Specific Populations

Individuals who have a documented disability are not the only learners who benefit when web-based information and other materials are created using Universal Design principles. Everyone may experience difficulty accessing information in certain noisy environments, for example, or when their internet connection is spotty, or their technology is old. Many of us have difficulty understanding the information if the content is new to us, the material includes technical language, or if it is written in English. These are just a few of the things to consider when designing and creating your materials.

See separate pages: Hearing Impairments, Visual Impairments, Color Blindness

Related topics:

General Information

  • (definition) Disabilities [World Health Organization] http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/

  • Some Quick Disability Facts http://www.disabled-world.com/

  • (disability simulation) Through Your Child’s Eyes https://www.understood.org/en/tools/through-your-childs-eyes "Use these unique simulations and videos to better understand your child’s world."

    • How Do You Define Invisible Disability? https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/

    • Disability and Health [World health Organization (WHO)] factsheet http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/

  • Disability is Not a Problem; it is Part of Who You Are. http://blog.knowbility.org/content/disability-is-not-a-problem-it-is-part-of-who-you-are/

  • Children and Youth with Disabilities (ages 3-21) [NCES] http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgg.asp

  • Accessibility in Education in North America (infographic) [Blackboard] https://en-us.help.blackboard.com/Accessibility/Accessibility_in_Education

  • Diversity of Web Users http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/diversity

  • People With 'Invisible Disabilities' Fight For Understanding http://www.npr.org/2015/03/08/391517412/people-with-invisible-disabilities-fight-for-understanding

  • DeeScribes: Redefining Disability Challenge https://deescribesblog.wordpress.com/redefining-disability-challenge/

  • Dee answers questions from this "interactive blogging challenge as a way to promote better representation of people with disabilities.."

  • (IDEA) Annual Disability Statistics Compendium http://disabilitycompendium.org/statistics/special-education

    • Designing for All Abilities https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/fashion/parsons-design-disability.html

    • The Myth of Average: Todd Rose at TEDxSonomaCounty (YouTube, Jan 2010, 18:26) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eBmyttcfU4

General Information about Disabilities

The official disability categories in IDEA are listed below. The other related legistlations do not have as well-defined a list. The K-12 schools in some states, including South Carolina, even differ on the names they use for eligibility requirements.

  • Autism

  • Deaf-blindness

  • Deafness

  • Developmental delay

  • Emotional disturbance

  • Hearing impairment

  • Intellectual disability

  • Multiple disabilities

  • Orthopedic impairment

  • Other health impairment

  • Specific learning disability

  • Speech or language impairment

  • Traumatic brain injury

  • Visual impairment, including blindness

Individuals with Visual Impairments

See separate page on this site, Visual Impairments

See separate page on this site, Color Blindness

Individuals with Hearing Impairments

See separate page on this site, Hearing Impairments

Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments

Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments have special needs

Individuals with Cognitive Disorders or Learning Disabilities

Learners with cognitive disorders or learning disabilities have special needs

    • Learning Disabilities [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/learning-disabilities

    • Dyslexia - a demo of what it might look like to have letters dance around http://geon.github.io/programming/2016/03/03/dsxyliea

    • Autism Spectrum Disorders / Asperger Syndrome [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/autism-spectrum-disorders-asperger-syndrome

Individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Learners with ADHD or ADD have special needs

    • ADHD Child vs. Non-ADHD Child Interview (YouTube 5:44) https://youtu.be/-IO6zqIm88s

    • ADHD sucks, but not really (YouTube, Dec 2015, 13:22) https://youtu.be/fWCocjh5aK0

    • Living with ADHD in the age of information and social media (YouTube, Jul 2014, 8:54) https://youtu.be/y0hY5TYVv_s

    • The most important lesson from 83,000 brain scans (YouTube, Oct 2013, 14:36) https://youtu.be/esPRsT-lmw8

    • Not wrong, just different: ADHD as innovators (YouTube, Jun 2011, 17:42) https://youtu.be/60wX9jf5RPg

    • Attention Deficits [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/attention-deficits

Individuals with Mental Health Disorders or Psychiatric Disabilities

Individuals with Mental Health Disorders or Psychiatric Disabilities have special needs

    • Psychiatric Impairments [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/psychiatric-impairments

    • In Higher Ed’s Mental-Health Crisis, an Overlooked Population: International Students http://www.chronicle.com/article/In-Higher-Ed-s-Mental-Health/240891

    • Portrait of Faculty Mental Health https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/08/study-faculty-members-mental-health-issues-finds-mix-attitudes-disclosing-and

Individuals with Physical, Mobility, or Health-Related Impairments

Individuals with Physical, Mobility, or Health-Related Impairments have special needs

    • Circuits on the Brain: Battelle’s Quest to Revive Paralyzed Limbs https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2017/05/circuits-brain-battelles-quest-revive-paralyzed-limbs

    • Doctors Plan Bold Test of Gene Therapy on Boys with Muscular Dystrophy https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608575/doctors-plan-bold-test-of-gene-therapy-on-boys-with-muscular-dystrophy/

    • Sickle-Cell Patients See Hope in CRISPR https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608641/sickle-cell-patients-see-hope-in-crispr/

    • Robotic exoskeletons show promise as tool to help kids with cerebral palsy walk easier https://www.statnews.com/2017/08/23/cerebral-palsy-exoskeletons

    • Health Impairments [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/health-impairments

    • Mobility Impairments [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/mobility-impairments

    • Outfitting the Future: Solving Problems With Wearable Tech http://www.chronicle.com/paid-article/Outfitting-the-Future-Solving/47

    • Multiple Chemical Sensitivity [DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology] http://www.washington.edu/doit/multiple-chemical-sensitivity

Older Individuals

Older learners have special needs

    • Their genes put them at high risk of Alzheimer’s. So they’re experimenting — on themselves https://www.statnews.com/2017/08/22/alzheimers-apoe4-risk/

Early Childhood

The IDEA covers children from birth through 3 years

Quick Links:

  • Early Learning Resources http://aem.cast.org/supporting/early-learning-resources.html#.Vul2iuIrLs0

  • Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center http://ectacenter.org/default.asp

  • Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Childhood Programs (Sep 2015) (PDF) http://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/calls/2016/inclusion-joint-statement-full-text.pdf

Learners for Whom English is Not Their First Language

English language learners have special needs

    • How to Support Bilingual eLearning http://elearningbrothers.com/support-bilingual-elearning/

Other Special Populations

Every learner is different....

When Should a Prescription Drug's Side Effects Count as a Disability? https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/7xxyxd/prescription-drug-side-effects-disability

Getting Curious (Not Furious) With Students [identifying trauma in students] http://www.edutopia.org/blog/getting-curious-not-furious-students-rebecca-alber

Quietly, schools take compassionate look at transgender rights http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2016/0627/Quietly-schools-take-compassionate-look-at-transgender-rights

Other Specific Conditions

Discalculia

Discalculia http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexic/dyscalculia

People with Older Technology or Poor Internet Connections

People using older technology, technology that performs poorly for the purpose, or poor internet connects have special needs

Resources to Explore Further

New links that I find but have not yet looked at closely enough to add to my lists.