieved 4.1.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/cp/  public domain

TheDOIT Center, (2019) Our Technology for Equal Access: Mobility Impairments [Video File], from https://youtu.be/HYz5kZgmLkE

Heller, K.W., & Swinehart-Jones, D. (2003). Supporting the Educational Needs of Students with Orthopedic Impairments. Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services, 22(1), 3–24.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Technology for Equal Access: Mobility Impairments (Audio Description)