Any orthopedic impairment, disease related to one's joints, bones, or muscle, that negatively affects one's academic performance.
"A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a student'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, amputation, and fractures or burns which cause contractures)."
General Information:
Includes both orthopedic impairments and neuromotor impairments
Orthopedic impairments involve damage to the sketeletal system
Neuromotor impairments incolve damage to the nervous system
Range in severity
Mild to severe
Can get worse over one's life time
Characteristics of Orthopedic Impairments:
Examples:
Quadriplegia
Both arms and legs are impaired
Paraplegia
Legs are impaired
Hemiplegia
Left or right side is impaired
Diplegia
Both legs are involved more than arms
Cerebral palsy
Causes permanent disorders of movement ans positions
Use wheelchair
Use AAC, communication boards, or computerized devices
Spina Bifidia
Motor impairment
Loss of sensation
Possible paralysis
Walk with braces (use wheelchair for long distance)
Adaptations for Students with Orthoppedic Impairments:
Ensure that the class understand that a student with an orthopedic impairment might have some troubles with mobility
Have them try to do daily things with mobility aids
Discuss possible challenges impaired peers may face
Plan for fatigue
Duplicate sets of books for home and school
Schedule in rest breaks
Have a plan in place for physical breaks
Establish emergency procedures
Plan emergency procedures and practice them frequently
Assign a buddy or two to a student with an orthopedic impairment to aid in an emergency situation
Moving and positioning students
Have proper training to move students
Ensure they are comfortable
Adapt to Physical Environment:
Make sure aisles are clear for any mobility aids
Keep isles clear
Adapt Instructional Materials:
Get to know your students and what skills they may need assistance with (ie fine motor skills, gross motor skills)
Fine motor adaptations:
Tongue depressers to help turn pages
Enlarged pencil grips
Gross motor adaptations:
Book stands
Adapt Instruction:
Extra reading, studying, and instructional support when needed
Provide sufficient wait times
Assign peer assistants to work with students to be a more active participant
Adapt Assessment Methods:
Schedule tests with another adult to read test items and record answers
Pinnacle School #35 (RCSD)
There was a student in the school who had to use a walker to help them move around the school. They weren't in my class, but their classroom was on the opposite side of the school from the one elevator in the entire school. The student also had to take a typical bus and needed assistance to get on and off of the bus.
I had a few childhood friends who needed mobility aids as well. One used a wheelchair, another used leg braces, and another used a walker. I was friends with them when I was really little and would typically have recess and PE with them. Recess was always fun for a while, but it was hard for some of them to get on the playground because of the woodchips so we moslty played on the black top. PE was always fun with them because I was never super into the games, so I would typically play catch with them on the sidelines or just hangout with the and talk. The rollar skating unit was the best because we would start a conga line behind the student who used a wheelchair.
How many modifications can be made to emergency plans for students with an orthopedic impairment?
Do students with orthopedic impairment have more fine motor or gross motor delays?