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-depend on the user's body to convey messages
-Examples include sign language, body language, and gestures
-Advantage: no technology needed

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What is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?

It is an injury that directly disrupts the brain's normal function. TBI is one of the main reasons for death and disability all over the world. TBI can happen to anybody but according to research some categories of TBI have a greater risk of getting a serious health deterioration after the injury.

In our country, Bangladesh, most brain injuries  have resulted from road accidents or physical trauma.

Four main types of TBI”s are:

1. Concussion

2. Contusion

3. Penetrating Injury

4. Anoxic brain injury

Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/index.html
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/4-types-brain-injuries-3-levels-severity/

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People

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Definition:

Orthopaedic impairment is defined as a child’s disability with a bone, joint, or muscle that directly affects the child’s educational performance.

This disease depends on its severity and also individual factors.

How to identify an orthopaedic impairment?

When individuals are having paralysis, unsteady gait, poor muscle control, loss of a limp etc. In some cases, people have  difficulty while speaking. People become unable to perform everyday activities like a normal person. Additionally,  there is difficulty with large and fine motor skills.

Reasons for having orthopaedic impairment:

1. Amputation

2. Birth trauma

3. Burns

4. Cerebral palsy

5. Other diseases  like bone tuberculosis etc.

6. Fractures

7. Genetic abnormality

8. Injury

Assistive Technologies like a wheelchair or  an adjustable table are usually used  by individuals or students with orthopaedic impairments.

Source:
https://www.drbillhefley.com/what-is-an-orthopedic-impairment/
http://education.ohio.gov/

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Orthopedic impairment is defined as a child's disability relating to a bone, joint, or muscle, that is severe enough to directly affect the child's educational performance. It can be caused by many different factors including genetic abnormalities, disorders such as cerebral palsy, or an injury that has caused a missing limb or has impaired a muscle.

The extent to which a child's education is affected can vary greatly, depending on the level of impairment. Many children with an orthopedic impairment do still have normal cognitive abilities, so these children require mainstream education wherever possible and in the least restrictive environment as appropriate.

Causes of Orthopedic Impairment

Some of the main reasons why children have orthopedic impairments include the following:

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Orthopedic disorders include defects or disorders of the bones and muscles, such as a limb deficiency. A child may be missing part or all of a limb due to trauma, disease, or a birth disorder such as clubfoot.

Clubfoot is a fairly common birth defect in which a baby is born with their foot or feet pointing downward and inward, with the soles of the feet facing inward toward one another, due to shortened tendons. In about 50% of all cases of clubfoot, both feet are affected. Early treatment for clubfoot is recommended before the baby is walking.

Neuromotor Impairments

A neuromotor impairment involves the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The impairment affects the child's ability to move, feel, or use certain parts of the body. Spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and spinal injuries are types of neuromotor impairments.

The most common motor and movement disability in children is cerebral palsy. This actually refers to a group of permanent conditions that affect movement and coordination, and it can develop before, during, or soon after birth. Symptoms are usually not obvious at birth but become more apparent within 2-3 years.

Degenerative Diseases

Degenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophy affect motor movement, and they are characterized by the structure or function of a body tissue progressively worsening. Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of genetic disorders that cause a loss of muscle mass and progressive weakness over time. There are treatments available to help many people manage their muscular dystrophy.

Orthopedic Impairments from Other Causes

An orthopedic impairment can also result from other factors such as an amputation, injury due to an accident, or severe burns that have resulted in damage to the bones and muscles.

Joint deformities such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a birth defect resulting in the ball-and-socket joint not developing properly in babies and young children. This causes the hip joint to be loose and, in some cases, leads to hip dislocation. If left untreated, it can prevent the hip joint from developing properly and lead to hip pain, reduced function, and osteoarthritis in the child.

Orthopedic Care in Little Rock, Arkansas

If you have an orthopedic impairment or a musculoskeletal issue that is impacting your quality of life, contact board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. William Hefley for an evaluation and to discuss your treatment options. Dr. Hefley treats a broad range of orthopedic conditions and injuries, and he specializes in treating shoulder, hip, and knee conditions.

While Dr. Hefley is highly experienced in performing arthroscopic and minimally invasive joint replacement surgery, he also uses an array of nonsurgical modalities - including stem cell and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy - to treat orthopedic injuries and conditions. The medical staff at Bowen Hefley Orthopedics is here to improve your quality of life and get you moving again.

If you would like more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hefley at one of our convenient locations, call us today at (800) 336-2412, or you can use our convenient online appointment request form. We look forward to seeing you here!

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What Is an Orthopedic Impairment? | Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

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Orthopedic impairment is defined as a child's disability relating to a bone, joint, or muscle, that is severe enough to directly affect the child's educational performance. It can be caused by many different factors including genetic abnormalities, disorders such as cerebral palsy, or an injury that has caused a missing limb or has impaired a muscle.

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instructional strategies for students with traumatic brain injury

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instructional strategies for students with traumatic brain injury

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The symptoms of Students with Traumatic brain injuries may change over time. (short-term memory problems, serious attention deficits, behavior problems, problems of judgment, and serious anxiety attacks.) education programs and accommodations may need to be changed accordingly depends on the student’s state. The strategies are kind of similar to the rest of the disabilities like:
-Chunking the lesson into small parts
-Provide repetition and consistency and Clear instructions

-Review and summarize often
-Visual and sensory stimulus
-Low stamina and lack of concentration should be addressed by sitting the student in front of the class.
- Allow students to tape-record lectures.-Assist students in obtaining a note taker.

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What Schools Need to Know About Children with Brain Injury

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Assistive Technologies - Computer Access

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Assistive Technologies - Computer Access

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-Seating and Positioning (Adjustable work surfaces matched with seating schemes)
-Keyboards (accessibility settings)
-Voice Commands ((Voice recognition Software)
-Pointing Devices (joy sticks as alternatives)
-Viewing the Screen (Mounting tablets using Velcro)
-Reading Software (ReadPlease and Kurzweil)

References

Johnson, K., & Harniss, M. (2016). Assistive Technology in Traumatic Brain Injury. In F. Zollman (Ed), Manual of Traumatic Brain Injury: Assessment and Management (2nd Ed). New York: Demos Medical

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Speech generating devices (e.g. GoTalks)

Recording devices (for extra notetaking time)

Writing assistance (e.g. text to speech software)

Reference:
Libguides: Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Common assistive technologies. Common Assistive Technologies - Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - LibGuides at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://guides.library.illinois.edu/c.php?g=497977&p=3409451.

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The Technology Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 described an assistive technology device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

Assistive technologies can be "high tech" and "low tech:" from canes and lever doorknobs to voice recognition software and augmentative communication devices (speech generating devices).

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LibGuides: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Common Assistive Technologies

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The Technology Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 described an assistive technology device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

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Assistive technologies:
assistive technology devices focus on aiding the student to access the educational material. These devices include:

speech recognition software

screen reading software

augmentative and alternative communication devices (such as communication boards)

academic software packages for students with disabilities

Ref. Orthopedic impairments. (n.d.). Project IDEAL. https://www.projectidealonline.org/v/orthopedic-impairments/

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Accommodations for learning:

Special seating arrangements to develop useful posture and movements

Instruction focused on development of gross and fine motor skills

Securing suitable augmentative communication and other assistive devices

Awareness of medical condition and its affect on the student (such as getting tired quickly)

Specialists to work with the student:

Physical Therapists who work on gross motor skills (focusing on the legs, back, neck and torso)

Occupational Therapists who work on fine motor skills (focusing on the arms and hands as well as daily living activities such as dressing and bathing)

Speech-Language Pathologists who work with the student on problems with speech and language

Adapted Physical Education Teachers, who are specially trained PE teachers who work along with the OT and PT to develop an exercise program to help students with disabilities

Other Therapists (Massage Therapists, Music Therapists, etc.)https://www.projectidealonline.org/v/orthopedic-impairments/

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Definition

Orthopedic impairment is defined as a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g., clubfoot, absence of some member, etc.), impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc.), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

Prevalence

The U.S. Department of Education reports 5,971,495 students receiving special education services in the 2003-2004 school year. Of that number, roughly 1.1%, or 68,188 students, received special education services based on a classification of orthopedic impairments.

Characteristics

The IDEA category of orthopedic impairments contains a wide variety of disorders. These can be divided into three main areas: neuromotor impairments, degenerative diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders. The specific characteristics of an individual who has an orthopedic impairment will depend on both the specific disease and its severity, as well as additional individual factors.

A neuromotor impairment is an abnormality of, or damage to, the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system that sends impulses to the muscles of the body. These impairments are acquired at or before birth, and often result in complex motor problems that can affect several body systems. These motor problems can include limited limb movement, loss of urinary control, and loss of proper alignment of the spine. The two most common types of neuromotor impairments are cerebral palsy and spina bifida.

Cerebral palsy refers to several nonprogressive disorders of voluntary movement or posture that are caused by malfunction of or damage to the developing brain that occurs before or during birth or within the first few years of life. Individuals with cerebral palsy have abnormal, involuntary, and/or uncoordinated motor movements. The four most common types of cerebral palsy include:

Spastic (very tight muscles occurring in one or more muscle groups that result in stiff, uncoordinated movements)

Athetoid (movements are contorted, abnormal, and purposeless)

Ataxic (poor balance and equilibrium in addition to uncoordinated voluntary movement)

Mixed (any combination of the types)

Cerebral palsy is also classified by which limbs (arms and legs) are affected. Major classifications include hemiplegia (left or right side), diplegia (legs affected more than arms); paraplegia (only legs), and quadriplegia (all four limbs).

Spina bifida is a developmental defect of the spinal column. Spina bifida is characterized by an abnormal opening in the spinal column and frequently involves some paralysis of various portions of the body. It may or may not affect intellectual functioning. Spina bifida is usually classified as either spina bifida occulta or spina bifida cystica. Spina bifida occulta is a mild condition while spina bifida cystica is more serious.

Degenerative diseases are composed of various diseases that affect motor development. The most common degenerative disease found in the school population is muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakness from degeneration of muscle fibers.

Musculoskeletal disorders are composed of various conditions that can result in various levels of physical limitations. Two examples of musculoskeletal disorders include juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and limb deficiency.

Impact on Learning

The specific impact on learning of an individual is contingent upon the disease, its severity, and individual factors. Two individuals with identical diagnoses may be quite different in terms of their capabilities.

Many students with orthopedic impairments have no cognitive, learning, perceptual, language, or sensory issues. However, individuals with neuromotor impairments have a higher incidence of additional impairments, especially when there has been brain involvement. For most students with orthopedic impairments, the impact on learning is focused on accommodations necessary for students to have access to academic instruction.

Teaching Strategies

As with most students with disabilities, the classroom accommodations for students with orthopedic impairments will vary dependent on the individual needs of the student. Since many students with orthopedic impairments have no cognitive impairments, the general educator and special educator should collaborate to include the student in the general curriculum as much as possible.

In order for the student to access the general curriculum, the student may require these accommodations:

Special seating arrangements to develop useful posture and movements

Instruction focused on development of gross and fine motor skills

Securing suitable augmentative communication and other assistive devices

Awareness of medical condition and its affect on the student (such as getting tired quickly)

Because of the multi-faceted nature of orthopedic impairments, other specialists may be involved in developing and implementing an appropriate educational program for the student. These specialists can include:

Physical Therapists who work on gross motor skills (focusing on the legs, back, neck and torso)

Occupational Therapists who work on fine motor skills (focusing on the arms and hands as well as daily living activities such as dressing and bathing)

Speech-Language Pathologists who work with the student on problems with speech and language

Adapted Physical Education Teachers, who are specially trained PE teachers who work along with the OT and PT to develop an exercise program to help students with disabilities

Other Therapists (Massage Therapists, Music Therapists, etc.)

Assistive Technology

Due to the various levels of severity of orthopedic impairment, multiple types of assistive technology may be used. As with any student with a disability, the assistive technology would need to address a need of the student to be able to access the educational curriculum. For students with orthopedic impairments, these fall into three categories:

Devices to Access Information: These assistive technology devices focus on aiding the student to access the educational material. These devices include:

speech recognition software

screen reading software

augmentative and alternative communication devices (such as communication boards)

academic software packages for students with disabilities

Devices for Positioning and Mobility: These assistive technology devices focus on helping the student participate in educational activities. These devices include:

canes

walkers

crutches

wheelchairs

specialized exercise equipment

specialized chairs, desks, and tables for proper posture development

Organizations

United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Inc.

1660 L Street NW, Suite 700
Washington DC 20036

Web: www.ucp.org

United Cerebral Palsy of Texas

The national organization and its nationwide network of affiliates strive to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in every facet of society-from the Web to the workplace, from the classroom to the community. As one of the largest health charities in America, the mission of United Cerebral Palsy is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network.

1016 La Posada, Suite 145
Austin, TX 78752

Email: info@ucptexas.org
Web: www.ucptexas.org

Center for Disability and Development

Dept. of Educational Psychology
4225 Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-4225

Easter Seals--National Office

Easter Seals offers help, hope and answers to more than a million children and adults living with autism and other disabilities or special needs and their families each year. Services and support are provided through a network of more than 550 sites in the U.S. Each center provides exceptional services that are individualized, innovative, family-focused and tailored to meet specific needs of the particular community served.

230 West Monroe Street, Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60606-4802

Web: www.easter-seals.org

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. They carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies' lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects, low birthweight.

1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605

Phone: 914-428-7100; 888-663-4637
Email: askus@marchofdimes.com
Web: www.marchofdimes.com

National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC)

The core mission of the Center is to collect and disseminate the results of research funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). NARIC staff members have been dedicated to providing direct, personal, and high-quality information services to anyone throughout the country.

4200 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 202
Lanham, MD 20706

Email: naricinfo@heitechservices.com
Web: www.naric.com

Spina Bifida Association of America

The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) serves adults and children who live with the challenges of Spina Bifida. Since 1973, SBA has been the only national voluntary health agency solely dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with Spina Bifida and those whose lives are touched by this challenging birth defect. Its tools are education, advocacy, research, and service.

4590 MacArthur Boulevard, N.W., Suite 250
Washington, DC 20007

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

The mission of NINDS is to reduce the burden of neurological disease - a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world. NINDS conducts, fosters, coordinates, and guides research; operates research projects, program projects, and research center grants; and collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders.

National Institutes of Health
National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824

Web: www.ninds.nih.gov

References

Gargiulo, R.M. (2006). Special education in contemporary society: An introduction to exceptionality. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R. & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2007). Exceptional lives: Special education in today's schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

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Orthopedic impairment is defined as a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

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Traumatic Brain Injury is injury to the brain as a result of an external force. Examples of impairment are in areas of language, memory, abstract thinking, judgement, motor skills, physcosocial, physical and speech. It does not apply to brain injuries that are present from birth or are degenerative.

References:
Sec.300.8 (c) Definitions of Disability Terms. (2018, May 25). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c

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This is defined as a disability relating to bones, muscles or joints, severe enough to negatively affect a child's education experience.

This includes disabilities as a result of disease, from causes like cerebral palsy or deformation of joints and muscles.

References:
Sec.300.8 (c) Definitions of Disability Terms. (2018, May 25). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c

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What is Hearing Impairment (HI)?
A disorder in any part of the auditory system will affect the hearing ability, and thus affect the speech and communication abilities. A child with hearing thresholds higher than 25dB can be regarded as having HI. HI can be classified into 5 degrees:
1. Mild Hearing Impairment (Hearing thresholds: 26 to 40 dB)
2. Moderate Hearing Impairment (Hearing thresholds: 41 to 55 dB)
3. Moderately Severe Hearing Impairment (Hearing thresholds: 56 to 70 dB)
4. Severe Hearing Impairment (Hearing thresholds: 71 to 90 dB)
5. Profound Hearing Impairment (Hearing thresholds: 91 dB or higher)
Support Services and Strategies:
In general, EDB will, subject to the assessment and recommendations of the specialists and with parents’ consent, refer students with severe or profound HI to schools for children with HI to receive intensive support services. Other students with HI may attend ordinary schools. Schools will provide the following support in accordance with the needs of the students:
1.Adopt effective teaching methods and materials such as using visual strategies, as well as formulating appropriate support measures, to provide systematic support and regular review on the progress for students with HI;

2.Arrange good listening environments, including the setting up of quiet teaching environments, providing preferential seating, etc.;

3.Provide FM system to students with HI, if necessary, so as to facilitate them to receive speech signals of teachers effectively;

4.and Use training materials, resource packages, information leaflets, etc. to help students with HI make use of their residual hearing in learning so as to enhance their social skills, communication and learning effectiveness to overcome the barriers arising from HI.
5. EDB arranges regular audiological review and related audiological services for students with HI, including the provision of hearing aid, earmould and related repair and maintenance services.

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Please click on the image for details.

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https://www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/deafness/

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https://www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/deafness/

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Providing items to hold to decrease inappropriate repetitive movements and increase attention on task or skill.
Give them opportunities to move, then come back to the task at hand.

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National Association of Deaf (NAD)

The National Association of Deaf (NAD)  is a non-profit organisation that works to protect and promote the civil,  human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people.

A Brief History:

NAD was founded  in 1880 by deaf leaders who believed their community had the right to use sign language to congregate on issues important to them and have their interests represented at the national level.

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Please click on the image for details.

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Strategies for Specific Learning Disabilities

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Strategies for Specific Learning Disabilities

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break learning into small steps;

administer probes;

supply regular, quality feedback;

use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment what they say in words;

provide ample independent, well-designed intensive practice;

model instructional practices that they want students to follow;

provide prompts of strategies to use; and

engage students in process type questions like “How is the strategy working? Where else might you apply it?”

Successful strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Association of America. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://ldaamerica.org/info/successful-strategies-for-teaching-students-with-learning-disabilities/.

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Deaf-Blind students will have a hard time in a mainstream classroom because of their disability, but they could potentially be incorporated in some activities. The use of a paraprofessional is key for any sort of accommodations.

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Braille is the most common piece of adaptive technology for deaf-blind students. Although it has been in use for over 100 years, it is still one of the best ways to help students who suffer from deaf-blindness.

Citation:
Understanding Assistive Technology: How do deaf-blind people use technology? Level Access. (2021, January 31). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.levelaccess.com/understanding-assistive-technology-how-do-deaf-blind-people-use-technology/.

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Deaf-Blindness when a student is both deaf, unable to hear, and blind unable to see. This is considered a low incidence disability because it does not affect that many people in the world. Deaf-Blindness is also very apparent. Hellen Keller is a famous example of a person who suffered from Deaf-Blindness, but was able accomplish many things.

Citation:
Low and high incidence disabilities. Assistive Technology Resource GENIE. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://assistivetechnologyresourcegenie.weebly.com/low-and-high-incidence-disabilities.html.

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Sec.300.8 (c) Definitions of Disability Terms. (2018, May 25). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c

Guidance for Determining Eligibility for Special Education Students with Other Health Impairment. (Revised 2020, August). Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/guidance_determiningeligibility_sped_students_ohi

Epilepsy Queensland. What devices are available to assist with epilepsy? (Retrieved October 4, 2021) from https://www.epilepsyqueensland.com.au/news/what-devices-are-available-to-assist-with-epilepsy

Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium. (2017, October 25).

Text-to-Speech in the Classroom. [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwxyvsQa5RU

CBS 4 News Rio Grande Valley. (2017, November 30) Epilepsy Smart Watch. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wccxshQkr2o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wccxshQkr2o

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Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium - ERLC

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Encouraging choice making especially during free play time. Students tend to learn better if they choose the materials they need to learn a skill or a concept.
Responding to questions: Teaching responding to questions in a group session, allows the students to model by watching how others respond. Asking a question after giving the information directly is also very helpful.
Facilitating peer interaction: find a skill the student is good at, such as big floor puzzles, friends can join, ask what is next, and socialize.

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For students with less strength as a result of Other Health Impairment:

PENCIL GRIPS: For students with poor strength or fine motor skills, these can assist in writing.

SPECIAL SEATING: Students with less body strength than peers can be give special seating to help them sit or position themselves comfortably in the learning environment. Students that struggle to sit still can be given work stations at which they can stand.

For students that struggle with concentration:
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS: Printed organizers to help students that struggle with concentration (e.g. ADHD students) organize work and daily routines. (Note: Printed/visual aids can also be used for children as reminders to take medication)

SQUISHY BALLS / FIDGETS: These can be used for a child who needs extra movement (ADHD) to move their feet using a fidget, or a squishy ball to hold in their hand. This can be a great help with focus.

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Other Health Impairment: Epilepsy / Heart Conditions

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Other Health Impairment: Epilepsy / Heart Conditions

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SEIZURE AND FALLS DETECTOR:

Including wearable devices and smart watches - these can send alerts to family, friends or teachers as soon as a seizure is detected.

Wearable devices can also detect changes in heart rate, breathing, and sounds connected to identified medical issues.

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Other Health Impairment: ADHD / Tourette Syndrome

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Other Health Impairment: ADHD / Tourette Syndrome

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Assistive Technology Examples:

AUDIO BOOKS: These are useful if a child has trouble concentrating on reading tasks. If the child finds it difficult to sit still, the child is also able to move around while listening to the story.

TEXT TO SPEECH: These programs enable a student to turn text on a screen into something they can listen to. This can enhance a child's vocabulary, improve listening and concentration skills, while increasing levels of engagement.

PORTABLE WORD PROCESSORS: For students that struggle to write, software with text prediction can be a huge help to these students, making writing tasks more accessible and easier to complete.

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This refers to children with limited strength, alertness and vitality as a result of a chronic or acute medical condition. Children with Other Health Impairments have a heightened response to environmental stimuli, negatively affecting their alertness in the classroom. These health conditions negatively affect a child's performance at school. Examples include: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Discorder). epilepsy, heart conditions, or Tourette syndrome.

It is a high incidence disability as it is often difficult to distinguish between those with or without health impairments. It can be a mixture of social, behavioural and academic issues. Students with Other Health Impairments can often reach the same levels of achievement as students without adverse health conditions.

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Visual schedules:Songs and visual schedules for transitions will increase independence and student will require less prompting.
Visual engagement:Providing books during read aloud to follow along with the teacher, as it is difficult for them to remain focused only through listening.
Maintaining academic group focus:Providing small individual replica of information that is shared on a board, to focus with no distractions.
Identifying and highlighting saliant information or using props that can be removed and brought to close proximity to the student.

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From Teaching Visually Impaired.com (see reference note):

Provide a variety of experiences, including tactile and auditory

Use tactually interesting materials

Talk to the child about what is happening

Reduce auditory distractions

Create consistent routines

Encourage moving and independence

From the University of Delaware School of Education (see reference note):

The physical environment of the classroom

Allow the student to move to the place where they can see and/or hear best.

Be aware of the lighting, more or less may be necessary.

Do not teach in front of a window, glare can be a problem.

Re-orient the student whenever physical changes are made. A formal reorientation coupled with a brief informal orientation (including exploration and
question and answer time) will help.

Keep all doors completely opened or closed.

Provide enough space for the student’s adaptive equipment.

Orientation prior to the start of everyday school activities

Establish where important items are located in the classroom. This should include
the student’s desk, closets, wastebaskets, doorway, etc.

Orient the student to the general building. Be conscious of overwhelming the individual. Some less necessary locations can be learned at a later time.

Be aware of any mobility guidance (cane, dog, guide, electronic) and protective
movement techniques.

Teaching strategies and practices.

Allow hands-on learning whenever possible.

Start teaching on a concrete level and move to the abstract.

Allow time and a half to complete assignments.

Alternate visual learning, auditory learning, and motor activities to prevent
fatigue.

When writing on the chalkboard be sure to verbalize the work being presented.

Be specific when giving directions.

Keep rules the same for everyone.

Be prepared to alter test procedures.

Lightly touch the student’s hand when giving them an object.

Be sure to give direct feedback; nonverbal cues may not be noticeable.

Provide word and concept meanings. Concepts are harder for individuals with visual impairment.

Keep noise level low.

Educate the other students, especially regarding safety issues.

Call the individual by name.

Encourage independence in your actions.

Explain transitions before they occur.

Do not underestimate the child’s capabilities!

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Teaching Students with Visual Impairments

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By: Carmen Willingsteachingvisuallyimpaired.com

​Updated November 4, 2017

Early Intervention services are similar to school-age special education services but are for children ages birth through two. Early Intervention is a system of services and supports designed to help families care for and encourage the development of their infants and toddlers (birth to 36 months of age) with disabilities.

Family participation in Early Intervention is voluntary. Like school aged services, Early Intervention services begin with an assessment to determine the child's needs and what type of help the parent or caregiver wants for the child. The intervention can take place in an Early Intervention center, within a daycare setting, or at the child's home. It is important for a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments to be a member of the intervention team. Unfortunately, not all cities, or even states, have Early Intervention programs that include Teachers of the Visually Impaired.

Early Intervention is a critical service for students with visual impairments as it builds a foundation for further learning. As described in the Guiding Principles page of this site, a visual impairment limits the opportunities a child has to learn about their world. They need unique instruction, modeling, and hands-on opportunities to make sense of their world. Many of the suggestions throughout this site are applicable to infants and toddlers. I have summarized here some of the key points that are particularly important to keep in mind when working with young children who are visually impaired.

Developmental Milestones

A child with a visual impairment may achieve developmental milestones at a slower pace than their sited peers. This is not related to a lack of cognitive skills as a visual impairment is a sensory loss and is not related to cognition. That being said, it is common for children to have disabilities in addition to vision loss. Some of the items on typical child development scales are not going to be applicable to a child who is blind or visually impaired. Vision is the primary sense that infants and toddlers use to organize and learn about the world. Without continuous feedback from vision, information about social interactions and the physical environment is difficult to understand and put together.

Provide a Variety of Experiences

Infants who are blind cannot observe the actions of others or see objects and materials around them. Even babies with some usable vision will have difficulty making sense of the limited visual information they are receiving. Additionally, they are not able to see the effects of their own actions on objects, that the object continues to exist when out of reach (object permanence), or observe how others interact with the object. As stated throughout this site, providing children with a variety of hands-on experiences that with real objects will help the child learn best. Actively modeling play activities for the child, participating in everyday experiences with the child and explaining daily events will enable the child to learn about people, objects and events.

The child will learn new skills best by doing them with you. Wearing the baby in a front pack or a sling, and talking to the baby about what you are doing as you prepare a meal or do chores will help the baby make connections about the world. As the child gets older, allow the child to feel the spatula or touch the pan before you use it. Let the child be a part of the experience. Naturally, find a balance between encouraging touch and exploration and keep the child safe! By allowing the child to participate, you will help the child understand the process. Also, by teaching within the context of natural activity, the experience will be more meaningful.

Provide Tactually Interesting Toys & Materials

Many commercially available toys for infants and toddlers that are found in stores are very similar in their feel. Although they may make a variety of sounds, the material is a hard plastic or within a fuzzy stuffed animal. An effort should be made to find or adapt toys to add variety to what the child is able to feel as well as hear. Look for unbreakable toys that have interesting textures, weights, and temperatures. If a child has some vision, look for toys and materials with high contrast that will make it easier to see. Playing with real objects provides the child with various textures but also provides them with information about their world.

Exposing the child to a variety of textures will not only lay the foundation for braille but will motivate the child to explore and begin making comparisons. Children who are blind or visually impaired can frequently be sensitive to different textures and temperatures. Exposing the child to various textures and temperatures can help the child be more accepting of them. This is applicable for foods as well. Be sure to place toys and objects that make a sound near the child's hands so he will learn to reach for things.

Reduce Auditory Distractions

Be aware of auditory distractions . It is ideal to not have the television or radio on nonstop or loud as the child will not be able to focus on other sounds and language spoken by people in the room.

Talk to the Child

Talk to the child about what is happening. Find a balance between verbal descriptions and incessant talking. Provide short, clear descriptions of daily events and activities. Be sure to let the child know when you leave the room, and let him know when you return. Be sure to talk to the child about what you are going to do prior to doing it. For example, tell the child that you are going to wipe his nose prior to wiping it.

Siblings

Provide siblings a role in caring for their brother or sister. Although they shouldn't be forced, older children may enjoy helping the child practice activities suggested by teachers or therapists.

Create Consistent Routines & Transitions

Creating a consistent routine will help the child learn to anticipate events. When there is predictability and consistency in the schedule, the child will find comfort by being able to anticipate what is going to happen next. Prepare the child for each transition. If the child does not yet understand words/language, use an object, or touch cue, associated with the next activity to prepare them for what will happen next. For example, place the diaper in the child's hand prior to a diaper change.

Encourage the child who is visually impaired/Blind to move

Students with significant visual impairments may need the motivation to move and explore objects outside of their immediate reach. The student may not be motivated to explore the world without seeing things to entice them. It may be tempting to bring everything to the student, but this will prevent the student from discovering things and the student may become dependent on others bringing the world to them. The student must be taught to move confidently and independently in order to explore and learn from their world. Encourage the student to use any remaining vision but to also use their other senses to make sense of their world. Encourage the student to learn by listening, touching along with using their sense of smell.

Encourage the child to hold his head up and reach toward objects in order to learn to walk and to explore their world. You can do this by helping the child understand his body and where it is in relation to other things. This will lay foundations for Orientation and Mobility skills. Placing wrist rattles on ankles and wrists will help give the child a sense of where his hands and feet are. Place sound sources throughout the house (or daycare center) to help the child orient himself within the home. Place wind chimes on the front/back door or bells on the doorknobs. Create as many places as possible for the child to explore safely. If the child is mobile, and keep the floors uncluttered, doors fully opened or closed.

Foster Independence

Many well-intentioned parents and caregivers will feel tempted to do everything for the child who is blind or visually impaired. It can be easier to do it yourself because it takes the child much longer to complete the task. It is, however, in the child's best interest to not give in to this temptation. Teach the child new skills by completing tasks with the child, not for the child. Although it may take longer to acquire skills, with repeated experience and extra time, the child will learn to become more independent.

More Articles Related to Early Intervention

More Resources:

On the Way to Literacy Handbook, 2nd edition. American Printing House for the Blind. 2007. This revised version, available from APH with quota funds, includes comprehensive information about emergent literacy. It brings together material from a variety of sources to give teachers and parents information about how literacy develops for a young child with a visual impairment, from birth until the child begins to read and write. It discusses areas of development that form a foundation for literacy and everyday activities that support a child's learning in these areas.

Free Membership

Sign up for free membership to access the FREE downloadable handbooks and handouts on the Free Printables page along with access to the Goal Bank pages. Simply click on the Log In | Register link in the navigation bar. If you haven't joined yet, you will be prompted to create a password. ​

ECC Instructional Resources

On-Demand Webinars

VI Job Posting Service

Braille Jewelry

Public Law 99-457, the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Act, established the initial federal funding and guidelines for Early Intervention services. Enacted in 1986, PL 99-457 became what is now known as Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

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Early Intervention Program for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

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Early Intervention services are similar to school age special education services, but are for children ages birth through two. Early Intervention is a system of services and supports designed to help families care for and encourage the development of thei

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Dikusar, A. (2018, September 13). Assistive technologies for students with visual impairment. XB Software. (2021, April 28). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://xbsoftware.com/blog/assistive-technologies-for-students-with-visual-impairment/.

Ellsworth, A. G. (no date) Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairments. Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/assistive-technology-for-students-with-visual-impairments.html.

Sec. 300.8 (C). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (2018, May 25). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c.

Types of assistive technology. Teaching Students with Visual Impairments. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/vi-assistive-technology.html.

Types of assistive technology for students with visual impairments. BrightHub Education. (2010, June 18). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-visual-impairments/74539-assistive-technology-for-students-with-visual-impairments.

Using technology. The American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology.

Visual impairments - school of education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.education.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/VisualImpairments.pdf.

Willings, C. (2017, November 4). Early intervention program for students who are blind or visually impaired. Teaching Students with Visual Impairments. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/early-intervention-services.html.

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Higher tech assistive technologies for blindness and/or tactual learners

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Higher tech assistive technologies for blindness and/or tactual learners

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Auditory-based Technologies:

Audio Books (https://www.loc.gov/nls/)

Screen Readers and Text-to-Speech Devices (https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/ ; https://www.talkingfingers.com/ ; https://yourdolphin.com/products/individuals/screen-reader)

Keystroke speakers (https://www.aph.org/product/learn-keys-verbal-keyboard-feedback-digital-download/)

Tactile-based technologies:

Portable Note Takers

Tactile Keyboards

Refreshable Braille displays (https://www.afb.org/node/16207/refreshable-braille-displays)

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Students with visual impairments face unique challenges both in everyday life and education. Thanks to technology, there's a possibility to develop a wide range of tools, devices, and strategies that help learners with everyday tasks. Such an approach allows them to accomplish questions that would otherwise require the help of other people or be barely doable.

Assistive technologies include software and hardware that help people with different types of disabilities to break the barriers and reach better results in education and other spheres of life. In this article, we'll consider why assistive technologies matter and how they help students with visual impairment. Also, we'll take a look at some examples of software systems and applications designed to help students with visual impairments.

Why Assistive Technologies Important

Below, there's a graph from the Statista website that represents the number of people with visual disability in the US in 2016:

As you can see, the amount of visually impaired people aged 5-20 is higher than 600,000. This age range is especially important since it includes elementary, middle, and high school, as well as the first years of college. These are the years when the most intensive educational process takes part, and problems caused by different types of disabilities can cause significant consequences.

What's even more important, is the psychological factor. Due to difficulties in learning, students with disabilities can experience negative emotional conditions. Such a situation can potentially lead to low levels of self-esteem leading to poor social skills, difficulties with peer interactions and other long-term consequences.

According to conducted a few years ago in the USC Eye Institute , the situation will not change for the better in the near future. As the researchers have found, the number of people with different types of eye disease and impairment issues will double in America by 2050. Therefore, the need for assistive technologies will only grow. That's why it's important to understand the needs of the students with visual impairment, and the ways how modern technology can help them.

How Assistive Technology Helps the Students

There's an important thing to understand. The majority of students with special need don't have any cognitive impairments. Therefore, there's no need to develop sophisticated learning programs to increase their ability to get an education. With the help of technology, these students can learn and perform as well as any other person.

Applying different practices, teachers can help students with visual impairment to use tools allowing them to participate in the curriculum with a high level of independence. Such an approach will enable students to acquire the skills required for independent living and getting higher education. We can help students that have difficulties with traditional learning due to eye diseases by changing the depth of information and the way this information is presented.

Since each student is unique, assistive technology can take many forms. According to a particular situation, a technological solution can be pretty simple or quite complex. Handheld magnifier, refreshable braille displays, or custom eLearning services can be considered as the example of assistive technology implementation. To understand better how a specific technology can simplify the educational process for a student with visual impairment, let's consider some examples.

Examples of Assistive Technology Application

Assistive Technology For Reading and Writing

We've already mentioned handheld magnifiers which can be considered as one of the most straightforward examples of assistive technology. These portable low-tech tools help students to access text, images, and other visual information. It's an excellent example of a low-tech and relatively inexpensive assistive technology. Also, there are digital handheld magnifiers with LCD screens and adjustable magnification.

Audiobooks is a pretty typical example of how technology makes information more accessible for students with visual impairment. Such books are recorded with the use of a human voice, and a student can access them using special devices or software. Specially designed websites with enlarged text and audio books collection allow students to learn particular disciplines without the need for any specialized hardware. Such websites can be accessed via smartphones or tablets. However, educators warn not to rely on audiobooks only. For the efficient development of literacy skills, students have to use enlarge printed text or braille.

High-contrast themes for websites significantly simplify the access to the content for people with decreased ability to see the difference between similar levels of brightness. Such visual impairment can be caused by such eye disease as Retinitis Pigmentosa or cataracts, for example. Subtle gradients may look attractive for the users who don't have any disabilities but accessing the content of such websites and online applications may be difficult for people with visual impairments. Our accessibility application with a booking calendar is an excellent example of how high-contrast themes look like.

For those educational institutions that provide the services of distance learning, it's crucial to implement the high-contrast theme support to make your educational resources available for students with visual impairments.

Students can use refreshable Braille displays in conjunction with the word processor. Such an approach allows displaying text tactually which helps students reread and edit the text. Also, this technology can be used with audio feedback supporting multisensory learners.

Assistive Technology for Computer Access

Adaptive hardware simplifies the work with computers for users with low vision. Adaptive hardware includes enlarged, large print or high contrast keyboards, enlarged monitors, and other types of specially designed hardware.

WAI-ARIA is a specification that describes the ways of providing people with disabilities with the possibility to access web content. WAI-ARIA and uses special commands and metadata that allow informing a user about the current state of a web page. If there's a new pop-up window the assistive technology program will notify a user of it and provide him with the new content.

Web and desktop applications can support keyboard navigation as an optional feature. This feature may be pretty useful for those, who feel more comfortable navigating with a keyboard instead of a mouse. At the same time, for users with visual impairments, this functionality is crucial. It may be hard for such kind of users to follow the mouse cursor across the application window with dozens of elements and text. This task becomes more complicated in the case of big monitors requiring a lot of eye movement. Using a set of keyboard shortcuts allows reducing eye strain and fatigue

Conclusions

With the level of technology available today, there's the possibility to increase the accessibility of education for students with visual impairment. In some cases, such students can participate in learning to the same extent as any other person. The wide variety of assistive technology implementations allow choosing the solution that fits better a particular student. The choice depends on such factors as the type of eye disease, cost, and others.

Screen reader software can dictate text from the screen to a student with visual impairment. Braille writing tools and refreshable reading displays allow students to write and read without significant efforts. Screen and video magnifiers enlarge text to assist students with mild visual impairment. Due to the extensive use of web-based educational platforms, particular importance is taken by means of simplifying computer access such as WAI-ARIA support, and high-contrast themes. An educational organization that wants to make their services accessible to students with visual impairments can contact software companies providing web application development services to make sure that their online resources follow modern trends.

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Assistive Technologies for Students with Visual Impairment - XB Software

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Students with visual impairments face unique challenges both in everyday life and education. Thanks to technology, there's a possibility to develop a wide range of tools, devices, and strategies that help learners with everyday tasks. Such an approach allows them to accomplish questions that would otherwise require the help of other people or be barely doable.

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Low tech assistive technologies for blindness and/or tactual learners

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Low tech assistive technologies for blindness and/or tactual learners

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Abacus; (https://www.mastermindabacus.com/blog_detail/249/abacus-for-the-blind)

Braille Compass, watches, typewriters (https://brailler.perkins.org/pages/perkins-brailler)

Slate and stylus (to produce braille)

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Video magnifiers (CCTVs) (https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology/assistive-technology-products/video-magnifiers);

Electronic Telescopes;

Computer Magnification (https://www.zoomtext.com/)

High-contrast themes (for distance learning institutions, for instance).

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When you think of technology from the perspective of people who are blind or have low vision, you can think of two broad categories:

AFB's goal is to provide you with the information you need to learn about available technology and even discover new ways to use technology to enhance your everyday life. We're pleased to provide you with:

Highlights of AFB's Work on Accessible Design and Technology Issues

Advocacy on public policy issues like digital inclusion, accessible transportation options, and more

Research into issues like the impact of COVID-19 on access and inclusion, as well as the workplace technology barriers faced by individuals who are blind or have low vision

AFB Consulting, a branch of AFB that works with clients across the retail, telecommunications, finance, education, and technology industries to advance their accessibility and inclusion goals

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When you think of technology from the perspective of people who are blind or have low vision, you can think of two broad categories: AFB's goal is to provide you with the information you need to learn about available technology and even discover new ways to use technology to enhance your everyday life.

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Large print materials;

Book stands and slant boards

Large font markers;

Nite writer pens with built-in lights;

Thick-line and raised-line papers;

Study lamps with variable intensity

Colored transparency over text;

Full page writing guides placed over paper;

Light Box (made with a string of lights placed inside of a transparent container);

Handheld magnifiers.

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A team of stakeholders assesses the specific needs of the student depending on their visual and cognitive characteristics;

Assistive aids are determined;

Effectivity of the aids is continuously reviewed in response to the student's development.

Note: We all know there are assisting devices, such as canes and guide dogs, which represent significant support for the visually impaired in general. However, I will be focusing on education-related assistive technologies.

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Begin with a Technology Assessment

Many types of simple and highly complex assistive technology for students with visual impairments are available to help them access printed materials and perform writing tasks. Assistive technology can be as simple as enlarging a work sheet on a photocopier or as complex as using computers with voice recognition that can print materials in Braille. The first step in helping students should be a technology assessment to determine adaptations needed to access printed materials, produce written communication and needed input devices such as a keyboard or mouse.

Simple Low Tech Adaptations

Students with mild visual impairments may function adequately with enlarged reading materials that have been either created on a photocopier or published with large print. Enlarging materials not only makes it easier to read the print but to scan and find details on a page. Directed lighting on reading materials, set-up to avoid glare and use of prescribed glasses, contact lenses or a magnifier may also enhance abilities to use large print materials. Use of bold lined paper, writing guides and low vision pens can make it easier to perform writing tasks-providing another simple form of assistive technology for students who are visually impaired.

Electronic Magnification

Closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) enable users to view a screen with color contrast and print size options. Reading materials are placed under the screen on a sliding surface that glides as the student reads.The color contrast options can be very helpful since many students find that white letters on a black background are easier to read than the traditional colors and they can choose other color combination options such as yellow and blue.

The sliding board can also be locked into place before the student performs writing tasks that are viewed on the screen. A CCTV may be a desktop model such as the Merlin family, Acrobat family or Amigo models. A portable hand-held electronic magnifier such as the "Pebble" provides greater flexibility to read at any time since it is small enough to store in a backpack. A hand-held scanner can also be used in conjunction with a large video screen at the desk. In addition, teachers can set up a camera aimed at the blackboard to enable students to view contents on their desk top screens.

Computer Magnification

Highly sophisticated assistive technology includes computer screens can be magnified by simply enlarging the font size or using magnification software programs such as "Zoom Text". The "WebEyes" software enlarges web pages on Internet Explorer up to 144 point font and even forms and boxes are increased in size. Screen magnifiers are available that can be attached to computer desktop monitors, laptops or televisions.

Electronic Telescopes

Students also need to be able to view distant images - for instance, during field trips such as a visit to an art museum. The hand held VisAble video Telescope looks like a small camcorder that is held in the palm and allows the user to view enlarged images. The "Jordy" consists of a head-mounted display with a video camera that is pointed by head movement.

Auditory-Based Technologies

Auditory-based assistive technology for students with visual impairments include simply tape recording a lesson to review later, use of a talking calculator, software programs such as "Jaws" that convert text to voice or Braille and voice recognition computer systems such as the Kurzweil 1000 that converts text on the computer or from scanned pages to speech. As the reading demands increase for older students, the use of recorded books and speech recognition systems may take on greater importance to save time and energy.

Teachers, occupational therapists and other professionals need to work as a team to determine a student's needs for assistive technologies. Some considerations that impact success are the student's attitude toward appearing "different", physical and/or cognitive disabilities that necessitate special adaptations, cost and availability of support staff who understand how to use the equipment. Many of the technologies described in this article are widely used by students and adults in work and home settings. However, students who attend schools that specialize in services for the visually impaired may have opportunities to use more advanced technologies such as computerized pens - and have an engineer on the teaching team.

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Types of Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairments

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Assistive technology for students with visual impairments helps improve independence and academic performance. Technologies such as closed circuit televisions (CCTVs), computer software, screen magnifiers, electronic telescopes and speech recognition devices enable students to access printed materials. Read on to learn more.

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Teaching students with an intellectual disability

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-breaking down each learning task into small, easy-to-digest steps can be invaluable.
Chunking the lesson into small parts.
-Creating Concrete experiences in class based on the students background surroundings.
Incorporate more physical learning experiences.
-Creating content full of imagery and attractive visuals, to maintain a long focus in class and motivate the students.
Provide visual stimulus.
-Using music alongside concepts or lessons can help them retain information and offer greater engagement of the subject at hand.
Provide Sensory stimulus.

Sources:
https://classful.com/students-with-an-intellectual-disability/.
https://ldaamerica.org/info/successful-strategies-for-teaching-students-with-learning-disabilities/

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The IDEA defines visual impairment as “an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance.”  Still according to the IDEA, visual impairment “includes both partial sight and blindness.”

Incidence: Low

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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

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Statute/Regs Main » Regulations » Part B » Subpart A » Section 300.8 » c (c) Definitions of disability terms. The terms used in this definition of a child with a disability are defined as follows: (1) (i) Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communicat…

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A variety of choices are available, but these are the technologies that I think a student with an intellectual disability would benefit most from: 

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Assistive technology for intellectual disability

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Assistive technology for intellectual disability

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voice amplification systems, to speak loudly enough to be heard.

stuttering aids, to improve speech fluency.

communication boards, to support an interaction around an activity.

speech output software,  to converts language text into spoken synthetic speech.

symbol-making software, to create a variety of symbol materials and visual supports inside and outside the classroom.

Sources:
https://www.slideshare.net/nrcpara/assistive-technology-to-support-students-with-autism-and-intellectual-disability-what-ever

https://elearningindustry.com/use-of-technology-in-special-education

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In Simple words: Students find it challenging to cope with normal daily tasks at home and also at school. In terms of thinking, learning, and problem-solving. Based on research, it could be diagnosed most of the time in early childhood.
In other words: It is characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem-solving) and in adaptive behavior, which covers a range of everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.

Sources:
https://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/247480/fpubh-05-00010-HTML/image_m/fpubh-05-00010-g001.jpg

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Specific learning disabilities means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

80% of all students with disabilities. As you can imagine - the incidence is high. This represents more than 1 in 10 in a classroom setting in aggregate.

Assistive Technology is a help for students as is the teacher making sure that students don’t feel different - that they are treated the same as all students in the general education population.

Examples: Text-to-speech, Speech-to-text, Word Prediction

Graphic Organizers, Pentop computers, Calculators and math software

Pros: Some students acclimate immediately to assistive technology. Helpful to 60% of students.

Cons: Lack of common vision, limited training, access to support services, insufficient funding, and lack of teacher time are commonly cited problems in regards to the implementation of assistive technology

Inclusion strategies that can benefit any student:

Motivation - motivated students learn more effectively.

Classroom management - basic classroom management options may be the best fit for all students, with and without disabilities.

Classroom arrangement.

Alternative assessments

Differentiate instruction

References:

“Low and High Incidence Disabilities.” Assistive Technology Resource GENIE, https://assistedtechnology.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/1/9/3419723/fctd-techvoices-mar11.pdf

“UDL Guidelines.” UDL Center Org, https://udlguidelines.cast.org/.

Hebrudes, John. “Low and High Incidence Disabilities.” Inclusion Resource Notebook, 2020, https://sites.google.com/site/inclusionresourcenotebook/inclusion-strategies.

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Bushra/In 2020, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to 2016 data.    1 in 34 boys identified with autism    1 in 144 girls identified with autism(Autism statistics and facts. (n.d.). Autism Speaks. https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd)

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Bushra/In 2020, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to 2016 data.    1 in 34 boys identified with autism    1 in 144 girls identified with autism(Autism statistics and facts. (n.d.). Autism Speaks. https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd)

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Bushra Mourad /Technology as a support tool for students with Autism 

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Bushra Mourad /Technology as a support tool for students with Autism 

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Multiple Disabilities

Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as mental retardation blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), 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. Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(3)(A) and (B); 1401(26)

1% of School Population: Low Incidence

·      Early signs for ages 3-5 are seen as simultaneous deficits in the following areas

o   Intellectual functioning

o   Adaptive skills

o   Motor skill

o   Sensory Functioning

o   Communication skills

·      School has to use multiple initiatives and services to accomplish lasting and supported outcomes for student learning

o   Physical therapy

o   Occupational therapy

o   Speech and language therapy

o   Augmentative & alternative communication methods (AAC)

·      Assistive Technology

o   AT devices can be used only when indicated in the student’s IEP

·      wheelchairs, scooters, elevators

·      word processor with word prediction

·      alternate keyboards, speech to text

·      audiobooks, braille signs, interpreters, hearing aids

·      devices that can help with movement and physical positioning in the classroom

·      Accommodations

o   Priority seating in the classroom

o   Adjustable tables and chairs that can support the student physically

o   Students with multiple disabilities may likely have an aid that is with them throughout the day

o   Provide a range of strategies and experiences in learning activities

o   Close communication with family members to best problem solve

o   Provide consistency in structures, materials, and vocabulary

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-Shorten and change oral directions
-Show visuals to explain new concepts
-Provide written directions in place of verbal ones

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-Allow for longer oral response times
-Model good speech production in the class
-Preferential seating next to a peer with good speech production

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Accomodations for Speech or Language Impairments

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Accomodations for Speech or Language Impairments

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AssistiveWare. (2012, June 19). Text to Speech, how does it
work? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/M2oVchJIC2o

Crouch, A. (2014, March 3). Speech or language impairment
assistive technology. prezi.com. Retrieved October 3,
2021, from https://prezi.com/oyyzlhls8o2u/speech-or-
language-impairment-assistive-technology/.

Fairfax Network - Fairfax County Public Schools. (2019, June
5). Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC )
Devices [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/qB2Fk0KdUuo

Friend, M. P., & Bursuck, W. D. (2012). Including students
with special needs: A practical guide for classroom
teachers (6th  ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Illinois Library. (2021, August 19). Illinois University Library.
Retrieved from https://guides.library.illinois.edu/c.php?
g=613892&p=4265891

Lynch, M. (2018, May 19). Assistive Technology to Help
Students with Articulation Disorder Succeed Academically.
The Tech Edvocate. Retrieved from
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/assistive-technology-
to-help-students-with-articulation-disorder-succeed-
academically/

Rayburn, J. (2018). Common Speech and Language IEP
Accomodations. The Speech Room News. Retrieved
October 4, 2021 from https://thespeechroomnews.com/wp-
content/uploads/2018/04/IEP-Accomodations.pdf

The Speech Wizard. (2015, September 19). Articulation With
The Speech Wizard Demo 1 [Video]. YouTube.
https://youtu.be/Sq_NGbNNBgE

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Assistive Technology to Help Students with Articulation Disorder Succeed Academically

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Spread the loveSome students encounter extraordinary challenges when it comes to forming the sounds of everyday communication. This may be due to a structural problem with the mouth or a motor-based issue. Collectively, these difficulties are considered to be articulation disorders. They can make classroom education extremely hard for both teachers and students.

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Please Answer the Following Question: Would you consider speech or language impairment as being “High-Incidence” or “Low-Incidence?”

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Please Answer the Following Question: Would you consider speech or language impairment as being “High-Incidence” or “Low-Incidence?”

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I believe it is “High-Incidence” because it is difficult to distinguish speech or language impairment from students without disabilities, particularly outside the classroom. Also. a mixture of problems: academic, social, and behavioral could be shown.

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To help students practice their sounds, phrases, and sentences

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It makes students feel comfortable when giving a class presentation.
It reduces awkwardness and embarrassment.

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It types out what students want to say and lets the computer read it to the class instead of the students.

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Articulation With The Speech Wizard Demo 1

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How Fairfax County Public Schools Use AAC

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How Fairfax County Public Schools Use AAC

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Fairfax Network - Fairfax County Public Schools

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC ) Devices

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices

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Enhance communication between teachers and students.

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IDEA has identified a speech or a language impairment as a communication disorder, like stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that negatively impacts the educational performance of a child.

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Emotional Disturbances by Sheneve Campbell

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Emotional Disturbances by Sheneve Campbell

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According to the IDEA, Emotional disturbances speak to 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.”

As defined by IDEA, emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.

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