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What is Developmental  Delay?           

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What is Developmental  Delay?           

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Developmental delay is when children do not acquire expected developmental skills compared to their peers. Delays may occur in motor function, speech and language, cognition, gaming, and social skills. Global developmental delay is when a young child has severe delays in two or more of these areas of development.

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Children reach developmental milestones at their own pace, and some move faster than others. Two siblings in the same family may reach milestones at different rates.

Minor, temporary delays are usually no cause for alarm, but an ongoing delay or multiple delays in reaching milestones can be a sign there may be challenges later in life.

Delay in reaching language, thinking, social, or motor skills milestones is called developmental delay.

Developmental delay may be caused by a variety of factors, including heredity, complications during pregnancy, and premature birth. The cause isn't always known.

If you suspect your child has developmental delay, speak with their pediatrician. Developmental delay sometimes indicates an underlying condition that only doctors can diagnose.

Once you get a diagnosis, you can plan for therapies or other early interventions to help your child's progress and development into adulthood.

Fine motor skills include small movements like holding a toy or using a crayon. Gross motor skills require larger movements, like jumping, climbing stairs, or throwing a ball.

Children progress at different rates, but most children can lift their head by 3 months old, sit with some support by 6 months, and walk well before their second birthday.

By age 5, most children can stand on one foot for 10 seconds or longer and can use a fork and spoon.

Exhibiting some of the following signs can mean that your child has delays in developing certain fine or gross motor functions:

floppy or loose trunk and limbs

stiff arms and legs

limited movement in arms and legs

inability to sit without support by 9 months old

dominance of involuntary reflexes over voluntary movements

inability to bear weight on legs and stand up by about 1 year old

Falling outside the normal range isn't always cause for concern, but it's worth getting your child evaluated.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, the most active time for learning speech and language is the first 3 years of life, as the brain develops and matures.

The language learning process begins when an infant communicates hunger by crying. By 6 months old, most infants can recognize the sounds of basic language.

At 12 to 15 months old, infants should be able to say two or three simple words, even if they aren't clear.

Most toddlers can say several words by the time they are 18 months old. When they reach the age of 3, most children can speak in brief sentences.

Speech and language delay aren't the same. Speaking requires the muscle coordination of the vocal tract, tongue, lips, and jaw to make sounds.

A speech delay occurs when children aren't saying as many words as would be expected for their age.

A language delay occurs when children have difficulty understanding what other people say or can't express their own thoughts. Language includes speaking, gesturing, signing, and writing.

It can be hard to distinguish between speech and language delay in young children. A child who understands things and can express their needs (maybe by pointing or signing) but isn't speaking as many words as they should may have an isolated speech delay.

Poor hearing can cause speech and language delay, so your doctor will usually include a hearing test during diagnosis. Children with speech and language delay are often referred to a speech-language pathologist.

Early intervention can be a big help.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term used to describe several neurodevelopmental conditions. Autistic people may think, move, communicate, and process senses differently from neurotypical people.

Autism is usually diagnosed in early childhood and includes a noticeable delay in language and social development.

Your pediatrician will ask about your child's development at each of their well visits. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for symptoms of autism at 18 and 24 months using standardized screening tools.

Symptoms are sometimes obvious early on, but may not be noticed until a child reaches 2 or 3 years of age.

Signs and symptoms of ASD vary, but usually include delayed speech and language skills and challenges communicating and interacting with others.

Every autistic person is unique, so symptoms and the way people experience them vary greatly.

Some symptoms include:

not being responsive to their name

dislike of cuddling or playing with others

lack of facial expression

inability to speak or difficulty speaking, carrying on a conversation, or remembering words and sentences

repetitive movements

development of specific routines

coordination problems

There is no cure for ASD, but therapies and other approaches can help give your child extra tools to communicate, relieve stress, and, in some cases, manage daily tasks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have one or more developmental disabilities.

Most developmental disabilities occur before a child is born, but some can occur after birth due to infection, injury, or other factors.

Causes of developmental delay can be difficult to pinpoint, and a variety of things can contribute to it. Some conditions are genetic in origin, such as Down syndrome.

Infection or other complications during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as premature birth, can also cause developmental delay.

Developmental delay can also be a symptom of other underlying medical conditions, including:

Remember that children develop at different rates, so it's possible that what you think of as a delay might be normal for your child. However, if you're concerned, it is important to get your child evaluated by professionals.

School-age children diagnosed with a developmental delay, may be eligible for special services. These services vary according to need and location.

Check with your physician and your school district to find out what services are available. Specialized education, especially when started early, can help your child progress and achieve more in school.

Treatments for developmental delays vary according to the specific delay. Some treatments include physical therapy for help in motor skill delays, and behavioral and educational therapy for help with ASD and other delays.

In some cases, medications may be prescribed. An evaluation and diagnosis from a pediatrician is crucial to come up with a treatment plan specially designed for your child.

Many genetic and environmental factors figure into a child's development and can contribute to delays. Even women who have a healthy pregnancy and proper care during and after pregnancy can have children with developmental delays.

Although causes of delays can be hard to pinpoint, there are many treatments and support services available to help.

The sooner you can diagnose a delay, the better it will be for your child's development into adulthood.

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Children reach developmental milestones at their own pace, and some move faster than others. Two siblings in the same family may reach milestones at different rates. Minor, temporary delays are usually no cause for alarm, but an ongoing delay or multiple delays in reaching milestones can be a sign there may be challenges later in life.

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What are the difficulties faced by students with development delay?

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What are the difficulties faced by students with development delay?

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What are the difficulties faced by students with development delay?

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Some countries are more disabled-friendly than others. But, students with disabilities all around the globe face similar barriers in pursuing their education. The degrees of difficulties faced by students may vary from one country to the other but the main problem remains the same - lack of inclusivity. This lack of inclusivity may manifest in different forms such as physical barriers, technological barriers, attitudinal barriers, and failure of the accommodative system, etc.

In this article, we are discussing the most common barriers and difficulties for students with disabilities. These barriers need to be removed to make the education system completely inclusive.

Physical Inaccessibility

This is one of the most prominent barriers for students with disabilities. School and college buildings in most countries lack basic infrastructure to make the institution physically accessible for students with disabilities. These institutions lack ramps for wheelchairs and proper tile markings for blind students. Institutions with multi-level buildings lack elevators or lifts. Washrooms are often inaccessible. Heavy doors and narrow and dimly-lit entrances too make institutions inaccessible for students with disabilities. Higher institutions or universities lack the facility of accessible hostels for students with disabilities.

In some countries where accessibility is required by law, instances have been reported where structures like ramps are built in such a way that they don't serve their purpose. Accessibility requirements in some countries are fulfilled only on paper.

Some developed countries have an inclusive education system and accessible institutions but most of the students with disabilities around the globe suffer due to a lack of accessible infrastructure in educational institutions. Sometimes when institutions are accessible or somehow accommodate students with disabilities they may face a challenge in getting accessible transportation to take them to and from the institute. In most cases, the burden ultimately falls on the parents to take their ward to and from school in any way they can manage.

Lack of Awareness

Again one of the most common causes that create barriers for students with disabilities is lack of awareness. Interestingly, this lack of awareness hits students with disabilities from multiple directions. Many times parents are unaware of the laws giving equal rights to education to children with disabilities. They lack information about the availability of special schools and special rights provided to disabled students by the law. Things do not become easy even in cases where parents are aware of things and willing to provide education to their disabled children.

Authorities in the institutions too are unaware of their duties and the rights of the students with disabilities. Lack of awareness creates barriers at almost every step in developing countries. There are a whole bunch of countries that have ratified the UNCRPD and have formulated laws based on the convention but almost no one is aware of the law. In many cases, the laws have been theorized but there's no practical implementation on the ground due to lack of awareness. We are trying to do our best by spreading awareness through this website.

Lack of Individualization

This is perhaps the least talked about barrier faced by students with disabilities. In most countries, a blanket approach is used for students with disabilities. These blanket approaches are designed based on preset categories formulated on the basis of disability or weaknesses. The strengths of individual students with disabilities are not assessed. A student with a disability, for example, might be strong and sporty despite her disability but in most cases, institutions fail to recognize these individual strengths and provide the disabled student proper opportunity to develop on her strengths.

Students with some types of disabilities, like students with ADHD, require personalized attention. But, due to the lack of individualization needs of these students are ignored. Teachers are often not trained to provide individual attention where needed. So, they keep on going with the pace of curriculum or the bright students (based on teaching strategy), and some students with disabilities are left behind.

Complex Accommodation Process

Accommodation requirements for students with disabilities are often not met. The entire process in most countries is practically based on the personal ethics of the authorities of the school. The needs of a dwarf student, for example, are very different from a student in a wheelchair. A ramp or such infrastructure is not sufficient for a dwarf student. She may need accommodation in sitting arrangements in her classroom. There's rarely any quick process for accommodating these types of requirements or special requests.

If the immediate authority of the institution does not show any interest in making the accommodation the student in most cases has no other option. Even in countries where the law provides options, the entire process is complex and time-consuming. The appeal and litigation process is so cumbersome that it becomes almost impossible for students to get into the process. And, students are left with the option to adjust anyhow or just drop out.

Negative Attitude and Stereotypes

Almost every country of the world has some stereotypes and negative connotations related to disability. Being a part of society, educational institutions too are affected by these negative attitudes towards students with disabilities. Not only fellow students but school staff too have been bullies for students with disabilities in many cases. Teachers, in many instances, discourage students with disabilities directly or indirectly to pursue their studies.

However, it must be noted that in many instances teachers have proved to be the strongest support for students with disabilities. It entirely depends on the individual nature. But, overall the attitude of people towards disability is negative and that reflects in educational institutions. In some countries, the stereotypes are so strong that all students with disabilities are given education in separate institutions, and parents of non-disabled students protest the admission of any disabled student with their children. You can read about the social status of persons with disabilities in different countries in detail in our specific articles about these countries.

Unavailability or Lack of Accessible Study Materials

This barrier is faced mostly by students with low vision or blindness and this is perhaps the biggest hurdle for them. Study materials in accessible formats say braille or audiobooks, are either unavailable or available at a cost unaffordable for a student. Most of the institutions around the globe put no extra effort to arrange study materials for their blind students. The students are completely dependent on listening and remembering class lectures or on a classmate who is helpful enough. Even in this modern age where technology can be used to solve the issue without much effort situations have not changed much for blind students.

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Students with Disabilities: Most Common Barriers and Difficulties

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Some countries are more disabled-friendly than others. But, students with disabilities all around the globe face similar barriers in pursuing their education. The degrees of difficulties faced by students may vary from one country to the other but the main problem remains the same - lack of inclusivity.

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Autism is a disability that causes problems with communication and social interaction.  Symptoms usually start before age three and may cause delays or deficits in many skills that develop from infancy to adulthood. Different people with autism can have very different symptoms. Autism is a spectrum disorder. One person may have mild symptoms, while another may have severe symptoms. “Autism spectrum disorder” and “autism” can mean the same thing.  Currently, the autism spectrum disorder category includes: Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

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What are some of the struggles that autistic students face?

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What are some of the struggles that autistic students face?

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Communication

Language may be slow to develop

Speech may be delayed, or there may be no speech at all

May be no effort to use nonverbal communication (pointing and gesturing)

May use fewer gestures, and those they use are limited in function

May struggle to receptively or expressively label places, people, objects

If verbal, might not know how to start, sustain, or end conversations

May frequently use echolalia (repeating words of others), which may also be delayed

Content and grammar may be delayed, while speech skills might not be delayed

May display unusual tone of voice (e.g. monotone, robotic, or high pitch)

May have a rigid understanding of words, and have difficulty with the concept that objects can have more than one name

Less likely to share experiences

Less likely to make bids for social attention (e.g. “Watch me!”)

May reverse pronouns

May not respond to name consistently

Might not be able to express wants and needs

May not follow directions

May appear not to hear at times

May not point or wave “bye-bye”

May not accurately interpret puns, sarcasm, idioms, etc.

Less likely to make comments (e.g. “Look at that”), or ask questions (“What’s your name?”)

Socialization

Difficulties sharing emotions, understanding how others think and feel, and holding a conversation

Eye contact may not be as frequent or last as long as in other children

May not appear to notice others and seems to tune people out

Often do not build relationships with others their age at a developmental level expected

Rarely share attention with others, such as by showing something, pointing, or pointing out interests or accomplishments

Does not demonstrate emotional reciprocity (taking turns)

Infrequently take turns in play or conversation

Rarely imitate the actions of others in play or otherwise

May not respond to own name

May seem lonely

Difficulty in making and maintaining friendships

Does not consistently smile when smiled at

May seem to prefer to play alone

May have difficulty with imaginative/pretend play

May be overly active, uncooperative, or resistant

Does not know how to play with toys the way they were intended

Seems to be in his / her “own world”

Is not interested in other children

Restrictive, Repetitive, and Stereotyped Behavior

May have an unusually strong or focused interest or fixation (such as a television program, certain toys, or games)

May repeat words, questions, or phrases and cannot move on to other topics

May repeat certain actions and get “stuck” doing the same things over and over and cannot move on to other things (e.g. closing doors, flicking lights)

May obsessively follow daily routines or schedules and be unable or unwilling to be flexible in changing these routines

May have a difficult time transitioning to a different activity

May express high levels of anxiety regarding specific objects or events (e.g. weather events, specific machines)

May play in repetitive ways

May demonstrate repetitive body or other motor movements, such as spinning, rocking, or finger flicking

May show intense interest in parts of objects, as opposed to using an entire toy or object

May have movements that result in self-injury, such as scratching eyes, skin picking, biting hands, and head banging

May demonstrate increased sensitivity to certain textures, tastes, and smells

May demonstrate increased sensitivity to visual and / or auditory stimulation

May seek out additional sensory stimulation in atypical ways (e.g. licking objects, eating non-foods, smelling objects, closing one eye to gaze at object)

May resist certain food groups or food textures

May spend a lot of time lining things up or putting things in piles or rows

May have odd movement patterns

May seem very independent for his/her age

May seem to do things “early” compared to other children

May walk on his / her toes

May display tantrums that are atypical in terms of frequency, intensity, and / or duration

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What assistive technologies can we use to help our students?

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What assistive technologies can we use to help our students?

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Assistive technology is usually divided into groups—low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech. In general:

Low-tech AT includes anything that needs no electricity; think weighted vests, sensory balls, or picture boards.

Mid-tech AT is simple enough to be relatively inexpensive and easy to operate. Examples include battery-operated sensory toys, visual timers, and social skills videos.

High-tech AT is digital technology and can include anything from augmentative communication technology for non-verbal people to robots built to increase social skills in children on the spectrum.

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Low-tech options for handling sensory issues include simple tools for reducing anxiety and increasing focus, such as stress balls, worry beads, weighted vests, and standing desks.

For executive functioning, ordinary written planners, color-coded schedules, and visual reminders can all make a positive difference. Most children with autism do best with hands-on and visual learning, so manipulatives like Cuisenaire rods (which are also available in virtual form) and alphabet blocks are good choices for teaching academic skills.

At the basic, low-tech level, an industry has arisen around teaching children with autism (and adults with more severe challenges) to prepare for and manage new or complex social situations. Among the most popular are:

Social stories: These short, simple, visual stories were first developed by Carol Gray and are used to prepare people with autism to think and behave appropriately in any situation. There are pre-existing social stories for common situations such as getting a hair cut or going to the dentist; therapists and parents can also write and illustrate customized social stories for unique situations such as starting a new school.

Social skills cards and games: Many specialized companies have created cards and games to help build social skills. There are social skills games similar to Chutes and Ladders created to reinforce empathy; Uno cards focused on feelings; and dice games that are intended to reinforce social communication skills.

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At the mid-range, there are apps for both augmentative communication and speech therapy. None of these apps were created specifically for people with autism—after all, there are many reasons why a child or adult might not be able to speak—but they are extremely useful and cost-efficient for someone who is unable to use expressive speech effectively.

Two examples of speech-generating apps include:

Proloquo2Go by Assistiveware, which features over 10,000 words, is easy to customize for physical or cognitive needs and can be used in many different languages. Compatible with iOS; costs about $250.

TouchChat HD by Prentke Romich Company, which provides English and Spanish options and allows the user to choose a voice that fits their personality. Compatible with iOS; costs about $150.

Apps for speech therapy are intended not only to substitute for the human voice but are also to help build speech and language skills. Two highly regarded options include Articulation Station and LAMP Words for Life.

Mid-range options are easily available and relatively low-cost. Some examples include watches with alarms, visual timers, sound-blocking headphones, and calculators.

For many people with autism, audiobooks and recordings can be a great way to replay lectures or instructions. Because many people with autism are very visual learners, videos can be a good alternative to written books or spoken lectures.

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At the high end, there are many types of software and apps that are intended to help visual learners think, write, and communicate.

Some are intended for the general market; these include mind mapping software like Lucidchart which are used to make connections among apparently disparate ideas and turn those connections into usable outlines and other products.

Speech to text software can also be useful, as can tools specifically created for students with learning disabilities. Examples include LiveScribe and Dragon Home.

Social skills teaching at the high end is truly techie—and can be extremely expensive. That's because the goal is to create interactive artificial intelligence and robots that can literally take the place of human beings.

These tools are being used to help both children and adults build social skills in a risk-free, highly-interactive, and very intriguing way—and preliminary research is encouraging. A few of the more advanced projects along these lines include:

Kiwi, a “socially assistive robot” created by a team of researchers from the University of Southern California that teaches autistic children both how to do math and socialize.6

QTrobot, created by a company at the University of Luxembourg, which is intended to "increase children’s willingness to interact with human therapists, and decrease discomfort during therapy sessions."

Human-shaped robots created at MIT to help develop social skills and empathy in children with autism.

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Students who are visually impaired face an uphill battle. Humans rely so much on sight to navigate the world that when that sense is unusable the difficulty in everyday simple tasks skyrockets. As teachers, we should do everything in our power to ensure that blind and sight impaired students are getting a quality education just like their sighted counterparts.

The link in this entry is an introductory look at how to best accommodate the visually impaired students of your classroom. Then, below are several apps and further reading to help teachers of all ages better serve those in their class that may have visual impairments of any kind.

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(Teachers should note that the Visiting Teacher Service for children and young people with a visual impairment supports parents/guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the student. More information is available in the Visiting Teacher Service information leaflet [PDF 508KB].)

Encourage the student to use visual aids/resources that have been prescribed (e.g. glasses, magnifiers, big-print books, etc).

Seat the student appropriately in the classroom (e.g. in the middle towards the front).

Make sure lighting is suitable.

Make efforts to eliminate the risk of glare from the desk and whiteboard.

If possible ensure lights are coming from behind or to the side of the student.

Give clear instructions as the student may misinterpret gestures and facial expressions.

Consider the use of enlarged print/magnified worksheets.

The less configurations on a page the better (worksheets can be cut in strips and stapled together to present less work at a time).

Print materials need to be clear and dark.

Have lined paper for assignments (the darker the lines the better).

Nearpoint work should be limited to fifteen minutes or less. The student should be encouraged to look away from his/her work, sharpen a pencil or participate in another activity as this will allow the student to refocus his/her eyes so that the student is less likely to become fatigued.

Have students measure from their elbow to their fingers and tell them they need never get closer to their work than that distance.

Slanted desks may be of benefit to individual students.

Provide contrast on any visual materials used: black and white is best.

Avoid italic or ornate script. Remember that lower-case letters are easier to read than capital letters because they have a greater number of ascenders and descenders, making them more visually distinctive.

Supplement visual material with clear verbal explanation.

Require less copying from the board or elsewhere.

Increase oral activities.

Use concrete material and hands-on experience whenever possible.

Allow more time to complete tasks and provide breaks to combat fatigue.

Do not lower expectations because the student has a visual impairment.

Provide mobility and orientation training as students with visual impairment experience great difficulty in acquiring skills in direction, mobility and travel. This is particularly important at post-primary level where the student may have to move for individual subjects.

Arrange for other students to act as buddies and use peer tutoring. Peer-groups should be encouraged to include and support the student.

Use the student's name when seeking his/her attention.

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(Teachers should note that the Visiting Teacher Service for children and young people with a visual impairment supports parents/guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the student. More information is available in the Visiting Teacher Service information leaflet [PDF 508KB].) Encourage the student to use visual aids/resources that have been prescribed (e.g.

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What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? An Overview:

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What is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? An Overview:

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The American CDC defines TBI as: "A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is an injury that affects how the brain works". TBI can be loosely understood as any long-term damage to the way the brain functions after a concussion of other severe injury to it. Depending on the affected areas of the brain, symptoms can vary greatly in expression and in severity. In some cases full brain function can be recovered fully, partially or not depending on the severity of the case.

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Persons with mildly affective TBI can often be characterized as having neurocognitive deficiencies often related to but not limited to memory, concentration, problem solving, handling complex procedural tasks, physical balance and learning new information. Persons with mild TBI are often associated with mild to moderate concussions and can often recover full functionality with help.

Persons with severe affective TBI are often the result of falls (primarily for elders), severe vehicular accidents, and penetrating force into the head or skull namely from machinery or gunshots. Symptoms are similar to mild affective TBI, but in a much more severe degree, and full or even partially recovery is reported in fewer than 25% of people diagnosed with the condition. In severe cases the trauma itself can even result in paralysis, loss of speech and cognition, or even death.

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Traumatic brain injury-Traumatic brain injury - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic

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If a head injury causes a mild traumatic brain injury, long-term problems are rare. But a severe injury can mean significant problems.

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Acute or particular issues related to TBI

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Acute or particular issues related to TBI

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TBI differs from other conditions in its' variation of expression, and also that it is the result of external factors rather than a condition with which one is born with. Depending on the affected regions of the brain for the individual with TBI, one person may have a loss of speech, but no issues with gross motor function, while another experiences the exact opposite despite the fact they are both suffering from TBI. Also of note, according to the CDC the long-term prognosis for persons affected by TBI is not just based the severity of the initial trauma, but also the continued care and access to treatment for the individual. For those mildly affected the long-term prognosis is usually very good and show some level of recovery to pre-injury levels. For those diagnosed with severe TBI the long-term prognosis is bleak, with more than 50% reporting worsening of life in 5 years, and over 20% dying in the same period (although this is primarily due to the large number of elderly among the severely affected population).

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Work with TBI is largely centered around preventative measures and harm reduction strategies as in most circumstances the condition is avoidable or mitigable.

Prevention:
Large portions of TBI affected persons developed trauma due to vehicular accidents. In these circumstance a large percentage of people did not follow safety procedure for operating vehicles, i.e. wearing helmets, using seat-belts or avoiding dangerous habits in tandem with operating (oftentimes drinking and driving).
Another large percentage is accounted for in risky sports behaviors. Again many instances are linked to a lack of proper procedure, training or protective gear to protect the head of the individual against physical trauma.
The CDC stresses that in these above circumstances simply using the proper safety equipment or procedure could greatly reduce the incidence of TBI altogether.
A significant portion of affected individuals particularly for the severely affective TBI population is from falls. This issue is particular to the elderly community and guideline for prevention include live-in care facilities for those motor impaired, single story living places without stairs, and avoiding medications which include symptoms of lethargy, dizziness or sleepiness.

Treatment:
Treatments can vary greatly for individuals affected by TBI and can talk on multiple forms depending on the need or prognosis of the individual. These treatments can include surgery in serious circumstances, memory and cognition tasks, physical rehabilitation, and health management plans. Oftentimes a plan will be tailored for these individuals detailing checklist and observation logs to be filled out by a live-in care specialist, nurse, doctor, therapist or close family/friend. Many people with TBI need a physical reminder of tasks to be completed as concentration and memory loss is common.

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What assistive technologies can we use in a classroom.

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What assistive technologies can we use in a classroom.

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Speech affective TBI technologies include:
Speech Generating Devices

A speech-generating device is "a portable that contains one or more panels or switches that when depressed will activate pre-recorded digitized or synthesized speech output." These may be a standalone device, usually very small and light, or it can be software that is installed in a tablet or phone.

Cognitive affective TBI technologies include:
Recording Devices

Some symptoms of brain injury might make it difficult to take notes and keep up with teachers or presentations. A recording device can allow a person with a brain injury to go over recorded moments with less pressure and more control. [https://guides.library.illinois.edu]
Speak-to-Text generation devices
For TBI affected individuals who have impairments related to auditory perception, but have greater ability for reading written texts. These devices will automatically convert spoken language into text generate on a screen or device for the individual to read instead.

Gross motor affective TBI technologies include:
Speak-to-write devices or applications.
For many people with TBI they are better able to orally produce adequately, but struggle with written text recognition or production. Using these devices or applications the individual can simply speak into the device which transcribes in their stead.
Facial or movement recognition recorders.
For those with severly impaired ability to move or partial paralysis of the body they can use software designed to recognize subtle movements of the face body or hands to generate responses or even speech.

Sensory affective TBI technologies include:
Hearing Aides
TBI can affect the ability of people to hear and perceive sounds. Often simply improving the quality of sound or altering the wavelength of incoming sound can mitigate these issues.
Specialized multi-focal glasses
TBI can also affect the ability people to see or perceive images adequately when related to damage in the occipital lobe or the LGN. This issue can be often mitigated with specialized glasses or other sight apparatuses.
Large button keyboards or expandable touch screen displays
Similar to adjustments made by glasses, sometimes simply having manipulable displays to 'zoom in' or built in larger fonts make perception of letters and words easier.

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Orthopedic impairment is when a student's educational experience is impacted by a muscle, joint, or bone disorder. The student will not have full, or any, control of part(s) of their body and this will perhaps impact their ability to participate in some school activities.

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Acute or particular issues related to developmental delay

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Acute or particular issues related to developmental delay

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Developmental delay occurs when a child's progression through predictable developmental phases slows, stops, or reverses. Learn about symptoms and treatment.

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Online Course for educators to assist developmental delay

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Online Course for educators to assist developmental delay

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Training for caregivers of children with developmental delays and disabilities

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Cue cards can be used for an oral presentation
vocabulary

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Sticky notes or post it notes to summarize the main
idea

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Mid Tech-Audio Books and Reading Software Sora

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Mid Tech-Audio Books and Reading Software Sora

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Audio Books and Reading Software

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International School of Beijing - OverDrive

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Browse, borrow, and enjoy titles from the International School of Beijing digital collection.

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Three Categories of Orthopedic Impairment:

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Three Categories of Orthopedic Impairment:

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Neuromotor Impairment
Neuromotor impairments are perhaps the most complex of the three categories; neuromotor impairments will often include negative impact to essential parts of the body such as the brain, spinal cord, and/or nervous system. Two of the most well-known neuromotor diseases are cerebral palsy and spina bifida. The physical effects can include, but are not limited to:

-         Limited limb movement

-         Complex motor problems

-         Loss, or limited control, of the urinary system

-         Communicative difficulties

-         Seizures

Musculoskeletal Impairment

Musculoskeletal is how we can successfully move our limbs from one position to another without causing pain to bones, muscles, joints, and tissue (WHO, 2022). In fact, musculoskeletal-based issues are the leading causes of needing rehabilitation. The damage can be both long-term (such as the many forms of arthritis), or short-term (such as fractures and sprains). The physical effects can include, but are not limited to:

-         Difficulty with mobility.

-         Difficulty with lifting things

-         Difficulty with standing/sitting.

-         Difficulty with communicating effectively.

Degenerative Impairment

Degenerative refers to the progressive weaking of muscles, bones, and joints over time. Perhaps the two most common forms of degenerative diseases are ALS (a type of motor neurone disease), and muscular dystrophy. Both of these result in the continuing weakening of the previously mentioned body parts. Both can be problematic from birth and found to have a late age onset. Osteoarthritis is also a type of degenerative disease that impacts the joints. The effects can include, but are not limited to:

-         Limited mobility

-         Severe weakness of the muscles

-         Communicative deficits

Of course, as with anyone that struggles with lifestyle limitations that are out of their control, people with orthopedic impairments are also at risk of suffering from mental health issues. It is essential that these are also considered when thinking about how you can best assist students. Some problems to look out for might be:

-         Depression

-         Nervousness

-         Low confidence

-         Social anxiety

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Mid Tech-Audio Books and ReadingSoftware

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Mid Tech-Audio Books and ReadingSoftware

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Cambium Learning® Group is the education essentials company.™ Through our family of companies and across all areas of our business, we focus on providing the elements that are most essential to the success of education.

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Basic assistive interventions

- Think about how you can best arrange the classroom to accommodate the student in need.

-         Could the student be put next to another student that is naturally empathetic and helpful?

-         Could books be kept at school to prevent the student needing to transport them, and alternate electronic resources be sent home?

-         Can activities in the classroom be more accommodating for the said student’s needs?

-         If the said student has a helper, try communicating directly to the student to show respect.

-         If unsure of what to do, be willing enough to ask how you can help. Never leave the student in the dark with no method of accessibility.

Assistive technology for mobility

-         You

-         Wheelchairs

-         Walkers

-         Adjustable tables for students that struggle with sitting for too long.

Advanced assistive interventions for education

-         Speech recognition software

-         Speech-to-text software

-         Software packages to be used at home that allow easier access to the educational material.

-         Electronic communication boards

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Orthopedic impairments cover a large range of disabilities. It would be foolish to assume that we could categorize the needs of everyone with this disability into a specific group. It isn't possible, nor is it fair.

The most important thing is to talk to your student, talk to their parents, talk to special needs professionals and work together to think how you can best accomodate the needs of said student. How can you best accomodate them on the basis of what they actually feel is best for them, and not what you heard is best. How can they feel comfortable in the classroom and best optimize their time?

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QA International launched , a new valuable resource to learn Spanish. Includes 17 all-around themes to explore, including the human body, sciences and food. MORE

From the image to the word and its definition, the Visual Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference. Search the themes to quickly locate words, or find the meaning of a word by viewing the image it represents. What's more, the Visual Dictionary Online helps you learn English in a visual and accessible way. The Visual Dictionary Online is ideal for teachers, parents, translators and students of all skill levels. Explore the Visual Dictionary Online and enrich your mind. Perfect for home, school or work. Discover a visual world of information!

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QA International launched , a new valuable resource to learn Spanish. Includes 17 all-around themes to explore, including the human body, sciences and food. MORE From the image to the word and its definition, the Visual Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference.

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High Tech--Electronic Math Worksheet /Apps SoftwareMathTalk™ Exam

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High Tech--Electronic Math Worksheet /Apps SoftwareMathTalk™ Exam

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is useful for older students as it includes pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, graphing and more. requires MathTalk ™ is a software program that can help students organize, align, and work through math problems on a computer screen. Numbers that appear onscreen can also be read aloud via a speech synthesizer, meaning there is no need to write - students can voice math work, then email, print or save work. MathTalk ™

Who May Benefit From This Assistive Technology?: This tool may be helpful to students who have dyscalculia, difficulty aligning math problems, or trouble with handwriting. A math-to-Braille feature is also included via Duxbury Braille Translator. MathTalk Naturally Speaking Dragon Dictate software (available via Easterseals Lending Library).
​
Demo Video Link: mathtalk.com/mathtalk-voicing-pre-algebra-part-ii-fractions-integers-variables/ ™

Link to MathTalk website: mathtalk.com/about-mathtalk/

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is useful for older students as it includes pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, graphing and more. requires MathTalk ™ is a software program that can help students organize, align, and work through math problems on a computer screen.

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Hearing impairment is impairment of one’s hearing in one or both ears that can affect a student’s educational performance. Hearing impairments limit a person’s hearing, but do not remove it entirely. Many hearing impairments are treatable through amplification devices. Some common causes of hearing impairment include aging, noise exposure and head trauma.

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What are the difficulties faced by students with hearing impairments?

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What are the difficulties faced by students with hearing impairments?

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·      Difficulties in speech and language, which may vary depending on the severity of the hearing impairment

·      Difficulties learning to read and write

·      Difficulties following verbal directions in the classroom

·      Difficulties communicating with others and social withdrawal

·      Emotional problems caused by a drop in self-esteem and confidence

·      Exhaustion and headaches caused by trying to keep up with the class

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What assistive technologies can be used to help our students?

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What assistive technologies can be used to help our students?

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1.     Audio induction or hearing loop.

This is a cable that goes around a designated listening area (such as a classroom) to help people using a hearing aid hear sounds more clearly by cutting or reducing background noise. A sound source, for example the teacher’s microphone, is picked up and sent into an amplifier. The hearing loop then uses a wireless signal that can be picked up by a student with a hearing aid when the hearing aid is set to the telecoil setting.

2.     FM (Frequency Modulated) system

This system enables students with hearing impairments to hear their best in noisy environments, such as in a classroom. The two components of this are a microphone and transmitter worn by the teacher, and a receiver used by the listener to pick up the speaker’s voice. FM systems can be personal, where the receiver is built into a hearing aid worn by the listener, or a sound field, where the system amplifies the teachers voice through loudspeakers around the classroom.

3.     Infrared system

Infrared systems transmit sound wirelessly via invisible light beams. For this system to work the receiver must be in line of sight of the light beam from the transmitter.

4.     Personal amplified system

Personal amplified system (PSAP) is a device worn by the listener which contains a microphone, receiver and amplifier designed raise the volume of all sounds in an environment for the listener. These differ from other hearing aids in that PSAPs amplify all sounds, whereas a hearing aid can be programmed to amplify or mute certain sounds, such as amplifying a teacher’s voice over background classroom noises.

5.     Bluetooth systems

Bluetooth systems can transmit sound via Wi-Fi directly to hearing aids that have Bluetooth. Students without hearing aids can also use a smartphone or tablet with earphones to connect to the transmitted sound.

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What other accommodations can be used for struggling students?

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What other accommodations can be used for struggling students?

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Other things to consider when making accommodations for students with hearing impairments include:

·      Classroom seating arrangements.

Allowing hearing impaired students to sit in the front row of the class is a good way to maximize what the student can hear in the classroom. Alternative classroom layouts should also be considered. If the students seating is laid out in a horseshoe arrangement, this would allow the student to be able to see the faces of all the students and the teacher as they are speaking, which may make communication easier.

·      Pacing and teacher positioning.

Teachers should avoid turning their backs to students with hearing impairments where possible, as it is important for students to be able to see the teachers face as they are speaking. Similarly, teachers should avoid standing with their back to the window or other light sources, as this will also make it difficult for the students to watch the teachers face while speaking. Teachers should also avoid too much movement while addressing the student, as the student may need to concentrate on the teachers face.

·      Repetition.

Repeating questions by students before answering them.

·      Using visual aids or written explanations.

Using many visual stimulants (such as pictures, videos, and diagrams) to give an explanation of the subject being taught can greatly help the student understand the lesson.

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Deafness is a profound hearing loss, that implies total or significant loss of hearing. Deafness can be caused by inner ear or nerve damage, a congenital defect, disease, injury, exposure to loud noises or ageing. Deafness occurs when a person cannot understand speech through hearing, even when sound is amplified. Profound deafness is a complete lack of hearing.

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What are the difficulties faced by students with deafness?

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What are the difficulties faced by students with deafness?

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·      Delays in language learning

·      Less exposure to language than hearing students

·      Lack of access to language and/or assistive devices

·      Students often need to learn ASL (American Sign Language) alongside learning English or other languages

·      Numerical and problem-solving skills can be harder to understand

·      More limited vocabulary can make self-expression more challenging

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What assistive technologies can be used to help our students?

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What assistive technologies can be used to help our students?

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1.     Video Relay Service (VRS)

This is a video telecommunication device that allows deaf individuals to communicate with hearing people in real-time via a sign language interpreter, rather than typed text. The deaf user will sign to the interpreter, who will speak to the hearing user. The hearing user speaks to the interpreter, who will sign to the deaf user.

2.     Alerting Systems

Traditionally, schools use bells or buzzers to alerts students to the time a period begins or ends, or as a warning for something more serious. For deaf students, schools can implement flashing lights or vibrating alerts.

3.     Instant Messaging

Real-time type-based communication between two or more people. This can be very effective in the classroom for teachers to assign tasks or share information, and allows students to work together very efficiently.

4.     FM System

This can send the teacher’s voice from a wireless microphone through FM radio waves directly to a small receiver worn by the listener. This can be used by students with a cochlear implant, a small device which can allow some deaf students to receive, and process sounds and speech.

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What other accommodations can be used for struggling students?

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What other accommodations can be used for struggling students?

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Deaf students often have a choice of whether they would like to attend a mainstream school or a residential Deaf school, which would offer specialized education for deaf students. Many often choose a mixed approach, where the student is educated in a mainstream school for part of their education then sent to a residential Deaf school, or vice versa.

Other classroom accommodations include:

·      Communication norms in the classroom, like only one person can speak at a time

·      Captioned media in the classroom

·      Sign language interpreters

·      Frequent breaks to avoid overwork or stress

·      Extra time to process information or complete assignments

·      Scribes to help make a record of what is detailed in the class

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Available for iOS and Android, this app helps color blind people identify colors. Its also allows non-colorblinded people to see through colorblind eyes. It’s free and as a color blind person, I’ve been using it extensively the past few days. Complete game changer!

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Color Blind Pal helps people who are color blind see the colors around them. It also lets people with normal vision see what it's like to be color blind.

Want to know what color something is? Now you don't need to ask a friend - just open the app to get a descriptive name, like "bold brown".

Want to see all colors more clearly? Use the app to shift colors that are hard to distinguish toward colors you can easily distinguish. It'll be as easy for you to spot an orange pumpkin in a green field as it is for everyone else. Or, do you have normal color vision and want to know what someone who's color blind sees? The app can also simulate any type of color blindness.

Simply open the app and point your device's camera at what you want to see! If someone gives you a green form and a yellow form and asks you to fill out the green one, use the color inspector to tell which is which. If you're struggling to read a color-coded map, use the color filter to make the colors easy to distinguish.

With Color Blind Pal, you can do the following and much more:
* Find out exactly what any color is
* Read any color-coded map, chart, or graph
* Pass a color vision test (it turns out there really are numbers in those dots!)

Color Blind Pal is packed with powerful features to make sure you never need anyone else's help seeing colors.

Additional features in the color inspector include:
* Choose between different types of names for a color, including Common names, Scientific names, and Colloquial names (like "beige")
* See the color's hue, saturation, and value, as well as its exact RGB color code
* Freeze the camera and inspect different colors across the image
* Open any image from your photo library to inspect it
* Turn on your flashlight to get clearer color readings

Additional features in the color filter include:
* Highlight a selected color
* Select a color by tapping it on the screen or by dragging the color spectrum slider
* Draw a stripe pattern over all reddish colors so you can tell what color everything is without changing the colors
* Freeze the camera and experiment with different filters to get an exact sense of what the image really looks like
* Hide all the buttons on the screen so your device becomes a portal through which you see the world in richer color

Don't be held back by color blindness ever again - get Color Blind Pal today!

Version 2.0.1

Fixed a bug with the Filter mode on iOS 14.

Thank you app creator!!

Whoever invented this app...you are a life saver and a genius!!!! Thank you soooooo much for this!!!!!! I stopped wearing color a long time ago and stick to only black cause it's the one color I know for sure I don't mess up. Now that I have a son, trying to dress him on my own has been a nightmare. In between shades are sooo hard for me to see and identify, half his clothes I'm not even sure what they are so trying to match things are quite difficult. With this app it has just helped me soooo much. I open it all throughout the day for various reasons. A million times thanks to the app creator! Poor lighting, causes for sometimes false reads, but in regular lighting, it seems to always get the colors right for me! Life saver!!

Severe deuteranopia

Besides the phone and texting apps, this is the only app I use. It is how I go about my life unimpeded by my disability. Every single day I use this app to help me in my job. This app also enables me to wear clothes other than jeans and a gray t-shirt without mismatching. All while growing up my parents thought I just had terrible taste! It wasn't until Jr. High that they, and myself, realized I was colorblind! I also use this app when shopping for groceries to help pick out what fruits and vegetables are ripe.

It really can't be understated what a wonderful person this developer is. To make an app to help people with a disability and not monetize it in any way. When I open the app an ad never is what I see, it just goes straight to it's sole function of telling me what color something is. I wish I could give him or her 6 stars.

You made a wonderful app that lets me go about my day normally. Thank you so much.

Great app - not perfect yet

I hate to throw around a phrase like "life changing" but I'm tempted. Color Blind Pal is a pal indeed, helping me make the least of my deuteranopia. But I really wish it would do just a couple more things. 1) Front facing camera (so I can use it to help with my makeup and outfits); 2) Remember my settings, because it's super annoying to have to switch modes and adjust the hue range every single time I open it. I thank the developers for this great app, and hope they keep on developing it!

The developer, Vincent Fiorentini, has not provided details about its privacy practices and handling of data to Apple. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

No Details Provided

The developer will be required to provide privacy details when they submit their next app update.

Information

Seller

Vincent Fiorentini

Compatibility

Requires iOS 12.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Copyright

© 2020 Vincent Fiorentini

Family Sharing

With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

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‎Color Blind Pal helps people who are color blind see the colors around them. It also lets people with normal vision see what it's like to be color blind. Want to know what color something is? Now you don't need to ask a friend - just open the app to get a descriptive name, like "bold brown".

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Developed by the Library of Congress and available for iOS, Google Play, and Android. Over 80,000 pieces (and growing daily) of books, sheet music, articles, magazines, and other reading material in both braille and audio formats. This unprecedented collection will help any blind students become voracious readers!

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‎CARRY A LIBRARY IN YOUR POCKET Access tens of thousands of books-from current best sellers to much-loved classics, popular magazines, and music instruction and scores in audio and electronic braille formats, with new selections added daily. HOW DO I GET STARTED? This app allows access for e...

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Apps: Seeing AI (iOS) / Lookout (Android)

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Apps: Seeing AI (iOS) / Lookout (Android)

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These apps will help students who can still see but not well. The camera reads the objects or text in front of it and a voice says it aloud for the student to hear. Very useful for students who are not 100% blind but close to it.

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‎Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed with and for the blind and low vision community, this ongoing research project harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world by describing nearby people, text and objects. Seeing AI provides tools to assist with a variety…

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Nystagmus is “an involuntary continuous wobble of the eyes.” The disorder affects 1 in 1,000 people and is one of the most common forms of childhood visual impairment. Here are 7 ways to help students with this impairment.

1. Position children so that they are most able to see the board.
2. Be on the lookout for the signs that nystagmus is getting worse during the day: stress, tiredness, fatigue, illness and excitement.
3. Lean toward games that do not require hand-eye coordination.
4. Declutter classroom so that students with nystagmus can navigate the space safely.
5. Students who have this condition find it hard to maintain eye-contact. So, cut them some slack in this area of communication.
6. Those with nystagmus often get fatigued quite easily and will need multiple rests throughout the day. Give them their space and they’ll bounce back soon enough.
7. Environmental safety is something that teachers and chaperones should have at the forefront of their minds. Keep an eye out for uneven ground, stairs, and holes in the pavement. Guide those with nystagmus around them.

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Having just released my book "Can I Tell You About Nystagmus?" I jumped at the chance of being able to raise the awareness around the condition, in support of Nystagmus Awareness Day, 20th June 2019.

For those who don't know, nystagmus is an involuntary continuous wobble of the eyes. During your time teaching, it is likely you will come across a child who has nystagmus, as it is one of the most common forms of childhood visual impairment. It affects approximately 1 in 1,000 people. It can either be congenital (from birth) or acquired. Those with nystagmus have a 'null point' or a point in which their eyes wobble less. This can cause them to have a head tilt in order to gain the clearest view possible. There is NO cure. Therefore, having a broad understanding and a host of helpful strategies will help you and your students.

When I was planning this article I sought some advice from Sandy Turner, Headteacher at the primary school, The Link. Sandy and her school had recently been host to the launch of the aforementioned book, "Can I Tell You About Nystagmus?" where she and her staff engaged in some live training with me about the condition. When I asked her what might be most helpful for early years practitioners, she emphasised the importance of considering the fact that the curriculum is taught through play and games in a free-flow environment.

So with this in mind, I've compiled 7 nystagmus hacks you can use in and around your setting whilst teaching the children in your care.

Position: Always, always, allllllways (you catch my emphasis?!) position a child in the most comfortable way to accommodate their null point. Do not sit them at the back and do not expect them to share books.

Triggers: Nystagmus can change across a day - things that make Nystagmus worse are: stress, tiredness, fatigue, illness and excitement.

Playing: Physical games that require hand/eye coordination can sometimes be a challenge. Games such as football or catch can be challenging as judging depth and speed is a huge challenge for those with nystagmus.

TIP: Consider adapting the games, e.g. oversized balls or brightly-coloured balls or reducing the number of participants to make a slower and more visually-clear way to play games that require hand and eye coordination.

Clutter: In early years environments, free-flow and daily environmental changes for activities, can be hard for someone with a visual impairment. Often the skill of memory is used to be able to navigate familiar environments and so areas that are packed with different toys and activities can lead to something called 'crowding', in which it becomes hard to visually see everything. This can frustrate and lead to impacted play as they may not be able to see what they want.

TIP: Limit clutter and give adequate processing times. Pre-select a few toys and show them away from the clutter so they can choose what they want without getting overwhelmed. Give them more time to react and process.

Body language: Some people with Nystagmus can find it difficult to give eye contact, which might be misinterpreted by others and could impact on social interactions with peers.

Tip: Don't emphasise the need for front-facing eye contact - especially for school photos! Let them look at the camera in the most comfortable position for them.

Fatigue: Having wobbly eyes can make some with nystagmus fatigue very easily. nystagmus fluctuates throughout the day with its intensity. Having a quiet or less-busy area available to the child for them to play in if they get fatigue, increases independence and coping skills across the day.

Safety: Nystagmus can affect depth perception - so think stairs, steps and changes in flooring, which could be harder to see and navigate. This can affect judging speed - so think about children rushing around them or balls being thrown at them in P.E. and being able to react. On school trips, be aware that new environments can raise anxiety, unfamiliar faces, places and information having to be processed. This can affect nystagmus making it worse and increasing fatigue. Lots of pre-visual and auditory explanations can reduce this. Factoring in breaks and finding quiet areas to relax in, can be beneficial too.

These are just a few ideas to help you better support children with nystagmus as well as other visual impairments. Within the book, there are many more helpful ideas, as well as a handy checklist to make sure you are set each term! You can grab a copy from Amazon and other online retailers. For more information on the book, or if you would like me to come and visit your school, visit nadineneckles.co.uk for more information.

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7 tips for nystagmus success in the classroom | Parenta.com

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Having just released my book "Can I Tell You About Nystagmus?" I jumped at the chance of being able to raise the awareness around the condition, in support of Nystagmus Awareness Day, 20th June 2019. For those who don't know, nystagmus is an involuntary continuous wobble of the eyes.

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Be My Eyes has an awesome problem. There are currently over 6 MILLION sighted volunteers ready around the clock in over 150 countries and speaking over 180 languages. The problem here? There are just under 500,000 registered blind or sight impaired users of this FREE service. This is perfect for after school homework help with blind or impaired students. Be My Eyes fosters independence and personal autonomy as a key value and hopes that the blind/impaired community can be integrated into society more than ever before.

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With the Be My Eyes app, you can support people living with low vision and assist them in achieving independence. A blind or a low-vision user may need support with anything from checking expiry dates, distinguishing colors, reading instructions or navigating new surroundings.

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blind association; association for the blind

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Whether you need a pair of sharp eyes or have some sight to lend, Be My Eyes is a simple, free tool to help people see the world better, together.

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Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

The term “emotional disturbance” includes schizophrenia. It does not apply to students who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.

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The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) lists six types of emotional disturbances.
These include (but are not limited to):
- Anxiety disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Conduct disorders
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Psychotic disorders

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What is considered an intellectual disability?

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What is considered an intellectual disability?

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To have an intellectual disability means that general intellectual ability is significantly below average, inhibiting an individuals ability to function. It occurs along with deficits in adaptive behavior, which are the practical skills that one needs to function in everyday life in their environment.

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Students with intellectual disabilities deal with learning disabilities, lack of cognition, and a lack of social skills. Assistive technologies can make the classroom more suitable for students for students with diverse learning needs. There are several types of tools that can be used for students with intellectual disabilities. These include:
Cognitive aids - time management tools, graphic organizers, and planners
Educational aids - screen readers, text-to-speech software, and proof-reading software
Communication aids - audio books and communication cards
Math tools - speech recognition software to do calculations on a microphone

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Last Updated on February 4, 2022 by Editorial Team

Intellectual disabilities grapple about 8% of the US population, according to an NCBI finding. Lack of intellectual curiosity, or of power to question or reason or take interest in exploring is a big elephant that needs addressing. Usually, people are judged on the basis of their academic performance, communication skills, etc. It cuts off a major chunk of creative and highly imaginative individuals who may have a different set of skills other than those set as benchmarks.

Thanks to the inclusive model of education that accommodations are made available to students with intellectual disabilities. Using these resources, such students can also learn and absorb things like their peers! This significant change is attributed to assistive technology for students with intellectual disabilities.
Let's explore in this post:

Examples of assistive technology in the classroom to accommodate intellectual disabilities

How assistive technology helps intellectually deficient students

Types of assistive technology and their applications

Challenges of implementing assistive technology

Here we go!
An institute that offers accommodations earns the requisite recognition from authorities when its classrooms are equipped enough to help students with intellectual deficiencies. These technology-assisted classrooms are designed with tools to help intellectually disabled students with diverse learning needs. The tools help them to demonstrate their abilities and be as responsive in class as their non-disabled classmates. In a typical classroom provided with assistive technology, you can expect featureslike:

Tools of common use such as hearing aids,

Pens with special grip,

Alternative computer peripherals like keyboards and mouse

speech-to-text recognition tools

spell and grammar checkers

touch control devices

AT visualizers

Advanced computer-enabled communication tools

Graphic Organizers

The idea behind using these AT accommodations is to make the classroom environment suitably comfortable for students with diverse learning needs. These assistive technology devices help work the way around disabilities and provide the learners with fair chances to be at par with their peers. It is observed that the students managing intellectual disabilities suffer from a lack of cognition, social skills, and have various learning difficulties to overcome.

How assistive technology helps intellectually deficient students?

The need to ease the learning process with assistive tools got the right solution in technological interventions. Artificial intelligence and predictive modeling techniques have paved the way for the introduction of AT devices for intellectually deficient students. It is the encouraging outcomes that have ignited the interest of the educational authorities towards the use of AT devices and solutions.

McNicholl, et al, in their study concluded that ATs can increase social participation and extract better engagement from intellectually challenged students. Motivation to read and write can be strengthened by the use of assistive technology in education.

Socially assistive robots and their roles are explained by Dr. Christine, in the review of AT for training individuals with ASDs. The review concludes that SARs prove their efficacy in building social skills like eye contact maintenance, imitation skill, and other verbal communication abilities. Hence, the overall participation of intellectually disabled students increases and improves in quality.

The role of assistive technology is not operational in nature alone. Since the students find comfortable solutions that complement their needs perfectly, they open up more freely and display better confidence in solving problems and expressing knowledge. When their basic problems of organizing thoughts, doing numbers, or expressing ideas are solved, they can concentrate on applying their real talent and deliver desired outcomes, sometimes even better than those considered 'non-disabled'.

In essence, the role of ATs is to act as a link that is normally missing between the students with intellectual deficits and their environs. The improvement in cognition and communicability allow such students to actively participate, communicate and receive information correctly, which is quite necessary for knowledge build-up.

Types of assistive technology for IDs and their applications

Assistive technology is a supplementary solution to be given to the person with disabilities of any kind to fill the gap caused by those. These can be classified as:

Cognition aids: These are employed to assist people lacking in memory retention, attention, and thinking skills. Time management tools, graphic organizers, activity planners and reminders are the popular examples of cognition aids.

Educational aids: Screen readers, voice recognition programs, text-to-speech software, graphic organizers, proof-reading software, etc. to provide ease of reading and writing for students with sensory and intellectual deficits.

Communication aids: Audio books, communication cards, etc. help enable communication in augmentative manner, and sometimes, as an alternative to speech too.

Math tools: Certain speech recognition software are designed to allow students to do calculations over microphone and display results to the evaluator.

All the AT devices mentioned above serve the needs of students having different kinds of intellectual disabilities. Since the focus is always on encouraging participation in education and making the subjects feel and act as non-disabled peers, their use should be recommended after a thorough analysis of the requirement of the individual. One size does not fit all when it comes to assistive technology devices, remember that!

Challenges of implementing assistive technology

Assistive technology implementation and adoption rate is low at present. Especially in low and middle-income groups, finances pose a challenge. The students may get support in the classroom, but what about practicing at home? This gap is quite glaring and the search for solutions for the same is still on. A need for national policy to provide assistive technology solutions has been felt for uniform implementation.

Training need for using AT devices is another detriment to seamless adoption. The personnel at work and the teachers at school have to be adequately familiar with the product and its use to not get distracted from the assistive solutions they wear or wield.

Integration with the usual work environment has to be smooth. Assistive technology is supposed to be an enabler of the learning process. Hence, the make and the application have to match the comfort level of the user. Thus, the product development thorough customization and eventually, further improvement, needs continuous evaluation and refining.

Take Away

It is society's loss if the hidden talents of people with intellectual disabilities are not recognized, refined, and put to use. To get a better workforce from the given population, the educational needs of all sorts of learners should be met. Assistive technology helps decrease the chances of dropouts and offers requisite help to people with different learning abilities to accomplish their academic endeavors, and also, to live a life of reduced dependence on others. For intellectual deficiencies, assistive technology comes as a workable solution and helps find the way around these. The only concerns may be the want for adequate training in the use of ATs and the cost involved!
References:
[1] Sarah Ko & Linda S. Petty (2020) Assistive technology accommodations for post-secondary students with mental health disabilities: a scoping review, Disability, and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Journal

[2] Adelman, H. S., & Taylor, L. (1986). Summary of the survey of fundamental concerns confronting the LD field. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19(7), 391-393.

[3] Aoife McNicholl, Hannah Casey, Deirdre Desmond & Pamela Gallagher (2021) The impact of assistive technology use for students with disabilities in higher education: a systematic review, Disability, and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 16:2, 130-143

[4] Effects of assistive technology for students with reading and writing disabilities, Idor Svensson, Et al, Disability Rehabilitation Assistive Technology, 2021 Feb;16(2):196-208.

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Assistive Technology For Students With Intellectual Disabilities - Number Dyslexia

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Intellectual disabilities grapple about 8% of the US population, according to an NCBI finding. Lack of intellectual curiosity, or of power to question or reason or take interest in exploring is a big elephant that needs addressing. Usually, people are judged on the basis of their academic performance, communication skills, etc.

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Co:Writer can be very useful for students with intellectual disabilities when they are reading or writing. The app can be used for word prediction, it has very flexible spell-correction, includes speech-to-text and text-to-speech, and also has several types of dictionaries.

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Organization:
University, School(s), or School District

Add the ability to manage your entire organization.

Get everyone on the same page with access to shared data.

Make your life easy with optional domain & subdomain licensing.

Includes access to our deployment and support specialists.

Plans vary so get in touch!

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Word prediction that is grammar smart and inventive spelling aware. Speech recognition allows you to speak it, and we'll write it.

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This website includes a variety of examples and applications of graphic organizers that can be used for students with cognitive disabilities.

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Introduction

Classroom teachers have used graphic organizers for years to help students gather, sift through, organize, and share information. Graphic organizers are appealing because they have a wide range use and adaptability for many different topics and subjects. General education teachers are familiar with common layouts for graphic organizers but may not be as familiar with how to adapt graphic organizers for students with varied learning needs. This TIPs sheet will expand on the traditional graphic organizer formats to show how they can be differentiated to meet the needs of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities through the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Evidence

Although graphic organizers are commonly used by both general education teachers and special education teachers, teachers must consider what aspects of the graphic organizer might present barriers given the diversity of student characteristics in an inclusive classroom. For example, a student with cerebral palsy and a significant cognitive disability who has an orthotic brace on her arm will need adaptations to participate when students are writing into a graphic organizer. It is not sufficient to simply pair the student with a general education peer and have her watch the peer write in the graphic organizer, but rather materials will need to be adapted so the student can actively and independently manipulate word cards or objects to place them into a graphic organizer. This could still be done with a peer but the two would be working with the adapted materials together.

In a recent evidence-based practice review by Saunders et al. (2020), graphic organizers were found to be a promising practice for use with students with significant cognitive disabilities for academic instruction in inclusive settings. In this review, graphic organizers were used to teach reading comprehension of text in subject areas such as science (Jimenez et al., 2012) and social studies (Wood et al., 2015). Although positive effects were observed in these two studies for the use of graphic organizers during instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities, additional research is needed to promote the use of graphic organizers to a research-based practice (i.e., more participants, research teams, and geographical regions). The implication for practitioners is that graphic organizers can help students with significant cognitive disabilities show higher level thinking skills that are aligned to the complexity of the grade level academic standards.

Teachers have many variables to consider when thinking about how to design accessible graphic organizers in an inclusive classroom. Students come with various levels of performance, preferred modes of learning, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and prior experience, which can all affect how each student learns (Meyer, Rose, & Gordon, 2014). Teachers must decide, based on learner characteristics, how to implement UDL principles when designing lesson plans involving graphic organizers, so all students have access to the content through multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. When applying the UDL framework, no student, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, should be defined by their perceived impairments and support needed to access to learning in the inclusive classroom (Hartmann, 2015). Teachers serving inclusive classrooms can think of the UDL framework as one way to address learner variability, in which a student with a significant cognitive disability is an expected part of the natural diversity and should be embraced using the teachers' skill set in universal design (Hartmann, 2015).

Definition and Examples

Graphic organizers are an instructional tool used to aid in comprehension or to organize key information. They can be used as an activity to help students retain information they've learned for a longer period of time. Students, including those with emergent literacy skills, limited English fluency, and diverse learning styles can often process information in a graphic organizer more easily than from traditional text. Graphic organizers can help students focus their thoughts for planning, decision making, and writing. They help students see connections, patterns, and relationships. They can also help students show understanding of the "big picture" from a lesson or book.

The table below describes common graphic organizers types, with the purpose and the essential feature of each. These essential features are non-negotiable. They must be present when using these graphic organizers. However, as adaptations are made to the graphic organizer, the purpose and essential feature must be kept intact. See the implementation section for how adaptations can be made to increase accessibility for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Table 1: The Purpose and Essential Features of Common Graphic Organizers

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect chain

Problem and solution map

Fishbone diagram

Analyze a series of events or processes, potentially for a complex topic

Classifying

Web (Bubble map)

Classification table (T-Chart)

Sort or classify items into different categories

Comparing and Contrasting

Venn diagram

Compare-contrast matrix

Identify similar (overlapping) and different characteristics of items

Describing

Identify examples and non-examples of vocabulary terms/connections between vocabulary terms

Sequencing

Flowchart

Series of events chain

Cycle

Timeline

Break down important steps or events in a process or sequence

Implementation

Graphic organizers often incorporate higher level thought processes and can easily be modified for all learners using principles of UDL. Planning is key for successful implementation of differentiated graphic organizers because teachers must think ahead for all of their students to make sure they can access the content in a universal way by considering representation, expression, and engagement.

For students who may require an adaptation to traditional graphic organizers, teachers should consider adaptations based on students' ability to perceive, engage, and respond with the graphic organizer and the content they are synthesizing with it. Providing multiple means of representation with a graphic organizer could involve customizing how it is displayed, including the use of objects or symbols. Providing multiple means of engagement involves promoting student interests, choices, and the relevance of the task. Lastly, providing multiple means of action/expression involves allowing variability in student response modes. This is especially important for students with complex communication needs. See Table 2 for suggestions for adaptations to graphic organizers for students in general, including students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Table 2. Suggested Graphic Organizer Adaptations Using Elements of Universal Design for Learning

Elements of Universal Design for Learning

Graphic Organizer Adaptations

Adaptations for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Representation

making the graphic organizer less detailed

offering a digital version of the graphic organizer

using tactile supports to build graphic organizer (wiki sticks, hula hoops)

laminated materials for repeated instruction/experiences

Action/Expression

providing a word bank

using pre-cut out words to sort

providing all the information that needs to go in the graphic organizer on the graphic organizer

allowing the use of technology to create

using color coded index cards for sorting items into categories

providing a word bank with visual supports

offer choices other than writing in graphic organizer (dictating to a scribe, choice making, sorting words/pictures/objects, use of AAC)

having the student use color coded stickers on preprinted cards to organize by category

using larger, laminated options with Velcro

Engagement

incorporating student interest

offering choice when appropriate

allowing open notes

providing page numbers to look back in their books

having a few answers filled in already

offering examples/nonexamples

incorporating technology

appropriate prompting and reinforcement to allow student to experience success

incorporating the use of peers to build a permanent product

incorporating technology

The following are examples and descriptions on how these adaptations might be applied for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities across a range of skills.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to use a t-chart to show examples and non-examples of the value "4". General education peers are asked to write examples of "4" and "not 4" using written or drawn examples. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in this classroom engage with this graphic organizer by sorting pre-cut paper with examples and non-examples of the value "4" on a T-chart.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to explore properties and attributes of three-dimensional shapes by categorizing them as round, flat, or both. The majority of the class uses printed pictures of three-dimensional shapes by cutting and pasting them into their math journals where they have to draw their own Venn diagram. For students with significant cognitive disabilities, sorting tangible objects may be the best way to categorize each of the shapes.

In this example the general education teacher asks students to do a literary analysis of Moby Dick using a concept map. Some of the students in the classroom in the general education population begin to do so on a blank sheet of paper following the concept map format the teacher gives with each major headings filled out. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities can utilize wiki sticks and preprinted cards to build a concept map.

Frayer Model. In this example the general education teacher asks students to review properties of lines and angles. The students in the classroom take the laminated cards the teacher made and copy them into their math notebooks. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are supported by having a more succinct definition and example graphic organizer, such as the triangle Frayer model below.

Here is an additional example video demonstration of differentiated fishbone graphic organizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUqfwv3izO4 . This video clip shows how one teacher uses the Fishbone for first grade students by modifying it for all the students in the classroom. The adaptations include requiring less text in boxes instead of lines and opportunities to draw examples. Although a student with a significant cognitive disability is not included in this video example, the teacher could extend the modification given to the whole class by having preprinted images for placement in the modified fishbone graphic organizer.

In each one of these examples, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities were considered in the design and implementation of the adaptations within each of the traditional graphic organizer formats. It is important to note that these adaptations can be used for a wide variety of students, not just those with significant cognitive disabilities. Teachers must seek to avoid "islands in the mainstream" (Biklen, 1992, p. 148), by carefully creating adaptations that maintain the essential features of the task (see Table 1). The goal of providing adaptations to graphic organizers in an inclusive classroom for students with significant cognitive disabilities is to help them engage with the content and participate alongside their peers, not separate from them.

Summary

Graphic organizers are a flexible tool that have applications across academic content areas and populations of students with and without disabilities. General education and special education teachers can work together to match the materials and formatting to fit individual student needs; however, when planned with UDL, all students can access content through the use graphic organizers.

TIPS Series: Tip #10, August 2020

The information in this Brief is not an endorsement of any identified products. Products identified in this Brief are shared solely as examples to help communicate information about ways to reach the desired goals for students.

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Reyes, E. N., Wakeman, S., & Bowman, J. (2020). The Use of Graphic Organizers in Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIPS Series: Tip #10). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #10: The Use of Graphic Organizers in Inclusive Classrooms for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

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Classroom teachers have used graphic organizers for years to help students gather, sift through, organize, and share information. Graphic organizers are appealing because they have a wide range use and adaptability for many different topics and subjects.

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IDEA definition: means simultaneous impairments (for example, intellectual disability with blindness or intellectual disability with an orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.

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About Students With Multiple Disabilities:

70 percent of these students have visual impairment as one of their disabilities. These students generally need much more support than the other categories.

Students with multiple disabilities face a range of challenges, including communication difficulties, physical limitations, complex learning needs, social isolation, behavioral challenges, and health issues.

Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative approach and individualized education plans that meet the unique needs of each student.

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Causes
These are usually caused by:
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Premature Birth
- Difficulties after birth
- Poor development of the brain or spinal cord
- Infections
- Genetic disorders
- Injuries

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Assistive Technologies and Accommodations

Because of the variety of disabilities that also belong to this category, it really depends on what the individuals needs are.

These are some assistive technologies you might consider:
- Communication devices: Students who have difficulty speaking or communicating may benefit from communication devices, such as speech-generating devices or picture communication systems.
- Assistive technology for mobility: Those who have physical disabilities may require assistive technology to help them move around, such as wheelchairs.
- Environmental controls: Some may require specialized environmental controls to access their learning environment, such as adaptive switches or voice-activated devices.
- Assistive technology for vision: Students with visual impairments may require assistive technology, such as screen readers, braille displays, or magnification software.

There are also a variety of accommodations that can be made:
- Adaptations to the curriculum: They may require adaptations to the curriculum to meet their unique needs, such as simplified language, visual supports, or modified assignments.
-  Personal care assistance, such as help with feeding, toileting, or dressing, to be able to participate fully in their learning and daily activities.
- Collaboration with other professionals: such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, or speech therapists, to support their learning and development.

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Helping Your Child with Multiple Disabilities Engage with the World Around Them

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A Glimpse at a classroom set up for Multiple Disabilities

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A Glimpse at a classroom set up for Multiple Disabilities

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An interesting article writtten by a teacher who has set up her classroom to accommodate multiple disabilities.

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I am so excited to share everything I've learned about setting up a multiple disabilities classroom with you! I've spent a lot of time mapping out my classroom layout this year. I hope this blog post about setting up a multiple disabilities classroom will be helpful for you!

My Caseload

I currently have seven students that are wheelchair users and 3 that are not. I have 2 students that are fully virtual that I service through seesaw and google meets sessions on Wednesdays. Most of my students are also considered medically fragile, so that is an additional angle that I needed to plan for.

My Schedule

We have new considerations due to the COVID-19 pandemic that we need to incorporate this school year. My students are currently coming to school on an AA/BB schedule. I have some students Monday and Tuesday (AA) and some Thursday and Friday (BB), with Wednesday a virtual day for all to allow for deep cleaning. Some of my students may come to both the AA/BB session depending on the IEP team decision.

A Multiple Disabilities Classroom Layout

Going in I knew that every activity area had to be separate. I also knew I had to be able to keep everything sanitized and clean. My district provided me with PPE, including alcohol wipes, and I purchased a sanitizing spray safe to be around children and pets. Everything is wiped with an alcohol wipe between uses and sprayed throughout the day. Our cleaning staff also comes when we are at recess to sanitize our room.

One of the biggest decisions I had to make was that we are not leaving our classroom this year. We leave for recess and the specials teachers come to us. I have my own door and wheelchair ramp that most of my students utilize. I can keep our environment clean, but I can't control the rest of the students in our school. We use google meets to keep up with our general education peers while staying safe in our classroom. In my state, unfortunately, COVID-19 procedures are a hot topic. For the safety of my students we quarantine in our room. I open the windows to increase air circulation and we go about our day.

You'll also notice that I don't have a teacher desk! I got rid of it. I keep my paperwork in a cabinet and work from behind the u-table. My classroom is small and I need all of the space I can get.

Now, lets talk about the actual process of setting up a multiple disabilities classroom!

Switch Activities Station

What is a switch activity? These are cause and effect activities (for my students at this stage) that help my students understand that when they push the button something happens. Why is this important? Most of my students are diagnosed with significant mobility impairments. They access most technology for learning, communication, and leisure through the use of a button like those in the videos below.

I hope this help show how the activities are done.

Christmas lights are the best! They are so bright and eye catching.

In the past, I had paired the light box and switch activities together. Now, they need to be totally separate spaces. I ended up moving the switch activities area to another part of the classroom and I absolutely love it. I don't know why I didn't think about that before! It seemed easier, for some reason, to share the outlet. With some ingenuity I was able to incorporate the switch activities station into its own space in my general layout.

I like to use the yellow scallop edge switch at this station because it is easy to press. There is a power link to connect various activities to (The power link box, switch, and vibrating pad are part of a kit a received from th e American Printing House). I have bright lights on the wall, Light Stax cubes ( Taylor talks about these in her post about inclusive toys), a fan, and a vibrating cushion that are all favorites in our class. The black container next to the table holds switch adapted toys; including a bubble machine and an adapted Beat Bo toy (affiliate link to the non adapted version here).

Lightbox Table

Our large lightbox gets its own area this year! I keep the activities in a labeled plastic drawer system behind my desk.

By far my students favorite activity is when I attach the 'bead bar'.

The bead bar is made of party beads from dollar tree hot glued to a paint stick and attached to the lightbox with velcro. I went to this amazing training with Diane Sheline to learn new techniques for working with students with a diagnosis of Cortical Visual impairment and Visual Impairments.

I learned how to make a lot of activities that are stimulating for my students like the ' bead bar ' (tutorial here!).

Computer Table

I also have a separate computer area. Here we use a program called " teach me to talk", use our eagle eyes eye-gaze device, and play switch activated computer games.

I love this textured switch for this station. My students will reach out for it. I actually bought a box that allows a switch to work on a computer. You can get one here. (affiliate link)

I really love using the Ian Bean website with my students. Our favorite area is the music area. I love how the musical activities encourage students to reach out and touch the switch by stopping the music and video. The best part is that the website is free! All you have to do is register.

Task Box Shelf

I have far more task boxes than this, but I only have a few out at a time that relate to our theme and goals.

I keep the student sensory bins on top of this shelf as well.

My students are learning to match the images on the boxes with pictures on their schedule. They each have their own sensory materials bin that I keep on top of this shelf. I switch up what is in the box, but a student never shares sensory materials with another student (because of COVID-19 regulations).

Here are some examples of the tasks I use. We may have a matching or sort board or a 'put in' task (put in task is any task where you have student put something into something else).

During a regular school year I would have my students go to the task shelf and bring their task back. This looks like helping a student use their wheel chair to go to the shelf and putting the box in their lap. This year I bring the boxes to their table to reduce contamination and then immediately sanitize the box and contents when they are finished.

Each student has a mini schedule with their tasks on it. We ask them to choose which activity they would like to do first. They do this primarily by using eye-gaze.

A student 'mini' schedule with 2 task choices.

If I have an activity like the color sorting activity above, I can easily modify it for my students. Since most of my students need accommodations for cortical visual impairment I will present the choices on a black velcro board.

I like to start with an errorless choice.

I also keep whatever file folder activities students may need to use for work tasks on top, as well as a set of daily themed life skills binders. The extra boxes are stored in photo boxes on top of my long blue cabinet. The blue bin is full of various kinds of "put in" tasks.

IEP Drawers

Each of my students has their own drawer in the rainbow cart. Each shelf has everything they need to measure their current IEP goals in separate baggies in their drawer. On top of the cart I keep a white basket with their data binders and on the wall I have QR codes that go to each student's digital data sheets. We scan the codes and add the data in the binders at the end of each week. This has been a huge time saver for myself and staff. It's easy to just grab the binder and everything in the drawer to take data.

I just have one drawer per student and keep extra data sheets in the extra drawer.

Whitney talks more about IEP bins and gives a full setup tutorial in her blog post, here.
Group Lesson Area

We still do group lessons, just distanced in the classroom. I have an apple TV so I may project a board game I made in lessonpix on to the screen from my Ipad and have the students use our adapted spinner to roll the dice.

I project our calendar time routine on the board from my iPad and I share whatever ULS (unique learning system) lesson we are on or videos that go with our lessons. I also have our actual calendar set up and behind the blue chart with our current math model I store all of the things I need for the week. This includes switches, velcro boards, mini velcro boards, adapted books, and any visuals I may need.

TapIt

The large purple screen is a TapIt. It's an amazing tool that my school district has provided. It's a large touch screen that is adjustable so that I can position it for a student that is sitting in a wheelchair or for a student's field of vision. We will do our ULS activities here, Boom Cards, the Ian bean website, seesaw activities and more!

We use it in group learning, but it also doubles as its own station. A student can work on the Tapit while another student does something else. The Tapit is an awesome tool for a multiple disabilities classroom.

Class Library

We have many more adapted books and activities than this, but I specifically curate this library to be usable for what we are doing for our theme that month in our multiple disabilities classroom.

I also have an in/out bucket for student take home folders on the top.

These are often extension activities and adapted books or books we need for our science and social studies lessons. As you can tell I use a lot of products from Simply Special Ed! I used them before I started blogging with SSE and it's part of the reason I wanted to join the SSE team. I just really love the products!

Here you can see the Simple Dry Erase Set, the Simply Geography Set, the Simply ELA Set and more. I also store my tactile schedule pieces that are in use here and my texture books.

Entrance Area

This was my solution for student cubbies. Each student has their own drawer where we keep their backpack and spare clothing. I do not keep toileting materials here. I do not have my own bathroom, but my pod (which houses our self contained classrooms) has an adapted bathroom with an electric changing table (my favorite thing ever) each student has a bin labeled with their name in the bathroom that holds their materials.

I have our emergency binder, with student health plans, our seizure/feeding log, and bathroom log all stored here.

Next to the plastic drawers I have another rainbow cart labeled with each student's name. Inside I keep their token board, first then, morning binder, and any other student specific materials (like picture cards, adapted spoon, finger lights for spotlighting ect.).

On top of that I keep each student's materials box. Every student has their own set of art supplies and expo markers. The boxes are hot pink because they were .30 cents each at Walmart. That's a teacher win!

Student Seating

In each grouping I have an average of 5 students. I made sure that each student has distanced seating in the classroom. On 2 of the tables I use plexiglass dividers to further separate students.

Instead of doing rotations this year, all of the materials come to the students in their area. They still move to use the computer, TapIt, lightbox, switch activities, or positioning equipment (once again we sanitize everything and let it dry before the next student uses it). However, their sensory and academic activities are done at their assigned seat.

I actually use the Simply Special Ed Functional Name Tags for my students seating. I don't have an image due to confidentiality, but I can tell you my students really respond to their pictures and familiar PECS symbols. You can learn more about Functional name tags in Alyssa's blog post, here.

At this table I actually have Simply Special Ed comprehension and tracing.

I use the SSE tracing binder and Picture Comprehension here. I love how this desk allows for storage above for easy access. Perfect for a multiple disabilities classroom.

Schedule Area

I keep my main class schedule on the side of this cabinet. The schedule board I use are the Simply Special Ed whole class schedule, but with my own picture symbols.

The back of this cabinet is a felt board. This is where the individual student schedules are. Each schedule is laminated with hard 10 mil. laminate and is brought to a student. The student helps take off the piece and puts it in the all done box. 2 of my students use tactile schedules. I keep their schedule boards on top. The super hard laminate makes it easy to sanitize each schedule.

Alyssa has a tutorial for creating individual student schedule boards in this blog post.

Equipment

I keep the active learning activities behind the u-table. That includes 2 bead bars and 2 sensory boards and 1 hanging activity frame (this actually stays outside of the classroom because it is so large).

If you haven't been to the active learning website you definitely should! It has so much good information for working with students with disabilities.

All of our positioning equipment is actually stored in the pod or in the PT/OT closet.

Staff Storage

Near the back door I have another plastic drawer container that staff use (including myself) to keep their personal belongings in.

I also store staff PPE back here (like extra gloves, alcohol wipes, face shields, masks, and gowns). On the back of this shelf I keep our vacuum and broom.

Bonus: Adapted Playground

How cool is it that our playground is adapted for student use? We have a wheelchair swing! I love that I can take my students to swing . We also have a shake and sway boat with a ramp and our big toy has a ramp as well. My students can go wherever they like on the playground! I love how inclusive my school is.

This is how my classroom is set up for students diagnosed with multiple disabilities. It took some trial and error, but we have a system that works. My classroom is small and does not have much storage, but I feel like it is really working well this year despite those limitations. If you have any questions about how I set-up my classroom just let me know!

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Multiple Disabilities Classroom Setup - Simply Special Ed

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I am so excited to share everything I've learned about setting up a multiple disabilities classroom with you! I've spent a lot of time mapping out my classroom layout this year. I hope this blog post about setting up a multiple disabilities classroom will be helpful for you!

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Assisstive technologies and accommodations - anxiety 

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Assisstive technologies and accommodations - anxiety 

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Accommodations:

Extra time and warnings before transitions

Preferential seating (near the door, near the front of the room, near the teacher’s desk)

Clearly stated and written expectations (behavioral and academic)

Frequent check-ins for understanding

Not requiring to read aloud or work at the board in front of the class

Video taped presentations or presenting in front of the teacher (instead of the whole class)

Extended time for tests

Tests taken in a separate, quiet environment (to reduce performance pressure and distraction)

Word banks and equation sheets: These are useful for children with test anxiety, who tend to “go blank” when taking a test. Using one notecard for important facts, dates, etc. can also be helpful.

“Cool down passes” to take a break from the classroom. This should be clearly explained to the student. Examples might include a walk down the hallway, getting water, standing outside the classroom door for a few minutes, completing coloring pages in the back of the room, or using a mindfulness app with headphones.

Breaking down assignments into smaller pieces

Modified tests and homework

Set reasonable time limits for homework

Record class lectures or use a scribe for notes

Preferential group (teacher or adult child knows well) for field trips

Preferential seating in large assemblies (near the back of the room)

Identify one adult at school to seek help from when feeling anxious (school counselor, if available)

Buddy system: Pair student with a peer to assist with transitions to lunch and recess (these less structured situations can trigger anxious feelings)

Help after illness: Missed work can spike anxious feelings. Providing class notes and exempting students from missed homework can help.

Substitute teachers: Letting the child or family know when a substitute will be in the classroom can help the child prepare.

Assisstive technologies:

Mobile applications:

http://www.moodtrack.com/ - allows to track and graph  moods as well as connect with other users.

https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app - The Headspace application can help reduce anxiety and stress and improve well-being by guiding users through meditation sessions.

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Assisstive technologies and accommodations - OCD

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Assisstive technologies and accommodations - OCD

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Common interventions and accommodations for children with OCD include but are not limited to the following:

Counseling (individual or group) (it will be important to determine if this type of therapy is specific to OCD or more supportive in nature)

Changes in the amount of time available to take tests

Changes in where tests will be taken

Provision of frequent breaks during instruction

Shortened assignments

A behavior improvement plan

Preferential seating

Transition plans

A special pass to use the restroom/office

Assistive technologies:

Due to obsessions and compulsions, people who have obsessive compulsive disorder may have trouble concentrating. In classrooms and meetings, this may cause those with OCD to not follow what is being said or not be able to take accurate notes. A recording device can allow a person with OCD to go over recorded moments with less pressure and more control.

Mobile applications:

https://onemindpsyberguide.org/apps/ggoc-app-review/

GG OCD aims to improve symptoms of OCD, specifically negative thinking, by increasing the user’s awareness of negative thoughts and training the brain to challenge them.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.t2health.breathe2relax&hl=en

Breathe2Relax is a portable stress management tool which provides detailed information on the effects of stress on the body and instructions and practice exercises to help users learn the stress management skill called diaphragmatic breathing.

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can significantly affect a child's academic, social, and emotional functioning, which is collectively defined as his or her "educational performance" by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fortunately, parents and educators can work together to address the educational needs of youth with OCD. In fact, schools are required by law to assist students with disabilities such as OCD. However, they may do so in different ways depending on the nature of the child's symptoms, his or her academic functioning, and the availability of resources.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law in the United States that governs how states and federally funded public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. Although the law does not include OCD as a specific disability, children may be eligible to receive special education services through an "Other Health Impairment (OHI)" or "Emotional Disturbance (ED)" exception. Due to the way that state boards of education interpret IDEA, schools in some states may need a physician or psychologist to provide a recent medical report establishing a child's disability. Further information may need to be collected suggesting that commonly used treatment interventions were ineffective before a student is diagnosed with an OHI. To qualify to receive services for an ED exception, a student must display one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a significant degree that negatively affects his or her educational performance:

An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, motivational, lack of academic engagement, or health factors

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

Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression

A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

Additionally, a student's problematic behavior or emotional responses must be significantly different from age appropriate, cultural, or ethnic norms and data may be needed suggesting that commonly used research-based interventions were ineffective for consideration for an ED exception.

Any legal guardian can request an evaluation to determine if his or her child may benefit from special education services. However, a request does not guarantee that a comprehensive psychological and educational evaluation will be conducted. Under the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA, state departments of education now have several options to govern how school personnel should evaluate and address student needs. Because of problems with quickly and efficiently delivering special education services, the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA blurs the lines between assessment and intervention, which allows schools to simultaneously provide research-based intervention services and collect data on a student's response to these services.

Regarding the former, many schools now use a response-to-intervention (RtI) approach to determine students' disability status and provide supportive resources. This approach involves providing students with intervention services as soon as a problem is identified to fix the problem and avoid over-identifying students with disabilities. Therefore, under IDEA, students with OCD may receive services through RtI even though this is not yet a common practice or due to being diagnosed with having an OHI or ED exception. Additionally, following a gradual service delivery approach, students with OCD may initially receive services under a RtI framework but then receive additional special education supports if they fail to respond to research-based interventions.

It is important to note that "research-based interventions" provided during the RtI process or prior to evaluating a student for an exception differ from "well-established" and "probably effective" interventions as defined by the American Psychological Association's Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures (1995), which includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) as a well-established treatment because of its excellent performance in properly designed research trials. In other words, the "research-based interventions" that the schools provide may not align with what OCD and psychology experts have found to be particularly effective for treating OCD in children. Research-based interventions that are commonly implemented in schools for students with OHI and ED exceptions may be behavioral in nature and have research-based support; however, they generally are not as rigorously evaluated as they should be. Therefore, it is unlikely that a student will receive CBT with ERP to treat his or her OCD symptoms at school.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

Once a student is diagnosed with an OHI or ED exception and becomes eligible to receive special education services, these services are then outlined in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). An IEP describes how a student's disability influences his or her educational performance. Furthermore, it lists academic and behavioral goals and the academic/behavioral supports needed to help the child achieve these goals.

Legal guardians must be invited to participate on the IEP team, which generally includes the student's teacher, a special education teacher, a school administrator, a school psychologist, and other school personnel. A legal guardian also may invite others to attend IEP meetings such as a trusted associate, child advocate, or attorney. If a legal guardian does not agree with the IEP or the IEP team's decision regarding special education eligibility, he or she must be informed how he or she can challenge the decision.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act guarantees rights to people with disabilities. It aims to decrease discrimination and promote equal opportunities by requiring schools to provide reasonable accommodations (e.g., extra time on tests, use of computer-aided instruction) for children with disabilities. These accommodations can address temporary or chronic problems, and no diagnosis is needed for students to receive them. Thus, 504 accommodations can be implemented quickly and flexibly. However, in contrast to services provided under IDEA, school systems do not receive federal funding to provide 504 accommodations.

Children with OCD may be eligible to receive 504 accommodations if their symptoms significantly limit at least one major life activity (e.g., walking, speaking, learning, reading, writing, performing math calculations, working, self-care) as determined by a school-based team that usually includes the same individuals who sit on IEP teams. Section 504 requires the review of multiple sources of information provided by different individuals (e.g., school psychologist, parent, teacher) prior to providing accommodations.

Similar to IEPs associated with IDEA, eligible 504 students receive accommodations through an Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP). This plan simply lists specific accommodations and interventions that may help a student overcome his or her disability. These plans often list specific instructional materials that a student may need, modifications to tests or assignments, grading and assessment changes, and behavioral interventions.

Supporting and Accommodating Students with OCD

Some caregivers may believe that students with IEPs are automatically placed in a special education class, while children with IAP or 504 plans are allowed to remain in a general education classroom. However, this is not accurate. Although students with IAPs generally receive instruction in regular educational settings, students with IEPs may receive instruction in general and special education settings under the assumption that they will be served in the least restrictive setting possible.

Students who receive special education services under IDEA are automatically protected under Section 504 so there is no reason for them to have an IEP and an IAP. Generally, students who qualify for special education services under IDEA have more severe and intractable disabilities than students with 504 plans do. However, this is not always true, and students can transition back and forth between service delivery plans depending on their response to interventions and progress toward achieving IEP goals.

Similarities exist between the types of interventions and accommodations that can be provided for children with IEPs and IAPs. Common interventions and accommodations for children with OCD include but are not limited to the following:

Counseling (individual or group) (it will be important to determine if this type of therapy is specific to OCD or more supportive in nature)

Changes in the amount of time available to take tests

Changes in where tests will be taken

Provision of frequent breaks during instruction

Shortened assignments

A behavior improvement plan

Preferential seating

Transition plans

A special pass to use the restroom/office

However, members of IEP and IAP teams should carefully select accommodations and interventions that will help a student and not reinforce his or her OCD symptoms, especially if the child is in treatment with a mental health OCD specialist. For example, extra time on a test can cause a child with perfectionistic concerns to spend even more time fruitlessly erasing and rewriting his or her answers. Moreover, providing a seat cushion to a child with contamination obsessions could undermine effective treatment for the child's OCD. Therefore, in addition to including caregivers, it is important for school personnel to collaborate with a student's treatment providers when determining potential accommodations and interventions.

Discipline and Manifestation Determination

Students who have IAPs or 504 plans can be expelled from school if a behavior problem is not related to their disability. However, students with IEPs have the right to fair and appropriate educational programing under IDEA, even if they are expelled from school. In other words, schools are required to provide special education students with behavior problems with educational services in some capacity, whereas students who manifest similar problems and have an IAP - yet not an IEP - may not be eligible for these services. Therefore, students who have OCD, and a co-occuring exception as recognized by IDEA (e.g., autism, developmental delay, OHI, ED), as well as display significant behavior problems, may be better protected from being expelled if school personnel evaluate and diagnose them with the co-morbid disorder.

Summary

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act allow children with OCD to receive intervention services and accommodations in school settings. Depending on a school-based team decision, students with OCD may be classified as having an Other Health Impairment (OHI) or and Emotional Disturbance (ED) exception and be provided with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Alternatively, they can receive services through Section 504 and provided with an Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP). Furthermore, schools also may decide to provide students with research-based interventions to see if they adequately respond to these interventions and do not need intensive supports or a special education diagnosis. However, schools are required to do something to help children with OCD if their symptoms negatively impact their educational performance.

In conclusion, schools are legally required to assist children with disabilities and include caregivers in the process. However, school personnel may be unfamiliar with OCD and unaware of steps they can take to better support affected children. Therefore, caregivers and mental health professionals should collaborate with members of school communities to ensure that children with OCD are adequately supported in school settings.
By Michael L. Sulkowski, PhD, & Eric A. Storch, PhD, University of South Florida

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OCD, IDEA, and IEPs: How to Access Special Education Services for Children with OCD - OCD in Kids

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can significantly affect a child's academic, social, and emotional functioning, which is collectively defined as his or her "educational performance" by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fortunately, parents and educators can work together to address the educational needs of youth with OCD.

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"The term 'specific learning disability' means a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations." - IDEA section 1401

This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.

.jpg generated by OpenArt AI

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There are 4 criteria which must be met in order to diagnose an SLD.

1. Difficulty with at least one of the following: reading, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, number concepts or calculation, mathematical reasoning.

2. Academic achievement is significantly lower than peers.

3. Difficulties manifest during school age.

4. Difficulties are not associated with other disabilities listed in this padlet, or related to economic/environmental disadvantage, poor instruction, or those associated with being an English Language Learner.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. (DSM-5) American Psychiatric Association Publishing. 2013

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Dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia can be treated by first evaluating students early, properly diagnosing, and then applying educational intervention. Evaluations are necessary for identification and determination of the severity, and an Individual Education Plan is created to ensure students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

For dyslexia, educators can focus on using multisensory teaching techniques, text to speech and/or audio books, counseling, word games, teamed reading, and peer tutoring. Dyslexia specialist can also be called upon to support diagnosed students with 1 to 1 support. Students with dyslexia will also need extra time for tests and other class work.

For dyscalculia, educators can focus on using student dry erase boards, allowing the use of calculators, using visual representations of math problems whenever possible, and playing math games. Again, dyscalculia sufferers should be allowed extra time to complete testing, and benefit from 1 to 1 time for checking work, as they work.

Dysgraphia effects fine motor skills, and so educators can take steps to remove barriers that would be acutely unfair to these students. For instance, removing penmanship or neatness from grading rubrics, providing slides or notes that would otherwise be handwritten in class, allow students to submit audio instead of written work, and allowing students to type assignments.

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Video and audio tools can help to relieve some of the set backs students face when suffering from dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. For instance, allowing students to listen to a book on tape, instead of reading can help to accommodate students with dyslexia. Teachers can use video to help demonstrate, visually, mathematical concepts that would otherwise confuse and frustrate students with dyscalculia.

For dysgraphia, teachers could simply allow students to forgo hand written assignments and tests; instead letting students use a laptop for all of their work. Typing on a computer, or drawing in MS Paint, requires fewer fine motor skills than writing or drawing by hand.

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Deaf-Blindness is the combination of hearing and visual impairment. It is also known as "dual sensory loss" or "multi-sensory impairment." People with Deaf-Blindness suffer from little or no useful hearing and little or no useful sight. Each individual possesses different degrees of vision and auditory loss and as such have their own individual needs.

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It may seem that deaf-blindness refers to a total inability to see or hear. However, in reality deaf-blindness is a condition in which the combination of hearing and visual losses in children and youth cause "such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness" [34 CFR 300.8(c)(2)] or multiple disabilities.

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Deaf-Blindness has a low incidence rate, meaning that there are less than 1% of deafblind students in the school-aged population.

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What is Deafblindness? - The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education

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The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education is primarily supported through a grant (#H1326T180011) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Additional support for targeted activities is provided by the Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children.

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A Look Inside Perkins Deafblind Classroom

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Since deafblind students suffer from various levels of both visual and hearing impairment there are a variety of assistive technologies to maximize both of these senses.

Vision
- Slant Boards
Reading stand or slanted board to bring materials closer to the student.

- Reading Guide
A kind of highlighting ruler that focuses the student on a specific area of text when reading.

- Hand-held Magnifiers
Magnifies objects, images and text

- Video Magnifiers
A camera that is used to enlarge and project an image onto a screen.

- Screen Magnifiers
A program that can magnify images on a computer.

- Telescopes
To enhance a students distant vision.

- Various Computer Software and Hardware
Examples include accessibility features on a device to improve clarity of the screen, text to speech, image to speech, large monitors or large print keyboards.

- Tablets
Provide access to instructional materials and often come with in-built accessibility features.

- Braille Devices
Provides students with an alternate way to read and reduce eye fatigue.

Hearing
- FM Systems
Radio systems that allow a teacher to transmit sound directly to a students ear, hearing aid or cochlear implant.

- Sound-Field systems
A wireless microphone worn by a teacher transmitting to speakers placed around the classroom to amplify the teachers voice.

- Captioning
Converting audio into text.

- Video Relay Service
Using an interpreter to translate sign language into speech through the use of telephone communicationg and video.

- Alerting Devices
Lights or vibrations intended to alert a person with hearing loss that a sound has occurred such as a fire alarm or knock at the door.

Both
- Syncing Assistive Listening and Speech Output Devices
Apps, features or programs that provide text to speech or image to speech capabilities can be synced to the student's assistive listening device. This allows students that have severe visual and hearing impairment to use a device to take a picture of text or an image and have the device transmit the result to their fm system, hearing aid or cochlear implant.

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Tactile Learning Strategies

Since children with deaf-blindness have residual hearing and vision, tactile learning strategies are important to incorporate their remaining senses such as smell, taste and proprioception (also known as kinaesthesia, the sense of self-movement, force and body position eg. being able to walk or kick without looking at your feet)

Some tactile learning strategies are:

Hand-Under-Hand Interactions
- A teacher gently places their hand under the students to help guide the students tactile exploration. Teachers are also able to feel where the student shows interest and follow along.

Tactile Modeling
- A teacher demonstrates an activity for a student by having that student feel the teachers actions by touching parts of the body or objects involved in the action. For example, a teacher guides a students hands in feeling the shapes of a shape puzzle and places the shape in the corresponding hole. The teacher then guides the students hands to another shape and says "Your turn."

Mutual Tactile Attention
- Joint attention and sharing an activity or object through non-controlling mutual touch. Mutual tactile attention encourages the student's involvement in social interaction. This is especially important for students whose condition renders them unable to understand speech because of sensory impairment or developmental level. For example, when a student is playing with a toy, a teacher may touch the students hand and the toy, which communicates, "May I play with you?"

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Vision and hearing are the primary senses through which education occurs for most children. When these senses are absent, distorted, or diminished, educators and families must use alternative strategies to support learning.

These strategies include tactile modeling, mutual tactile attention, and the use of a hand-under-hand approach to interactions.

Most children with deaf-blindness have residual hearing and vision. To enhance learning, tactile learning strategies are paired with approaches that incorporate the other senses (e.g., smell, taste, proprioception).

See also:

Hand-Under-Hand Interactions

Importance of the Hands and Touch

Maximizing the Use of Hearing and Vision

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Most children with deaf-blindness have residual hearing and vision. To enhance learning, tactile learning strategies are paired with approaches that incorporate the other senses (e.g., smell, taste, proprioception).

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Making play inclusive - Hand under hand communication

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Tactile Modeling with Barbara and Kareem

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that "Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment..."

Some examples provided in the act include asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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Sec. 300.8 (c) (9) - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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(9) Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that— (i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention…

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In 2020-21 the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 15% of special education students were classified under Other Health Impairment in the United States.

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Definition of “Speech or Language Impairment” under IDEA.

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Definition of “Speech or Language Impairment” under IDEA.

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, defines the term “speech or language impairment” as follows:

“(11) Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.”
[34 CFR §300.8(c)(11]

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Categories of Speech and Language Impairments in Children

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Categories of Speech and Language Impairments in Children

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Articulation, fluency, voice, and language are the four major areas of speech and language disorders.
1. Articulation:
Speech impairments where the child produces sounds incorrectly (e.g., lisp, difficulty articulating certain sounds, such as “l” or “r”);

2. Fluency:
Speech impairments where a child’s flow of speech is disrupted by sounds, syllables, and words that are repeated, prolonged, or avoided and where there may be silent blocks or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation patterns;

3. Voice:
Sppeech impairments where the child’s voice has an abnormal quality to its pitch, resonance, or loudness; and

4. Language:
Lannguage impairments where the child has problems expressing needs, ideas, or information, and/or in understanding what others say.

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Center for Parent Information and Resources

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Speech and Language Impairments - Center for Parent Information and Resources

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Your Central Hub for Parent Centers Serving Families of Children With Disabilities

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 Causes of Speech and Language Impairment

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 Causes of Speech and Language Impairment

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Hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disabilities, physical impairments, drug abuse, and vocal misuse are all potential causes of speech and language disorders. Communication disorders affect one out of every ten people in the United States, and many children with speech or language impairments are enrolled in special education programs. Stuttering, dysarthria, and articulation or phonological disorders are examples of common speech disorders.

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These delays and disorders range from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disabilities, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate and vocal abuse or misuse.

More than one million of the students served in the public schools' special education programs in the 1998-99 school year were categorized as having a speech or language impairment. This estimate does not include children who have speech/language problems secondary to other conditions, such as deafness. Language disorders may be related to other disabilities such as intellectual disabilities, autism or cerebral palsy. It is estimated that communication disorders affect one of every 10 people in the United States.

A child's communication is considered delayed when the child is noticeably behind his or her peers in the acquisition of speech and/or language skills. Speech disorders refer to difficulties producing speech sounds or problems with voice quality. Speech disorders may be problems with the way sounds are formed, called articulation or phonological disorders, or they may be difficulties with the pitch, volume or quality of the voice. There may be a combination of several problems. People with speech disorders have trouble using some speech sounds, which can also be a symptom of a delay.
Examples, Subsets and Synonyms for Communication Disorders:

Language Disorders (developmental language disorders)

Expressive Language Disorders

Receptive-Expressive Language Disorders

Phonologic Disorders (speech disorders)

Stuttering

Dysarthria

Hearing Loss Overview:

It is especially important to diagnose and treat a hearing loss in children as early as possible. Early management of hearing loss limits the potential impact of the hearing loss on learning and development. Hearing loss can be categorized by which part of the auditory system is affected. The three main components of the ear are the external ear, middle ear and inner ear. There are three basic types of hearing loss: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss. A conductive hearing loss is caused by problems in the external or middle ear. Hearing loss can be caused by impacted cerumen, middle ear fluid, or damage to the three bones in the middle ear. Oftentimes, conductive hearing loss can be treated medically. When not medically treatable, hearing aids are a good option. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear or nerve of hearing. It is treatable with hearing aids or medically with a cochlear implant. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. All three types of hearing loss can be present at birth or acquired over time.

Children with hearing loss will find it much more difficult than children who have normal hearing to learn vocabulary, grammar, word order, idiomatic expressions, and other aspects of verbal communication. It is well recognized that hearing is critical to speech and language development, communication, and learning. Children with listening difficulties due to hearing loss or auditory processing problems continue to be an under identified and underserved population. Auditory processing disorders may be present despite the presence of normal peripheral auditory sensitivity. Children with auditory processing disorders may have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, and discriminating (or telling the difference between) similar-sounding speech sounds. Sometimes they may behave as if a peripheral hearing loss is present, often asking for repetition or clarification. The earlier hearing loss occurs in a child's life, the more serious the effects on the child's development. Similarly, the earlier the problem is identified and intervention begun, the less serious the ultimate impact.

There are four major ways in which hearing loss affects children: a) the hearing loss can result in delays in the development of receptive and expressive communication; b) The language deficit causes learning problems that result in reduced academic achievement, c) Communication difficulties often lead to social isolation and poor self-concept, and, d) It may have an impact on vocational choices.

Additional Resources:

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Communication / Speech / Language Disorders

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These delays and disorders range from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disabilities, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate and vocal abuse or misuse.

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Phases of Learning about Child's Speech, Language and Hearing Development

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Phases of Learning about Child's Speech, Language and Hearing Development

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Phases:
Birth to One Year
One to Two Years
Two to Three Years
Three to Four Years
Four to Five Years

Children develop at their own rate. These charts tell you when most children who speak only one language will reach each milestone. Your child should master the skills listed by the time they reach the top of the age range. Missing one skill in the age range does not mean they have a problem. You may want to seek help if you answer "no" to most of the skills.

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Your child starts communicating with you long before they say their first word. Learn more about what your child should do in their first 5 years and how you can help.

Speech, language, or hearing problems can lead to trouble making friends and doing well in school. Give your child success-get help early.

Find your child's age below and learn about their speech, language, and hearing development.

Children develop at their own rate. These charts tell you when most children who speak only one language will reach each milestone. Your child should master the skills listed by the time they reach the top of the age range. Missing one skill in the age range does not mean they have a problem. You may want to seek help if you answer "no" to most of the skills.

What should I do if I think that my child may have a speech, language, or hearing problem?

To find a professional near you, visit ProFind.

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How Does Your Child Hear and Talk? Speech, Language, and Hearing Developmental Milestones From Birth to 5 Years

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Your child starts communicating with you long before he says his first word. Learn more about what your child should do in his first 5 years and how you can help.

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The Interventions can be used for Speech and language impairment: 

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The Interventions can be used for Speech and language impairment: 

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1. Speech and language therapy:
It can help students with speech and language impairments improve their communication skills and language development.

2. Phonics and phonemic awareness instruction:
These instructional strategies can assist students with speech and language impairments in developing phonological awareness skills that will assist them in reading, writing, and communication.

3. Social skills training:
Students with speech and language impairment may have difficulty with social interaction and communication. Social skills training can assist them in improving their social skills and peer communication.

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The Accommodations can be used for Speech and language impairment: 

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The Accommodations can be used for Speech and language impairment: 

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1. Preferential seating:
Giving students with speech and language impairments preferential seating can help them hear and understand instructions and classroom discussions better.

2. Assignment and assessment time extensions:
Students with speech and language impairments may require additional time to process information and complete assignments and assessments.

3. Visual aids:
Students with speech and language impairments can benefit from visual aids such as pictures, diagrams, and graphic organizers to help them understand and retain information.

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The Assistive Technology (AT) can be used for Speech and Language impairment

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The Assistive Technology (AT) can be used for Speech and Language impairment

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1. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices:

Text-to-speech software, communication boards, and voice amplifiers are examples of AAC devices that can help students with speech and language impairments communicate more effectively.

2. Speech recognition software:
Students with speech and language impairments can use this software to create written documents and communicate more effectively.

3. Educational apps:
Many educational apps are available to assist students with speech and language impairments in practicing and improving their language and communication skills.

AT is frequently the key to assisting students in participating in the give and take of shared thought, completing schoolwork, and demonstrating their learning.

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Speech-language Pathology Services defined by IDEA

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Speech-language Pathology Services defined by IDEA

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Students with a speech or language impairment will need speech-language pathology services. This related service is defined by IDEA as follows:

(15) Speech-language pathology services includes—

(i) Identification of children with speech or language impairments;

(ii) Diagnosis and appraisal of specific speech or language impairments;

(iii) Referral for medical or other professional attention necessary for the habilitation of speech or language impairments;

(iv) Provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or prevention of communicative impairments; and

(v) Counseling and guidance of parents, children, and teachers regarding speech and language impairments.
[34 CFR §300.34(c)(15)]

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7 Tips for Teachers to help Speech and Language Impairment students:

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7 Tips for Teachers to help Speech and Language Impairment students:

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1. Learn everything you can about the student's particular disability:
To understand the specific impairment and how it affects the student's communication abilities.

2. Recognize your own influence to make a huge difference in student's life:
Determine and emphasize the student's strengths and interests, create chances for success.

3. Learn more about the student's background:
By requesting a copy of his or her IEP, the student's educational goals, as well as the services and classroom accommodations he or she is to receive, will be listed.

4. Establish the necessary accommodations for classwork, homework, and testing.

5. Consult with others who can assist you in identifying teaching strategies:
Special educators and SLPs, for example, can assist you in assisting this student, modifying the curriculum, and addressing the student's IEP goals in your classroom.

6. Seeking external resources:
Find out whether your state/ country or school district has materials or resources to assist educators in meeting the learning needs of children with speech or language impairments.

7. Communicate with the student's parents:
Share information about how the student is doing at school and at home on a regular basis.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Center for Parent Information and Resources. “Speech and Language Impairments | Center for Parent Information and Resources.” Parentcenterhub.org, 2015, www.parentcenterhub.org/speechlanguage/.
2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. “How Does Your Child Hear and Talk? Speech, Language, and Hearing Developmental Milestones from Birth to 5 Years.” Asha.org, 2009, www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart/.
3. “Communication / Speech / Language Disorders.” Www.kennedykrieger.org, www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/conditions/communication-speech-language-disorders#:~:text=Some%20causes%20of%20speech%20and.

# data[].attributes.body
The disabilities considered under other health impairment effects the students strength, vitality and alertness in a way that negatively effects their learning ability.

Because of this, assistive technologies aim to make tasks that require these aspects of learning easier.

- Speech Recognition Software
Helps to take notes automatically for the student.

- Specialty Keyboards
These may be ergonomically designed, one-handed, expanded or miniature to accommodate the student and help reduce fatigue.

- Teaching Environments to Reduce Fatigue
This may include ergonomic chairs, easily accessible classrooms or motorized transport for the student. Any technology that reduces the physical strength required to attend class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Other Health Impairments

Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance. [§300.8(c)(9)]

Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2017), Categories of Disability under IDEA. Retrieved 3.28.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/categories/ public domain

Table of Contents

While ADHD falls under the OHI disability category, according to IDEA, ADHD will be discussed in a separate chapter.

Introduction to Other Health Impairments (OHI)

The following text is an excerpt from: Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2015), Other Health Impairments. Retrieved 4.1.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ohi/ public domain

What's immediately clear from this definition is that there are quite a few disabilities and disorders that fall under the umbrella of "other health impairment." And those disabilities are very different from one another. This makes it difficult for us to summarize "other health impairment" and connect you with more information and guidance on the subject.

And that's why, in a moment, we will break this discussion down into closer looks at each of the disabilities listed: ADD or AD/HD, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, and so on.

We'd also like to point out that IDEA's definition uses the phrase "such as..." That's significant. It means that the disabilities listed are not the only ones that may be considered when a child's eligibility for special services under IDEA is decided. A child with another health impairment (one not listed in IDEA's definition) may be found eligible for special services and assistance. What's central to all the disabilities falling under "Other Health Impairment" is that the child must have:

limited strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic health problems; and

an educational performance that is negatively affected as a result.

Specific Health Impairments

IDEA mentions the following specific health conditions in its definition of Other Health Impairment?

Other health impairments can also fall under the umbrella of IDEA's disability category besides the ones specifically mentioned in the law. The U.S. Department of Education mentions specific other disorders or conditions that may, in combination with other factors, qualify a child for services under IDEA-for example:

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS),

bipolar disorders,

dysphagia, and

other organic neurological disorders.

The reason these weren't specifically mentioned in IDEA's regulations? According to the Department:

...because these conditions are commonly understood to be health impairments...The list of acute or chronic health conditions in the definition of other health impairment is not exhaustive, but rather provides examples of problems that children have that could make them eligible for special education and related services under the category of other health impairment. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46550)

Note that the Department uses the phase "could make them eligible"-could, not does. Other aspects (adversely affected educational performance, a child's evaluation results, state policies) are considered in determining eligibility for services under IDEA, not solely the existence of the disability or condition. (Center for Parent Information and Resources, 2015)

Other Health Impairment types, with links to descriptions from NASET (n.d.) Other Health Impairments- Topic Categories from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments

Characteristics and Impact on Learning

There is a range of medical diagnoses and subsequent health problems that can have a temporary or chronic impact on a student's academic performance. Common diagnoses include arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, asthma, and heart disease. Unless the condition is neurological in nature, health impairments are not likely to directly affect learning. However, the secondary effects of illness and the side effects of medications can have a significant impact on memory, attention, strength, endurance, and energy.

Health impairments can result in a range of academic challenges for a student. Problems may include missing school for unpredictable and prolonged time periods and difficulties attending school full-time or on a daily basis. Health problems may also interfere with the physical skills needed to complete writing assignments or other learning activities. Individuals with arthritis, for example, may have difficulty writing due to pain or joint deformities. Some students may not be able to manipulate small laboratory equipment or complete tasks that require precise measuring, graphing, or drawing. Prolonged sitting may pose challenges for an individual with chronic pain or back problems. Illness or injury may result in limitations in mobility that make it necessary to use wheelchairs or scooters. Some students must avoid specific activities that trigger undesirable reactions. For example, students with asthma may need to avoid specific inhalants in a science lab. (DO-IT, n.d)

GO to: NASET. (n.d.). Comprehensive Overview of Other Health Impairments, from https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=2278, (Characteristics of OHI)

Accommodations

Flexibility plays a key role in supporting the success of students with health impairments as many health conditions by nature are unpredictable. The provision of assignment outlines and task instructions with clear and well-organized information regarding readings, materials, assignments, and exams can help the student plan, organize, and prioritize their schoolwork. Posting information on the web is another way for a student to access important information without the need to be physically present. Prior knowledge of deadlines and exams may help the student and their family plan doctor appointments and/or medical procedures around important dates.

Computer-based instruction and distance learning can provide feasible alternatives for students with illnesses that make regular class attendance difficult.

Examples of typical accommodations for students who have health impairments include:

note takers

recorded class sessions

flexible attendance requirements

extended time for classwork, homework, and tests.

alternative testing arrangements

assignments available in electronic format

the use of electronic mail for teacher-student correspondence and for class or small group discussions

environments that minimize fatigue and injury

an ergonomic workstation with adjustable keyboard trays, monitor risers, glare guards, footrests, adjustable chairs, and/or anti-fatigue matting

speech recognition computer input devices, ergonomic keyboards, one-handed keyboards, expanded keyboards, or miniature keyboards

(DO-IT, n.d)

Addressing Medical Issues

By their very nature, other health impairments involve medical care and medical concerns. The amount of time that must be devoted to doctor visits, medical appointments, hospitalization, and seeing to the child's well-being will depend greatly on the nature and severity of the child's health impairment. For many families, the actual medical care of their child can be a daily, weekly, monthly challenge.

As IDEA's definition of OHI makes clear, a health impairment affects a student's educational performance. In fact, for a child to qualify for special education services in the public schools, the OHI must affect the child's educational performance.

When a child is found to be eligible for special education, he or she will also be eligible to receive related services in school-which can be very valuable and relevant to the child's needs. Related services are provided as required to enable children with disabilities to benefit from their special education. Two in particular come to mind for children who have an OHI:

medical services, which are provided for diagnostic and evaluative purposes only, and which are defined as "...services provided by a licensed physician to determine a child's medically related disability that results in the child's need for special education and related services." [34 CFR §300.34(c)(5)]

school health services and school nurse services, which are defined by IDEA as "...health services that are designed to enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE as described in the child's IEP. School nurse services are services provided by a qualified school nurse. School health services are services that may be provided by either a qualified school nurse or other qualified person." [34 CFR §300.34(c)(13)]

Many children with disabilities, especially those who are medically fragile, could not attend school without the supportive services of school nurses and other qualified people. Over the years, the extent of the health-related services provided in schools has grown, as might be expected when you consider medical advances in the last decade alone.

What was previously called "school health services" in IDEA was expanded in its 2004 reauthorization to distinguish between services that are provided by a qualified nurse and those that may be provided by other qualified individuals. States and local school districts often have guidelines that address school health services and school nurse services. These may include providing such health-related suppor t as:

Special feedings;

Clean intermittent catheterization;

Suctioning;

The management of a tracheostomy;

Administering and/or dispensing medications;

Planning for the safety of a child in school;

Ensuring that care is given while at school and at school functions to prevent injury (e.g., changing a child's position frequently to prevent pressure sores);

Chronic disease management; and

Conducting and/or promoting education and skills training for all (including the child) who serve as caregivers in the school setting.

Determining what related services a child needs is the responsibility of the child's IEP team, the group that develops the child's individualized education program. Key information for decision makers will be available from the evaluation process, since a child must be assessed in all areas related to his or her suspected disability. The IEP team must look carefully at the evaluation results, which show the child's areas of strength and need, and decide upon which related services are appropriate for the child. The school must then provide these services as part of the child's education program.
When Health Affects School Attendance
It's not uncommon for a child with an OHI to have periodic absences from school, sometimes even lengthy ones, especially if hospitalization is necessary for whatever reason. During these times, the public school remains responsible for providing educational and related services to the eligible child with OHI. Because IDEA specifically states that special education can be provided in a range of settings, including the home or the hospital, states and school districts will have policies and approaches for addressing children's individualized needs and circumstances.

When the child is at home, the school may arrange for a homebound instructor to bring assignments from school to home and help the student complete those assignments.

When the child is hospitalized, services may be provided by the hospital, through arrangement with the school, although this will vary according to local policies. (In any event, the hospital is likely to have policies and procedures of its own, and it's important for the family to find out what those are.) The hospital may want to review the child's IEP and may, with the parent's permission, modify it during the child's hospitalization.

After the child is discharged, the hospital will share a summary of the child's progress with the school, in keeping with whatever local school policies are.

After a child has been out of school for an extended period of time, it's important for parents and school staff to plan carefully for his or her return to that setting and the activities that go on there.
(Center for Parent Information and Resources, OHI, 2015)

OHI Rare Conditions- Video Interviews

Road Forward - Veronica Wain (4:03 minutes)

Watch this video with mom sharing her experiences raising her daughter with "chromosome 18" (4:03 minutes). In this video, Veronica speaks about being a mother to Allycia, the battles she has fought and how she has learned to build supports around their family so that Allycia will have help in the long-term.

UQx ABLExx Series (Mar. 21, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.2a Road Forward - Veronica Wain [Video File]. From https://youtu.be/56MwfwvNsa8

Complex Care - Mary's Story (6:38 minutes)

In this video, Mary speaks about her three children, two of whom have an undiagnosed n eurodegenerative mitochondrial metabolic disorder, which led to the early death of her son, Jonathan. She speaks about Melissa, who is now living independently with extensive support.

Mary speaks about the many hurdles parents face when dealing with the complex disorders of their children and how medical or health professionals can hinder or help. Mary speaks about her life with her children and how much they have taught her.

UQx ABLEx Series (Mar. 22, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.4a Complex Care - Mary's Story [Video File] https://youtu.be/MmLWB8C4gQc

The next chapter will address: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Images
Medical Image by Peggy and Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Boy Mario Image Image by Sarah Martin from Pixabay

References

Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2015), Other Health Impairments. Retrieved 4.1.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ohi/ public domain

DO- IT, (n.d.) Health Impairments, from https://www.washington.edu/doit/health-impairments CC BY-NC-SA-3.0

NASET. (n.d.). Comprehensive Overview of Other Health Impairments, from https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=2278,

NASET. (n.d.). Educational Issues, from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments/educational-issues

NASET (n.d.) Other Health Impairments- Topic Categories from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments

UQx ABLExx Series (Mar. 21, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.2a Road Forward - Veronica Wain [Video File]. From https://youtu.be/56MwfwvNsa8

UQx ABLEx Series (Mar. 22, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.4a Complex Care - Mary's Story [Video File] https://youtu.be/MmLWB8C4gQc

Updated 7.4.22

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding and Supporting Learners with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that- (i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and (ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance.

# data[].attributes.body
Other accommodations follow the same guidelines as assistive technology to help students with other health impairment.

- Note Takers
People that take notes for the students.

- Recorded Class Sessions
Allows students to listen to classes multiple times if needed or pause a class to take a break.

- Flexible Attendance Requirements
Allows students to choose a time when they feel well enough to maximize learning.

- Extended Time for classwork, homework and tests.
Students with other health impairment may take longer to complete these tasks.

- Alternative Testing Arrangements
Could be extra time allowed to take tests, online tests from the comfort of home or perhaps assignments that can be done in the students own time as an alternative to a test.

- Classrooms Designed for Students with Heightened Alertness
Minimally designed classrooms to reduce extra stimuli for students with heightened alertness. Allowing them to focus on the class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Other Health Impairments

Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance. [§300.8(c)(9)]

Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2017), Categories of Disability under IDEA. Retrieved 3.28.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/categories/ public domain

Table of Contents

While ADHD falls under the OHI disability category, according to IDEA, ADHD will be discussed in a separate chapter.

Introduction to Other Health Impairments (OHI)

The following text is an excerpt from: Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2015), Other Health Impairments. Retrieved 4.1.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ohi/ public domain

What's immediately clear from this definition is that there are quite a few disabilities and disorders that fall under the umbrella of "other health impairment." And those disabilities are very different from one another. This makes it difficult for us to summarize "other health impairment" and connect you with more information and guidance on the subject.

And that's why, in a moment, we will break this discussion down into closer looks at each of the disabilities listed: ADD or AD/HD, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, and so on.

We'd also like to point out that IDEA's definition uses the phrase "such as..." That's significant. It means that the disabilities listed are not the only ones that may be considered when a child's eligibility for special services under IDEA is decided. A child with another health impairment (one not listed in IDEA's definition) may be found eligible for special services and assistance. What's central to all the disabilities falling under "Other Health Impairment" is that the child must have:

limited strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic health problems; and

an educational performance that is negatively affected as a result.

Specific Health Impairments

IDEA mentions the following specific health conditions in its definition of Other Health Impairment?

Other health impairments can also fall under the umbrella of IDEA's disability category besides the ones specifically mentioned in the law. The U.S. Department of Education mentions specific other disorders or conditions that may, in combination with other factors, qualify a child for services under IDEA-for example:

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS),

bipolar disorders,

dysphagia, and

other organic neurological disorders.

The reason these weren't specifically mentioned in IDEA's regulations? According to the Department:

...because these conditions are commonly understood to be health impairments...The list of acute or chronic health conditions in the definition of other health impairment is not exhaustive, but rather provides examples of problems that children have that could make them eligible for special education and related services under the category of other health impairment. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46550)

Note that the Department uses the phase "could make them eligible"-could, not does. Other aspects (adversely affected educational performance, a child's evaluation results, state policies) are considered in determining eligibility for services under IDEA, not solely the existence of the disability or condition. (Center for Parent Information and Resources, 2015)

Other Health Impairment types, with links to descriptions from NASET (n.d.) Other Health Impairments- Topic Categories from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments

Characteristics and Impact on Learning

There is a range of medical diagnoses and subsequent health problems that can have a temporary or chronic impact on a student's academic performance. Common diagnoses include arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, asthma, and heart disease. Unless the condition is neurological in nature, health impairments are not likely to directly affect learning. However, the secondary effects of illness and the side effects of medications can have a significant impact on memory, attention, strength, endurance, and energy.

Health impairments can result in a range of academic challenges for a student. Problems may include missing school for unpredictable and prolonged time periods and difficulties attending school full-time or on a daily basis. Health problems may also interfere with the physical skills needed to complete writing assignments or other learning activities. Individuals with arthritis, for example, may have difficulty writing due to pain or joint deformities. Some students may not be able to manipulate small laboratory equipment or complete tasks that require precise measuring, graphing, or drawing. Prolonged sitting may pose challenges for an individual with chronic pain or back problems. Illness or injury may result in limitations in mobility that make it necessary to use wheelchairs or scooters. Some students must avoid specific activities that trigger undesirable reactions. For example, students with asthma may need to avoid specific inhalants in a science lab. (DO-IT, n.d)

GO to: NASET. (n.d.). Comprehensive Overview of Other Health Impairments, from https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=2278, (Characteristics of OHI)

Accommodations

Flexibility plays a key role in supporting the success of students with health impairments as many health conditions by nature are unpredictable. The provision of assignment outlines and task instructions with clear and well-organized information regarding readings, materials, assignments, and exams can help the student plan, organize, and prioritize their schoolwork. Posting information on the web is another way for a student to access important information without the need to be physically present. Prior knowledge of deadlines and exams may help the student and their family plan doctor appointments and/or medical procedures around important dates.

Computer-based instruction and distance learning can provide feasible alternatives for students with illnesses that make regular class attendance difficult.

Examples of typical accommodations for students who have health impairments include:

note takers

recorded class sessions

flexible attendance requirements

extended time for classwork, homework, and tests.

alternative testing arrangements

assignments available in electronic format

the use of electronic mail for teacher-student correspondence and for class or small group discussions

environments that minimize fatigue and injury

an ergonomic workstation with adjustable keyboard trays, monitor risers, glare guards, footrests, adjustable chairs, and/or anti-fatigue matting

speech recognition computer input devices, ergonomic keyboards, one-handed keyboards, expanded keyboards, or miniature keyboards

(DO-IT, n.d)

Addressing Medical Issues

By their very nature, other health impairments involve medical care and medical concerns. The amount of time that must be devoted to doctor visits, medical appointments, hospitalization, and seeing to the child's well-being will depend greatly on the nature and severity of the child's health impairment. For many families, the actual medical care of their child can be a daily, weekly, monthly challenge.

As IDEA's definition of OHI makes clear, a health impairment affects a student's educational performance. In fact, for a child to qualify for special education services in the public schools, the OHI must affect the child's educational performance.

When a child is found to be eligible for special education, he or she will also be eligible to receive related services in school-which can be very valuable and relevant to the child's needs. Related services are provided as required to enable children with disabilities to benefit from their special education. Two in particular come to mind for children who have an OHI:

medical services, which are provided for diagnostic and evaluative purposes only, and which are defined as "...services provided by a licensed physician to determine a child's medically related disability that results in the child's need for special education and related services." [34 CFR §300.34(c)(5)]

school health services and school nurse services, which are defined by IDEA as "...health services that are designed to enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE as described in the child's IEP. School nurse services are services provided by a qualified school nurse. School health services are services that may be provided by either a qualified school nurse or other qualified person." [34 CFR §300.34(c)(13)]

Many children with disabilities, especially those who are medically fragile, could not attend school without the supportive services of school nurses and other qualified people. Over the years, the extent of the health-related services provided in schools has grown, as might be expected when you consider medical advances in the last decade alone.

What was previously called "school health services" in IDEA was expanded in its 2004 reauthorization to distinguish between services that are provided by a qualified nurse and those that may be provided by other qualified individuals. States and local school districts often have guidelines that address school health services and school nurse services. These may include providing such health-related suppor t as:

Special feedings;

Clean intermittent catheterization;

Suctioning;

The management of a tracheostomy;

Administering and/or dispensing medications;

Planning for the safety of a child in school;

Ensuring that care is given while at school and at school functions to prevent injury (e.g., changing a child's position frequently to prevent pressure sores);

Chronic disease management; and

Conducting and/or promoting education and skills training for all (including the child) who serve as caregivers in the school setting.

Determining what related services a child needs is the responsibility of the child's IEP team, the group that develops the child's individualized education program. Key information for decision makers will be available from the evaluation process, since a child must be assessed in all areas related to his or her suspected disability. The IEP team must look carefully at the evaluation results, which show the child's areas of strength and need, and decide upon which related services are appropriate for the child. The school must then provide these services as part of the child's education program.
When Health Affects School Attendance
It's not uncommon for a child with an OHI to have periodic absences from school, sometimes even lengthy ones, especially if hospitalization is necessary for whatever reason. During these times, the public school remains responsible for providing educational and related services to the eligible child with OHI. Because IDEA specifically states that special education can be provided in a range of settings, including the home or the hospital, states and school districts will have policies and approaches for addressing children's individualized needs and circumstances.

When the child is at home, the school may arrange for a homebound instructor to bring assignments from school to home and help the student complete those assignments.

When the child is hospitalized, services may be provided by the hospital, through arrangement with the school, although this will vary according to local policies. (In any event, the hospital is likely to have policies and procedures of its own, and it's important for the family to find out what those are.) The hospital may want to review the child's IEP and may, with the parent's permission, modify it during the child's hospitalization.

After the child is discharged, the hospital will share a summary of the child's progress with the school, in keeping with whatever local school policies are.

After a child has been out of school for an extended period of time, it's important for parents and school staff to plan carefully for his or her return to that setting and the activities that go on there.
(Center for Parent Information and Resources, OHI, 2015)

OHI Rare Conditions- Video Interviews

Road Forward - Veronica Wain (4:03 minutes)

Watch this video with mom sharing her experiences raising her daughter with "chromosome 18" (4:03 minutes). In this video, Veronica speaks about being a mother to Allycia, the battles she has fought and how she has learned to build supports around their family so that Allycia will have help in the long-term.

UQx ABLExx Series (Mar. 21, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.2a Road Forward - Veronica Wain [Video File]. From https://youtu.be/56MwfwvNsa8

Complex Care - Mary's Story (6:38 minutes)

In this video, Mary speaks about her three children, two of whom have an undiagnosed n eurodegenerative mitochondrial metabolic disorder, which led to the early death of her son, Jonathan. She speaks about Melissa, who is now living independently with extensive support.

Mary speaks about the many hurdles parents face when dealing with the complex disorders of their children and how medical or health professionals can hinder or help. Mary speaks about her life with her children and how much they have taught her.

UQx ABLEx Series (Mar. 22, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.4a Complex Care - Mary's Story [Video File] https://youtu.be/MmLWB8C4gQc

The next chapter will address: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Images
Medical Image by Peggy and Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Boy Mario Image Image by Sarah Martin from Pixabay

References

Center for Parent Information and Resources, (2015), Other Health Impairments. Retrieved 4.1.19 from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ohi/ public domain

DO- IT, (n.d.) Health Impairments, from https://www.washington.edu/doit/health-impairments CC BY-NC-SA-3.0

NASET. (n.d.). Comprehensive Overview of Other Health Impairments, from https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=2278,

NASET. (n.d.). Educational Issues, from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments/educational-issues

NASET (n.d.) Other Health Impairments- Topic Categories from https://www.naset.org/professional-resources/exceptional-students-and-disability-information/other-health-impairments

UQx ABLExx Series (Mar. 21, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.2a Road Forward - Veronica Wain [Video File]. From https://youtu.be/56MwfwvNsa8

UQx ABLEx Series (Mar. 22, 2016). UQx ABLE101x 1.3.1.4a Complex Care - Mary's Story [Video File] https://youtu.be/MmLWB8C4gQc

Updated 7.4.22

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding and Supporting Learners with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that- (i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and (ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance.