Disability and Ability

By:

Evelyn King, Jill Stephens, & Carrie Werner

Demographics of People With Disabilities

•An estimated 34- 43 million people living in the U.S. are plagued with chronic disabilities

•In the 1999 - 2000 school year, the Department of Education reported that 112,993 students with multiple disabilities were being provided services

•Children with speech problems make up the largest group receiving special services

•The U.S. Department of Education has reported that 5 out of 1000 school children have at least mild hearing loss

1976 - 1991 1991 - Present

Learning disabled Speech or language

impaired Mentally retarded Seriously emotionally

disturbed Hard of hearing Deaf Orthopedic ally Impaired Other health impaired Visually handicapped multihandicapped

Specific learning disability Speech or language impairment Mental retardation Serious mental disturbance Hearing impairments Hearing impairments Orthopedic impairments Other health impairments Visual impairments Multiple disabilities Autism Traumatic brain injury Developmental delay

•In Alachua County, of the 29,686 students, 7,543 are classified as using exceptional education programs

•This ranges from students who are developmentally delayed - hospital/homebound - those who are profoundly mentally handicapped

•People with disabilities are the largest single minority group in the U.S.

Demographics of Students with

AbilityThe Statistics of students enrolled in gifted talented

students.

The year 93-94 and 95-96

Florida 74,572

New York 135,000

California 290,000

% of Students in Gifted Programs

• Public schools: 6.43% out of 41,621,660

• Private Schools: 4.93% out of 4,970,548

How Disability Affects the Classroom

Why disability affects the classroom?

• IDEA -

Individuals with Disability Education Act

IDEA

• Free public education must be offered to any student with a disability

• IEP - Individual Education Program• LRE - Least Restrictive

Environment

How disability affects the classroom?

• Students with disabilities• Students without disabilities• The teacher of the classroom

Different aspects of the classroom disability may affect…

How Teachers Should Address

Disability

“Students with disabilities in inclusion settings significantly increase the range of curricular applications that teachers are required to know and implement”

Meyem, Vergason, and Whelan

Although many conditions may be visible and obvious, parents may tell the teacher or nurse about specific conditions or impairments; in some cases the family may choose to remain quiet about the impairment and not inform the school

Methods for promoting success:

• Co-teaching• Collaborative consultation• Peer collaboration• Prereferral teams• Teacher assistance teams

Individualized

Education

Plan

Curriculum Based Collaboration

Discipline in the classroom

“Because even one student can destroy the learning environment for an entire class, behavior problems must be addressed”

Meyen, Vergason, and Whelan

Points to Remember

• Remember that a person with a disability is a person - like anyone else

• Relax• Appreciate what the student can do• Be considerate• Remember we all have handicaps• Speak directly to a person with a disability• Speak calmly, slowly, and distinctly

How Ability Affects the Classroom

To take into account with ability in the Classroom

• Alternated administrative arrangements• Assessment ~ of Gifted programs

~ Training Needs• Curriculum Development of Gifted

programs• Federal effort• Matching of learner and instructor

How Teachers Should Address

Ability

Identify the gifted students in the classroom

Curiosity Good memory Fast learner Observant Strong interest in reading

Feed the gifted child’s hunger for exploration and curiosity

Classroom Self-Initiated activities Choice of projects to choose from

Let the gifted children explore (don’t punish!)

Be very flexible and excepting

Grading and evaluating

• Rubric first!

Disability and Ability Online!

http://plaza.ufl.edu/

caw83/DisabilityAbility.ppt