Understanding Disability Laws & Inclusion Strategies for Students - Helpful Guide

1. Including Students With Disabilities The Help Group Schools Coach Chris Cevallos

2. Objectives • Demonstrate knowledge about the disability laws • Express awareness for students with disabilities • Know strategies for adapting instruction • Define Individual Education Plan (IEP) • Know the IEP process • Have an open mind toward people with disabilities • Know the steps to inclusion in the classroom

3. Current Laws • Public Law 94-142 • Amendments • IDEA – Public Law 101-746 • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

4. Public Law 94-142 • Passed in 1975 • Specifically includes Physical Education • 1975 • Focus on “child find” • 1980s • Emphasis on implementation • Parental involvement • Addressed preschool and toddler education programs • Secondary schools focus on transition skills

5. IDEA – Public Law 101- 476 • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act • Passed in 1990 • 1990s • Change in terminology • “Handicapped” changed to “children with disabilities” • 1996 • Strengthened services to at-risk children • Provisions for free appropriate education from ages 3 – 21 • Extension for developmental delays in children ages 3 – 9 • Children need to receive progress reports • Changes to the IEP process

6. IDEA – Principles • Free appropriate public education that meets the child’s needs • The rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected • Assist states and communities in providing for the education of all children with disabilities • Assess and ensure the effectiveness of the education provided to children with disabilities

7. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act • Increase eligible students to include the following conditions: • Drug or alcohol dependency • ADD or ADHD • Communicable diseases (including HIV) • Learning disabilities without severe discrepancy between ability and achievement • Social maladjustment • Other health compromises • Insulin dependent diabetes, asthma, severe allergies, arthritis, epilepsy, and temporary disabilities

8. IEP Process • Identify the student as possibly needing special services • The student is evaluated using reliable instruments to determine education performance • PE description should include: • motor output, evidence of sensory input system disfunction, inappropriate reflex behavior, sensory integration deficit, motor planning deficit • Locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative competency • Physical fitness level • Ability to participate and engage in a variety of activities • Ability to use community based resources to fulfill movement and participation needs

9. IEP Process • The IEP team decides if the student is eligible for special education and related services • The team has 30 days to meet and write an IEP • The IEP team includes • The student (when appropriate) • The parents or guardians • The special education teacher • An evaluation interpreter • Regular teachers (including the PE teacher) • A school representative • Transition services representative • The IEP team writes out steps and immediately implements them

10. IEP Content Sections • Current Performance • Annual Goals • Short-term instructional objectives • Special education and related services • Participation with nondisabled students • Participation in state and districtwide tests • Dates and places • Transition service needs (age 14) • Needed transition services (age 16) • Age of majority • Measuring progress

11. Overview of Disabilities • Cognitive Delays and Intellectual Impairments • Learning Disabilities • Chronic Illness • Physical Disabilities • Hearing and Visual Impairments

12. Cognitive Delays and Intellectual Impairments • Some may appear clumsy or awkward, have difficulty with balance, and lack efficient motor task performance • May have had less practice with motor skills and may have slower reaction times • Some language difficulties • Difficulty with postural reflexes • Less developed cardiorespiratory system • Slower or less able to interact spontaneously with a changing environment

13. Down’s Syndrome • Most common chromosomal disorder that leads to cognitive delays and intellectual impairments • Extra 21st chromosome • 5,000 children born with DS each year • IQ scores between 25 and 50 • PE can improve the physical and psychomotor abilities of people with DS

14. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome • Caused by the mother abusing alcohol during the pregnancy • Alcohol impairs the brain development of the fetus • FAS is the leading cause of cognitive delays and intellectual impairments in live births • Results in poor motor coordination, hypotonia, and ADD or ADHD disorders

15. Fragile X Syndrome • Most common inherited cause of cognitive delays and impairments • Caused by an abnormal X chromosome • May be hyperactive, experience attention deficits, and demonstrate aggressive outbursts • May experience poor balance, poor coordination, and tactile defensiveness

16. Learning Disabilities • Appear normal in physical, social, and mental development, but fail to reach their academic achievement potential in school • 4 signs to look for: • Intellectual potential and academic performance do not match • There are learning problems that are not caused by mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental disadvantage • Cognitive, affective, or motor development may be uneven • Clear signs of central nervous system dysfunction may or may not be present • May be caused by neurological, genetic, or environmental factors

17. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders • Signs/Symptoms • Difficulty paying attention to instructions, tasks, assignments, and social interactions • Problems with organization • Speak out of turn, disruptive • 10-20% of school age children experience some form of ADHD

18. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders • ADHD – ADD with Hyperactivity • Short attention span, poor listening skills, impulsiveness, restlessness, and easy distractibility • ADD-WO – ADD without Hyperactivity • Loses thought patterns, shows delayed responses, delays in recalling names and descriptions • ADD-R – ADD Residual • Adolescents who have not outgrown ADD

19. Chronic Illnesses - Asthma • Chronic lung disease • Obstruction of the airways and airway inflammation • Asthma attack – may feel tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, and dry cough • Severe attack – tensing of the neck muscles, inability to talk, grayish or blue fingernails • Using medication or inhalers can usually ward off attacks

20. Chronic Illnesses – Diabetes Mellitus • Caused by a deficient insulin source • Type 1 – insulin-dependent diabetes • Controlled by insulin, diet, and exercise • Type 2 – non-insulin-dependent diabetes • Controlled by diet, exercise, and oral medication • Check blood sugar levels (Glucometer) • Levels between 80 and 120 are acceptable • Hyperglycemia (over 120) • Tired, sluggish, cranky, increased thirst, frequent urination • Cannot participate • Hypoglycemia (under 80) • Lack energy, aggitated, lightheaded, and confused • May have sweaty palms, feel shaky, and look pale

21. Cerebral Palsy • Condition impairs voluntary movements • Caused by a lesion to the brain • Occurs in 1 or 2 live births out of 1,000 • Difficulty performing simple gross motor movements • Experience muscle spasticity, muscular contractures, and hypertonicity

22. Epilepsy • Present in approximately 2% of the population • Caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain • Experience episodes of altered consciousness, motor activity, sensory phenomena, or inappropriate behavior • Avoid activities that may involve direct blows to the head and heights • Prohibit underwater swimming

23. Spina Bifida • Occurs in 1 out of every 1,000 live births • Result of a defective closure of the vertebral column • Symptoms from mild muscle imbalance to paralysis

24. Arthritis • Inflammation of the joints • #1 crippling disease • Juvenile Arthritis • Still’s Disease • Afflicts children before the age of 7 • 250,000 kids • Physical exercise works well to reduce pain and improve motor function • Stretching and improving range of motion is important

25. Hearing Impairments • Hard of hearing or deaf • Have difficulty with language comprehension, social interactions, and motor development • Use instruction that includes visual and kinesthetic techniques • Sign language may be useful

26. Visual Impairments • Blind or partially sighted • Approximately 1% of the population • Visual dysfunction – 20-30% of school aged kids • Motor development is usually delayed • Provide sensory stimulus other than demonstrations (verbal and tactile)

27. Unrestrictive Inclusive Environment • Assess students needs and performance abilities • Use effective methods for individualizing instruction • Engage students in activities where they will be successful • Facilitate interaction with other students and group activity • Be patient, reinforcing and consistent in your behavior and expectations • Work to help the student make the transition to lifelong activity and community events

28. Steps to Inclusion • Assess your program to see if you are breaking down all of the barriers • Facilities • Ability to move around lockers, showers, and toilets? • Easy to get in and out of gymnasium, pool, or weight room? • Is travel between locker room and indoor or outdoor facilities easy? • Are there opportunities for full participation and success? • Can everyone evacuate safely in an emergency?

29. Steps to Inclusion • Curriculum • Program includes everyone and is based on the NASPE standards • Support Personnel • Class buddy, teacher assistant, teacher aide, adult volunteer • Equipment • Provide alternate equipment based on student needs • Behavior Management • Positive reinforcement • Consistent consequences

30. Steps to Inclusion • Program Participation • Full independent participation in regular PE class • Full independent participation in younger PE class • Full independent participation in some units, with support in other units • Full independent participation in some parts of the daily lessons, with support in others • Participation with support in some units, with separate PE for other units • Participation with support in some phases of the daily activities, with separate PE for other phases • Separate but equal adapted PE in the same building with typically developing peers • Separate but equal adapted PE in the same building with peers with disabilities • Adapted PE at home, a hospital or in an institutional setting

31. Summary • Understand diversity • Embrace uniqueness • Some disabilities are noticeable, others are not • Know the disability laws • Be a part of the IEP process • Inclusion is the cornerstone of equitable education

32. Resources • Himberg, Catherine, Hutchinson, Gayle E., and Rousell, John M. (2003) Teaching Secondary Physical Education. Human Kinetics. p120-139.