Text-to-speech software
 Dictation software
 Software to work math problems w/o paper and
pencil
 Sometimes free; generally available for under $100
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Power Point: Assistive Technology to Support
Students with Special Needs available on the
NCPD website…
o Go to www.ncpd.org/webinars. Click on
High School webinar’s web page link to find
this downloadable PowerPoint.
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Learning Consultants compensation is funded from
regular operating revenue
o 8 students admitted and
retained on average covers
the expenses for one LC
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All students pay the same
tuition
o Students with special needs are
treated the same as any other student
o All students benefit from the Learning Consultant
helping teachers expand their
instructional variety

Begin with supports whose cost is negligible (under
$100). These include:
oStudent Assistance Teams
oAssistive Technology
oAccommodations
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Some students will be retained using the above
methods who otherwise would fail out – use these
saved tuition monies to look at funding a Learning
Consultant or other specialized faculty member.
Parents in your area may be interested in starting a
support organization such as we have in the
Archdioceses of Washington and Baltimore –
More information at www.ccse-maryland.org
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“No additional fees model” used by Archdiocese
of St. Louis
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education
(F.I.R.E.) in the Diocese of Kansas City – St.
Joseph
Knights of Columbus
in Virginia (KOVAR)
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Why assume academic excellence is undermined
by students with special needs?
Academic performance varies among students,
whether with or without disabilities. Many excel,
or could with proper supports.
Students with common special needs are already
in every school, whether the school acknowledges
their presence or not.
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Students with common special needs:
o May initially perform well because they are bright
and hard workers
o Can encounter stress and difficult choices in high
school if they do not receive support
• miss out on extracurricular activities
• take courses that are too easy
Identifying students and providing them with the
supports to succeed enhances a school’s
academic standing, rather than detracts from it.

Of course, schools are rightly concerned about
being academically excellent. In fact, isn’t that just
what we as a society ask them to do?
The problem becomes when a school feels
that the only way to academic excellence is
“one-size-fits-all.”
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Visual impairment, deafness or intellectual
disabilities are not that common in adolescents.
However, the educational needs of students with
these and other less common conditions may be
well met at their local Catholic high school.
Physical accessibility may also need to be
considered.
There is a great deal of support available for such
students. Knowledge of these supports may aid in
making admissions decisions. For example…
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Students who sign will receive the free services of a
sign language interpreter under the Zobrest
decision.
Students with intellectual disabilities are
successfully attending many Catholic high schools
and can go to college. (See links on the NCPD
website regarding location of programs and
research supporting their effectiveness.)
Assistive technology now allows visually impaired
students to have seamless access to reading and
producing written text.

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What are specific adaptations
for this student to succeed?
Can my school
provide these?

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The Options Program serves students with
intellectual disabilities and significant learning
disabilities. A primary goal for each student is to
be as fully integrated as possible into the total
life of the school community.
For more information on the Paul VI Catholic
High School Options Program, contact Mrs. Chris
Desmarais @ 703-352-0925 Ext 333 or visit
www.paulvi.net/academics/departments/options.
Keys to successful transition include:
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Starting early and planning
individually
Self-advocacy skills
Realistic post-high school
plans
Connection with government
and community agencies
Upcoming NCPD Webinars
Advanced Considerations on
Children and Youth with Mental Illness,
May 2010
Advanced Considerations on Catechesis and
Children and Youth with Disabilities
July/August 2010
Advanced Considerations on Threats to the Life of
People with Disabilities: Part. 1, Pre-Natal Diagnosis
October 2010
Thank YOU for joining us. May God bless your
efforts to teach all of His children.
Thanks to all who supported this
NCPD and USCCB webinar:
Our partner,
National Conference for Catechetical Leadership
And collaborators,
National Catholic Educational Association
National Catholic Office for the Deaf
National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry
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For a replay of
this and archived
webinars
Select a webinar
under the
“Webinars”
navigation
button and scroll
to the bottom of
the page to
access the
Resources

For a schedule of upcoming
2010 webinars
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Did You Know?—that NCPD serves some 14
million Catholics with a disability, by supporting
the work at the (arch) diocesan and parish
levels?
And that NCPD does this on a budget funded
only from donations from affiliate member
(arch) dioceses, grants and individual sponsors?
Help grow our ministry, and bless our
work. Donate to NCPD by clicking on the icon
on the front page of our website,
www.ncpd.org.