Accommodations: Students can receive extra time to complete classwork. Test questions can be recorded so that students don’t have to read them. 

Assistive technology: Using word-processing programs or audio books.

Accommodations: Teachers can offer oral exams, provide a note-taker or provide video/audio options for turning in assignments. 

Assistive technology: Use an audio recorder instead of writing by hand.

Accommodations: Teachers can use pictures to represent math problems. Rhymes & music can be helpful in remembering math concepts. 

Assistive technology: Computers can be used to practice math. 

https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/learning/conditioninfo/treatment#f5

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4538781/

https://www.understood.org/en/articles/treatment-options-for-dysgraphia

https://www.dyscalculia.me/dyscalculia-treatment

https://www.understood.org/en/articles/treatment-options-for-dyscalculia

https://webapps.ou.edu/ods/cds/MADTools/print/pdf/tpshtdb.pdf

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46566

https://www.deafblindinformation.org.au/about-deafblindness/congenital-deafblindness/for-families-carers/early-intervention/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbBZjT7nuoA
https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/hearing-loss/what-is-hearing-impairment

Other health impairments include a variety of disabilities including:

- ADD, ADHD, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, Tourette syndrome and many more.

Specialized instruction will vary depending on the needs of the student. Some students will have academic goals, some will have behavioral goals and others will have life skills goals. 

Schools will need to accommodate students with regards to medical care. Schools will need to have school nurses and other qualified individuals available on site. Schools will also have to be understanding if students are missing a lot of school time due to being in medical care or seeing doctors/specialists.   

For students with ADHD, there are many apps that can help students to organise their time and use their time more productively. They can set to-do lists and make sure that they get everything done that needs to get done. 

Other health impairments include so many disabilities that it will take a long time to cover all of the assistive technology available. Above are just 2 examples of the many options out there. 

https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ohi/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/asthma/asthma-tech-to-watch/

https://disabilitycreditcanada.com/10-best-assistive-technologies-add-adhd/

https://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/Page/7455

https://engage-education.com/blog/how-to-support-a-child-with-a-hearing-impairment-in-school/#!

https://assistedtechnology.weebly.com/at-tools-for-physical-needs-meredith-chen.html

http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/orthopedic-impairments/

https://guidetoorthopedicimpairment.weebly.com/strategy--intervention.html

https://youtu.be/QsX_zrCMPEc

 

Teachers will have to structure their classrooms to accommodate students with impairments. This is based on how much help the student needs. 

Things to consider:
Making moving around the room easier for the students. So, seating arrangement, posture, and technology devices will need to be considered. Services are also available to assist students with severe disabilities. 

Services

✭ occupational therapist

✭ speech/language pathologist

✭ physical therapist

✭ social worker

✭ orientation-and-mobility instructors

✭ recreation specialists

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology can be broken down into categories of devices to access information and devices for positioning and mobility. 

 

Devices to Access Information

 

✼ software for speech recognition and reading

✼ alternative and augmentative communication devices

✼ academic software packages

 

Devices for Positioning and Mobility

 

✼ walkers, canes, crutches, wheelchairs, specialized furniture (chairs, desks, tables), and specialized exercise equipment

 

 

 

·      Slant boards are low-tech and portable. It allows students to write at an adjustable angle. 

·      iPads can be used to support the various needs of students. Some apps that are useful include text to speech, electronic games, speech to text, dice, and so on. 

 

 

Other accommodations and devices teachers and parents can consider:

 

✭ Dycem non-slip rolls 

✭ pencil grips

✭ specialized writing paper

✭ specialized keyboards such as IntelliKeys

“…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:

Some of the characteristics and behaviors seen in children who have an emotional disturbance include:

Use a three-step method for choice-making:
Give the learner up to three options and ask them to select only one; Let them know the time they have to make a decision and wait for their response ;, reinforce the option they chose so that they’re fully aware of the benefits and drawbacks of their choice.

2. Adjust task difficulty

Adjust the difficulty of math problems to suit your learners’ capabilities.

In fact, prompt your students to voice the math problems aloud before solving them.

3. Personalized system of instruction

4. Individual curricular modification

Regularly administer behavioral assessments and use the results to determine the best instructional and curricular variables for different students when it comes to, for instance, assignment completion.

https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2022/03/11/accommodations-for-students-with-emotional-and-behavioral-disorders/
https://www.positiveaction.net/blog/teaching-strategies-for-emotional-and-behavioral-disorders
https://study.com/academy/lesson/accommodations-for-students-with-emotional-disturbance.html

 Reading can be one of these tasks that prove to be too much for their frustration tolerance and would trigger negative behaviors. A text-to-speech software such as that found within the Microsoft programs could be an ideal solution. Students can sit back and listen while the computer or tablet reads to them, preventing them from trying to engage too many brain systems at one time.

Students with behavioral disturbances are easily distracted, and their mind may wander during lessons. A reminder device might be a good way to get their attention back. This quietly motivates them to refocus on the task at hand without teacher intervention. As a result, they can feel significantly more independent when teachers have fewer reasons to chastise them.

If a student struggles with the physical act of writing or translating their thoughts onto paper, teachers may need to consider allowing them to use this software. This gives them an opportunity to say what they would like to put on paper while the computer handles the rest. This can avoid the frustration that comes from a lack of fine motor skills or the inability to concentrate.

 Assistive technology can help you to monitor class volume, which can trigger negative behaviors from certain students, is Talk Light. This provides educators with a tangible way to realize when volumes are reaching unacceptable levels for sensitive students. By preventing this situation, you might be able to ward off some of the negative behaviors.

https://www.theedadvocate.org/assistive-technology-to-help-students-with-behavioral-disabilities-succeed-academically/
https://www.ssdmo.org/Page/892
https://classroom.synonym.com/assistive-technology-students-behavior-disorders-7219566.html

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) the visual impairment is described as “ an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance.” There are many eye diseases that can cause loss of vision if not treated properly and timely. It ranges from mild to severe. Blindness is the most severe form of visual impairment.  Thus, only a small percentage of visually impaired people are considered blind.  Most visually impaired can see the world around them. 
Some signs of vision loss have been identified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP).  Children often times complain about their vision. They touch, cover, or squint their eyes, struggle reading, continuously hold objects close to eyes and so on.

Common fluency disorders are stuttering and cluttering. 

Using an accommodating tool such as text-to-speech modalities can aid children with fluency disorders. There is also a phone application called Stamuri, which has been created to help individuals with stammer/stutter issues through the use of activities and games.

Assistive technology, such as electronic fluency devices, are also used to improve the fluency of people with stutters. With an EFD, individuals are played back the sound of their own voice, just slightly altered. One example of this is a DAF- Delayed Auditory Feedback Device. This mechanism delays the feedback by just a fraction of a second, enabling the user to hear their voice at an uninterrupted rate. 

Resources:
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/speech-language-impairments/
https://guides.library.illinois.edu/c.php?g=613892&p=4265891
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stamurai.stamurai&hl=en_US

There are multiple computer software packages available to help develop speech and language skills, such as First Words. First Words is an application which uses graphics + speech to help develop language skills.

As mentioned previously in the section regarding communication disorders, AAC devices, or augmentative and alternative communication devices, are commonly used to assist individuals with language difficulties. AAC's can utilize symbols, images, and strategies to enhance + create ease within the communication process. AAC devices include but are not limited to sign + body language, picture and communication boards, and electronic devices such as smartphone applications, electronic communication boards, and keyboards. Some speech therapists will also use Speech Generating Devices, which can produce speech digitally when the user types or selects an image or text. 

Cue Cards are an example of low tech assistance available to students struggling with language disorders. Cue cards can provide helpful hints for speaking, as well as aid with the mental organization + planning involved in communication. 

Accommodations: Teachers have to make changes in the seating arrangement, classroom environment, preparation of lesson materials and tests in order to assist blind or visually impaired student. Each student's accommodation might look differently according to their IEP. 

Teachers have to make a habit of describing what is happening in details and model it to the entire class on how to do it. This includes the blind or visually impaired student and creates awareness for other students. This way, other students working with visually impaired students are able to help them in class, too.  Students might need extra time to complete tasks, lessons translated into Braille or materials in LARGE print. They might also need assistive technology for note-taking or recording and even one-on-one assistance from a special education specialist. 

https://www.parentcenterhub.org/multiple/#not

"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 2.2%, or 132,333 students, received special education services based on a classification of multiple disabilities."
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/multiple-disabilities/

2. Often a team of professionals is necessary to meet the needs of the child:

3. Communication between home, the school, and any other involved parties which work with the child is important.

4. Inclusion in general education classrooms is important for social and cognitive development:

5. Special equipment may be required in the classroom (particularly, although not exclusively, related to mobility):

6.  Special education teachers, with the help of the team of professionals, need to prepare an Individual Education Plan (IEP):

7.  Adaptive technology has the potential to benefit children with multiple disabilities greatly (discussed in the next section on Assistive technologies).
https://www.educationcorner.com/multiple-disabilities.html

https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijpp/ijpp-1-001e.php?jid=ijpp

https://www.teachthought.com/technology/assistive-technology/
https://youtu.be/4p3a0pC4nLM

Barriers to AT's effective integration within schools

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15771212/#:~:text=Abstract,coordinated%20assessment%20and%20implementation%20process.

Overcoming Barriers

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oti.213