Providing Appropriate Accommodations - Term Paper Example

? Providing Appropriate Accommodations Introduction: Inclusion involves the inclusion of disabled in es along withnormal students such that they can find their natural ways of learning and accommodating with the society. As obtained from earlier studies, the process of inclusion has several different ways and procedures to include disabled students in class activities and benefits these students having significant positive effects on them. In the present study, a particular disability in children has been chosen- cerebral palsy, learn about the characteristics of children having this disability, the needs and difficulties of students with cerebral palsy and try to determine appropriate accommodations for such students. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects the movements, balance and postures of the body. It refers to a paralytic state of the brain. It occurs as a result of abnormal development of the brain or parts of the brain that controls the tones of the muscles as well as the movements of the motor and cells. Thus the simple movements of the body also become difficult for the affected child. However, in spite of several forms of this palsy being capable of affecting children, it has been observed that the level of intelligence of these children may not be affected as it might seem to be. In fact, in several cases the intelligence levels of such children are like the normal children or even above averages sometimes. The health problem is significant in its nature and hence children suffering from this disorder need special care (Alvarez, 2012). Cerebral Palsy and its Characteristic Features among Small Children: The definition of cerebral palsy may be given as “a group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitations that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, perception, cognition, communication and behavior, by epilepsy and by secondary musculoskeletal problems” (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Thus as explained above, cerebral palsy indicates abnormal functioning and non-development of the brain leading to abnormalities in the normal behavior and movements of the body (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Children suffering from cerebral palsy generally experience complexities in having control on their body muscles and movements while they grow up and develop. As these children grow up, the character and level of these difficulties modifies. However the disorder is not progressive and thus no change occurs in the actual injury or mutilation of the brain. What alter are the effects that arise as a result of the injury in the brain. The changes may occur over a certain period of time. It has been also observed that patients with this order may be helped to great extents through physiotherapy and other therapies. Thus children suffering from cerebral palsy are at many times referred to a therapist or are checked by a multi-disciplinary team under the involvement of local Child Development Centre. Since parts of the brain get affected as a result of the disorder, thus there may be allied complexities which become apparent when a child develops “for example, in vision, hearing, learning and behavior” (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). It is not abnormal for not providing with a diagnosis if the motor development in the child is almost complete while doctors keep monitoring the child in the course of the development stages of sitting, crawling and walking (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Characteristic Features of Students Suffering from Cerebral Palsy: Children with cerebral palsy encounter difficulties in moving their muscles normally. This primarily occurs as a result of persistence of certain reflexes that lead to movements and postures of the body that are unconscious in nature. The children encounter problem since these movements cannot be controlled voluntarily by them (Klein, Cook & Richardson-Gibbs, 2001, p.33). Children affected by cerebral palsy generally reflect delays in developing such as presenting activities like sitting, rolling, crawling, or walking. Thus abnormal walks, tightening of muscles, tremors, unsteady ways of walking, loss of coordination, decreased intelligence or capabilities of learning, problems in speech, problems related to vision or hearing, seizures, pains, problems in normal ways of eating, swallowing, and vomiting, increased drooling, irregular breathing, inconsistency in urination, as well as slower growth and development than the normal children are the characteristic features of students or children affected by this disorder (Cerebral Palsy, 2012). The characteristics of students affected by cerebral palsy may also vary depending on the type of the disorder affecting the child. Thus with children affected by spastic cerebral palsy, the muscles of these children are tense, contracted and hence create resistance to normal movement, making the movements of the muscles uncertain and involuntary. In case of athetoid cerebral palsy, the parts of the body that are affected reflect involuntary movements, where there may be twists and turns of the hands, accompanied by facial grimacing, tonguing, and drooling. The postures of the body in this case are unpredictable. Another type of the disorder is ataxia that reflects lack of coordination and balance. Thus while students are standing, they may not stand straight, and instead keep on swaying, being unable to maintain their balance. Also, these students may walk with the legs spread wide apart trying to maintain their balances such that they do not fall (French, 2004). Needs of Students Affected by Cerebral Palsy: Students affected by cerebral palsy encounter severe difficulties that include difficulties in learning, intellectual difficulties, difficulties in perception, difficulties in language and communication, speech difficulties, difficulties in eating and drinking, loss of saliva, problems with sensation, problems with vision, hearing, and epilepsy (Early School Years Fact Pack, n.d., pp.8-9). Thus it can be understood that these students would require help for their movements and activities that involve the body parts and muscles. If the disorder affects the students in a mild form, then it can be expected that with slight help and assistance, these students should be capable of attending school classes like normal children. Even for children who are severely affected by the disorder, there are special schools that may help these students to try to get involved in normal activities (Westwood, 2011, p.32). The most important need that these students would require is in the way they are provided with instructions. The cognitive abilities of the children and their functionality of the brain would reflect how the students can understand the academic instructions. These students may be slow in completing the tasks that are given to them and hence require more time that that needed by normal children. Their handwriting may not reflect proper coordination that requires to be allowed by the school and the educators for such students. In case of some students, there may be need of some tools that may be adapted like pencil grips and page turners, that normal students may not require. Also the pages on which they write might be required to be attached firmly on the desks used by the students. Word processors may be needed by several students that provide them with modified keyboards helping them in completion of their assignments. For such students the use of computers in classes become easier if they are provided with touch panels instead of mouse or keyboards, helping them to communicate well and present their tasks (Westwood, 2011, pp.33-34). Besides the difficulties of speech and movements, the students affected by cerebral palsy require time to attend tasks in brief periods of time since they cannot concentrate on a single task for a long period of time. They take longer time than normal students in performing the basic actions of life like eating or pointing at an object. In order to move or life themselves from one place to another within the class or outside of it, these students require the help of the teachers. They also require “physical placement in a particular position for work, with padded ‘wedges’ or cushions to enable them to apply their limited range of movements to best advantage, or be placed and supported in a ‘standing frame’ with desk-top attached” (Westwood, 2011, p.34). These students may also require help for aiding them in eating and toileting activities (Westwood, 2011, p.34). Thus the needs of the students affected by the disorder of cerebral palsy depend largely on the difficulties that they encounter while they try to perform their basic activities of school or the tasks and assignments that educators ask them to complete. Particularly, in cases of movements, they need the aid of the teachers. Moreover their level of grasping things being slower, they need more time than normal students for accomplishing their assignments and greater level of comfort as well. Accommodations Suitable for Cerebral Palsy Students: Considering the difficulties and the needs of the students affected by cerebral palsy disorder, it can be realized that schools need to concentrate on inclusion of these students in normal class activities along with normal children. However, it is also necessary to find appropriate accommodations for these students helping them in their learning and enabling them to learn the normal activities of classes, slowly and gradually. Moreover such accommodations need to be chosen such that these students do not get single out from the normal students in class. Here five accommodation measures are discussed that may be applicable for helping students affected by cerebral palsy disorder. Accommodations for Computer Hardware and Software: In this set up of education, the affected students are allowed to use computers by themselves. Tasks and assignments for the students are planned in a way that the use of computer becomes necessary for every student thereby not making the affected student single out from the group. The classroom in this regard may be arranged in a manner such that all computers are set up to face three walls and students are made to use their machines sitting with their backs towards the middle of the classroom. The center of the room may consist of a table and chairs that may be used for discussion when all the students may come together. If the affected student is in a wheelchair, then that chair may be accommodated along with the other chairs in the center of the room. While such a process is applied, if the student encounters difficulty in speaking or presenting his or her tasks, assistance may be provided by teachers as well as the normal students who can be friends to the affected child (Franklin, Harris & Allen-Meares, 2006, pp.218-219). Conductive Educational Program: Children with cerebral palsy have been found to be benefitted when the educational program is conductive in nature. In such a program the educators keep in mind the capabilities of the affected children as well as their difficulties and limitations. Thus in such cases, expectations from the students are tried to kept limited such that the students do not get frustrated trying to fulfill unrealistic expectations of the educators or the school. Thus patience needs to be one of the major factors necessary in these cases. Educators need to consider in particular and remember that these affected students would require greater amount of time for normal activities unlike the normal children and hence should treat the children accordingly without making them realize that they are disordered students (Zachry, 2011). Allowance of Variety of Positions for the Students: For students affected by cerebral palsy, it is necessary to remember that they encounter difficulties in movements of body parts and muscles. In this set up, the students need to be provided with tasks and assignments that would allow them to assume different positions in varying ways such that they do not encounter the problems of muscle tightening. Thus use of equipments is necessary and involved in this regard, such that eye and hand coordination are allowed for these students to make. This in turn would improve their control over the motor functions as well. Also, open communication is considered in such set ups in between the teachers and the families of the students “to encourage carry-over regarding home programs and recommendations” (Zachry, 2011). Facilitating Successful Inclusion: This accommodation involves inclusion of the affected students in normal classroom activities allowing them to become more self-competent in society, increasing the level of self esteem, and develop skills to have access to normal curriculum of the school. Successful inclusion would be achieved when all school setting activities like “structured classroom activities, assembly, sport, library and playground times and transition between these activities” are capable of being allowed to the affected students as well (Early School Years Fact Pack, n.d., p.13). A student suffering from cerebral palsy has chances to develop at unusual rates in different development areas. Thus it is necessary to understand the strengths of the students as well as their needs and interests, likes and dislikes, helping them to organize and maintain learning including the student (Early School Years Fact Pack, n.d., p.13). Technology for Communication: In order to make the communication processes easier for the affected students, the use of technologies can be significantly effective on the students. Several options are provided by the advanced technologies in the present times enabling students with cerebral palsy to communicate easily and effectively. Non-electronic and low technology options of communications include things like communication boards, chat books, schedule boards, news books and conversation books. These options may include real objects, assist in use of different symbols, photos, words or pictures. On the other hand there may be high technology options that are electronic in nature and include objects like for example the use of a small button, that when pressed may reflect some message to a particular person concerned. Use of computers is also highly appreciated in this regard (Early School Years Fact Pack, n.d., p.25). Conclusion: From the above study, it may be concluded that students suffering from cerebral palsy have several difficulties depending on the type of palsy that they possess. Thus their difficulties may range from problems in movements to problems in communication and speech, as well as in performing the basic normal activities of schools. This reflects on the need for understanding their needs and determines measures that can enable them to be part of normal classes and develop their skills as much as possible. The educators and special classes can take the responsibility in this regard effectively trying to manage accommodations and set ups in the classrooms trying to benefit the affected students. Few of such possible accommodations have been discussed in the study. It can be thus concluded that with the help of appropriate settings of the classrooms, along with the use of suitable equipments and technologies, the students of cerebral palsy may be assisted in developing their skills, learn along with normal students, and be a part of the society, trying to improve their communications, their ways of organizing and managing things, as well as facilitating easier movements of the body parts. References Alvarez, N. (2012). Cerebral Palsy, emedicinehealth, Retrieved on December 5, 2012 from: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cerebral_palsy/article_em.htm Cerebral Palsy (2012), nytimes, Retrieved on December 6, 2012 from: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cerebral-palsy/overview.html Early School Years Fact Pack (n.d.), cerebralpalsy, Retrieved on December 6, 2012 from: http://www.cerebralpalsy.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/4709/early_school_years_fact_pack.pdf Franklin, C., Harris, M.B. & P. Allen-Meares (2006). The School Services Sourcebook: A Guide for School Based Professionals, Oxford: Oxford University Press French, R. (2004). Cerebral Palsy, tahperd, Retrieved on December 6, 2012 from: http://www.tahperd.org/LINKS/links_pdfs/APE%20factsheets/Cerebral_Palsy.pdf Introduction to Cerebral Palsy (2012), scope, Retrieved on December 5, 2012 from: http://www.scope.org.uk/help-and-information/cerebral-palsy/introduction-cerebral-palsy Klein, M.D., R.E. Cook & A.M. Richardson-Gibbs (2001). Strategies for Including Children With Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings, Connecticut: Cengage Learning Westwood, P. (2011). Commonsense Methods for Children with Special Educational Needs, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis Zachry, A. (2011). Education Techniques to Help Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Classroom, brighthubeducation, Retrieved on December 7, 2012 from: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-inclusion-strategies/43536-inclusive-teaching-strategies-for-students-with-cerebral-palsy/ Read More