Providing Reasonable Accommodations

Students with Disabilities: A Paradigm Shift of Inclusion, Access, and Opportunity

Today

• Overview• Scenarios – Table Work• Federal Laws/Policies: ADA & IDEA• Old Terms vs. New Terms• Old Paradigms: Segregation, Exclusion, Avoidance• New Paradigms: Inclusion, Access, Opportunity• Examples of Reasonable Accommodations that Benefit All

Old and New Terms

Old Paradigms• Handicapped• Alternative Schools• Mainstreaming• Deaf and Dumb• Retarded (“Slow”)• Crippled• Wheel Chair bound

A New Shift• Reasonable

Accommodations• Person with a Disability• Diversity• Special Needs Child• Accessible

Important Terms Under ADAReasonableAccommodationUnder ADA, an employer may be required to modify or adjust a job or certain aspects of the way that it is performed in order to accommodate a person who is otherwise qualified to do the job absent the disability.

DisabilityA physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g. walking, breathing, talking, seeing, hearing).One who is regarded or treated as being impaired.Must be permanent to be covered under ADA.

Essential FunctionTo be considered eligible under ADA, an employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Important Terms Under IDEA

• Child with a Disability – Includes hearing, speech, visual impairments, emotional disturbance, autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities• Special Education – specially designed instruction at no cost to

parents, to meet unique needs of a child with a disability• IEP – Individualized Education Program for children with

disabilities (in general 9 different categories)• Developmental Delay – Children age 3 thru 9. Measured by

diagnostic instruments and evaluation• FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education – in conformity with an

IEP. Includes preschool, elementary and secondary school

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

The Seven Mountains of Influence in a Society

• Media (flow of information)• Government (Laws, Public

Policies)• Religion• Arts & Entertainment

(shapes values)• Family (shapes community)• Business (Commerce,

Science & Technology)• Education

Classification of Disabilities – School-Aged Children

HIGH INCIDENCE• Communication disorders

(speech and language impairments)

• Specific learning disabilities (e.g. ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

• Mild/Moderate mental disorders• Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

LOW INCIDENCE – does not exceed 1% at anytime

• Blindness• Low Vision• Hearing impairments• Developmental delay• Complex Health Issues• Autism• Serious Physical Impairment

Figuring Things Out

Nature of Disability• Learning – ELL, SPED• Physical – Mobility, Breathing,

Allergies, Medical, Visual• Emotional – ADD, Anxieties,

Anger• Relational – Separation Anxiety• Psychological – Multiple

symptoms

Causal Factors• Cognitive, Language in Home• Accidents, Perinatal Addictions,

Surgeries, Rx Requirements• Homelessness, Poverty, Abuse• Divorce, Family Turmoil, Sibling

Abuse, CPS Interventions, Bullying

Why Children With Disabilities Matter So Much• The incidence of homelessness, child abuse, and bullying is

staggering in our society• Our children are less healthy than they were a few decades

ago – they are more involved in sedentary activities• Language, and cultural dynamics are impacting the way

teachers differentiate and deliver educational services in the classroom• Economic disparities continue to widen the gap between

families who can afford effective interventions and those who cannot

It’s Not Just About Programs and Things

• A Shift in Thinking and Approach Matters• Training, Collaboration, and

Sensitivity Makes a Difference• Involving Parents In a Way

that is Non-Threatening and Respectful of Differences• Marshalling Community

Resources and Partners Matter

• This is Not A PROBLEM• Just About Everybody Under

the Sun has some type of disability• A Parent Advisory Group can

help you figure out GREAT accommodations that will benefit all students• Corporate and Non-Profit

entities that LOVE children want to help!

Using Learning Styles to Accommodate

MASTERY LEARNERS• Want to Learn Practical

Information• Love drills and practice• Need focused instruction• Modeling helps them more• Need immediate feedback

INTERPERSONAL LEARNERS

• Want to learn about things that affect people’s lives• Love discussions• Need cooperative learning

activities and role playing• Instructor must pay attention

to their successes and struggles

Learning Styles Continued…

UNDERSTANDING LEARNERS• Love logic, debate, and

inquiry• Love independent study• Do better when they get

immediate feedback, positive encouragement• Need to be allowed to

question the logic of things

SELF EXPRESSIVE LEARNERS

• Love using their imaginations to explore ideas

• Love creative and artistic activities, and non-routine problems

• Have difficulty learning from drills

• Need activities involving visuals, and tactile resources

Using Technology to Accommodate

• Study Buddies utilize a hand-held console with a visual and interactive interface. Learning is individualized with academic cartridges in math, reading, and spelling.

• E-readers such as Nooks allow students to read along• IPADS allow students to do independent research, and even compose

their own projects and presentations in real time. They are tactile and are seen as “cool” by students from K through 12.

• There are ergonomic keyboards, and assistive speech and language software programs that will accommodate a diversity of disabilities

• Sports and recreational equipment frequently offer an alternative design for individuals with disabilities

Using Software Programs to Accommodate• There are any number of software programs, such as IXL

which utilize a differentiated approach to RTI. It utilizes a variety of interactive question types, is adaptive to student abilities, helps students decode new words, tracks and monitors student progress, can be accessed by parents from home.

Using “Disguised Learning” to Accommodate• Recreational/Physical Activities: Using Wii programs that allow

students movement without touching or contact• Origami (Japanese paper folding)• STEM

• Gardening – Encourages cooperation, team work, and respect for living things, includes math and science

• Robotics – Encourages higher level thinking, makes math and science “cool”

• Chess – Encourages higher level thinking• Lego architecture and projects• Forensics, Rocket clubs, book clubs (using e-readers)

Using Interventions to Accommodate

• Reading Specialists• Character education “baseball cards,” coloring books, and role

playing to reward and instruct• Speech Therapists• External Vendors to teach music and art therapy• Board games, puzzles, old fashioned flash cards, and math and

vocabulary bingo games• Using volunteers or older children as reading buddies• 1:1 and Small group Tutoring

Without Community & Diversity, Bullying Will

PrevailTeach Children to Value and Respect People Differences – It

Makes For a Rich and Wonderful World to Live In!