Jessica Lamay
EDU581
Case Study: Physical and Health Disabilities
January 14, 2015
Case Study on Physical and Health Disabilities
Determine two instructional strategies that would work for Marta, for Andre, and for Ben in each of the following areas:
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Instructional content
Instructional procedures
Instructional environment
Instructional technology
Peers and socialization
Explain why you chose each strategy and why you think it will be appropriate for the student.
Instructional
Strategies
Marta
Andre
Ben
Instructional
content
strategy 1
Access to the general education curriculum
with some modifications and through universal
design. Since Marta’s intelligence appears to
be normal there is no need to pull her out of
the general education classroom. Using a
universal design would give Marta the
opportunity to keep up with the curriculum by
using other materials and activities that can
accommodate the difficulty she has with motor
movements due to CP. For example, allowing
Marta to use a computer instead of hand
writing would help her to keep up with the
class on her own. The classroom should also
have wheelchair tables and objects that are
Access to the general education curriculum
through universal design and with some
modifications relating to classroom setup and
emergency action plans. Since Andre is prone to
seizures and currently still has one once a month
it is important to recognize that changes in the
physical plan of the classroom should be made to
keep him safe. Andre should remain in the
general education curriculum and universal design
can help Andre keep pace with the rest of the
class through modifications. Some examples
include constant evaluation after he has a seizure
to measure where he was and where he is after
the seizure. Are the seizures setting him back in
An important instructional content strategy
for Ben is social adjustment through working
on his social skills. Ben suffered a brain
injury in a car accident and was is
transitioning back into school from being in
the hospital. He will mostly have several
setbacks socially in his life. He has missed
significant time with his peers and will need
some guidance learning how to transition
back. Due to his head injury he has lost
some of his academic skills and short term
memory. This has caused him to become
easily frustrated which in turn affects his
relationships. Ben will need help rebuilding
easy for her to hold and grasp.
Instructional
content
strategy 2
Special Health Care Content is another
strategy that should be used to assist Marta in
school. Marta is always going to have a
constant battle with motor movements and
maneuvering her wheelchair. In order to
assist Marta with these challenges she should
learn how to use her wheelchair so it
becomes a positive tool not a frustrating
device. She should also learn how to transfer
herself from the wheelchair to the bed,
bathtub, sitting in a chair, using the toilet, etc.
She will learn how to be independent and selfreliant from learning and practicing these
tasks. It will be important for Marta to learn
how to perform activities involving daily living
as she continues through school and her life.
the classroom? If so there will need to be a plan
to modify lessons to his level until he can regain
the skills he may have lost. Constant
adjustments, collaboration and creativity will
benefit Andre in the general education classroom.
Special Health Care Content is another strategy
that is necessary for Andre. Andre suffers from
seizures and takes medication for his seizures.
Teaching Andre when and how to take his
medication is necessary so he does not forget or
mistake his medicine. Along with monitoring his
medication by a school nurse, Andre’s teacher will
need to be aware and obtain special knowledge of
what to do if Andre has a seizure or if he begins to
feel the blood taste in his mouth that warns him he
is about to have a seizure. Having both Andre
and his teacher learn and prepare for this
situations will help keep Andre safe in his
classroom and is extremely important content for
him to learn.
A transition portfolio should also be kept up to
date so when Andre moves into the next grade his
new teacher will have background information on
what to do if Andre has a seizure, needs his
medication, or feels a seizure about to occur.
Instructional
procedures
strategy 1
Individual Health Plans (IHP) provides Marta’s
teacher with all the information they need to
know about her health care status and
prescribed health care procedures or physical
management procedures. Marta will need a
lot of assistance since she struggles with
voluntary motor movements with her arms
Andre should have an IHP that provides his
teacher with all the necessary information about
his health procedures regarding his seizure.
Specifically, communication skills regarding his
seizure and how to handle it, Andre’s medications
and their administration, who to do if he begins to
feel the blood taste in his mouth, and how to
his friendships and relationships. This is
important for his self-esteem and selfefficacy. Rebuilding his friendships could
help give him the confidence and support he
needs to regain the skills he has lost.
Transition Planning is another important
strategy for Ben. He has spent time in the
hospital and will need help transitioning back
into the school setting. He has lost some
academic skills, short-term memory, and is
easily agitated and frustrated due to his
setbacks. Ben along with his parents are
struggling with accepting these changes in
Ben’s life. Transition planning will make the
move from hospital to school and little easier.
Ben should have a transition portfolio that will
help assist Ben, his parents and his teachers
because it consists of personal information
about Ben, what happened and any medical
information, educational programming
information, adaptations needed,
communication needs, and reinforcement
strategies. This is a great tool to help keep
everyone on the same page and it clearly
lays out what Ben’s needs are. Since both
Ben and his parents are struggling the
portfolio is a good visual for them to use so
they are all able to visually see what
happened to Ben, how everyone should
assist in helping him, and what he can and
can’t do.
Ben will benefit from strategies for behavioral
and social skills development. His brain
injury has caused him to become easily
frustrated and agitated when he is unable to
do things he was once able to do. A strategy
that could help Ben is a cognitive strategy of
self-monitoring or self-managing. Ben may
Instructional
procedures
strategy 2
Instructional
environment
strategy 1
and mainly her legs and also struggles with
her speech. The IHP will update her teacher
on all procedures including communication
skills, lifting, carrying or transferring since she
is in a wheelchair, handling any positioning
such as moving her so she can hear and see
better, mobility so she can easily move
around the classroom in her wheelchair,
eating and feeding if necessary, and toileting.
These are all important needs that should be
addressed for Marta.
Marta’s parents will be an integral part of her
collaboration team so it is important that they
also receive proper support and training in
order to assist Marta. Since Marta uses a
wheelchair she will need support not only in
school but at home as well. Bringing in the
parents to sit in on meetings to discuss
Marta’s goals, needs, restrictions, and
modifications will keep all parties on the same
page and will give Marta a better support
system.
assist if he begins to have a seizure. Clear cut
procedures outlined for Andre, his teacher, and
anyone else in the classroom is a very important
strategy to keep him safe in his classroom
environment.
A continuum of services is an important
strategy to use for Marta. She currently
learns in the general education classroom but
as time goes on it is uncertain if she will
continue improving or if her CP will cause her
A continuum of services through a full-time
inclusion in the general education classroom
would benefit Andre and is the least restrictive
environment for him at this moment. Although
Andre suffers from seizures, he is on medication,
Including Andre’s parents as part of the
collaboration team is an important strategy.
Andre is a student who may require observations
to see how he progress with his seizures and the
medication he takes. This process should be
monitored at home and at school. Andre’s
parents will need the proper training, guidance,
and support in order to provide consistency
between home and school. Always observe
Andre during periods where activity takes place
and he should avoid physical activity in the
afternoons at school and at home.
have lost some of his academic skills but the
goal is that he will improve these skills.
Once he begins to increase his cognitive and
memory skills he can use self-monitoring to
improve his independence and social
competence. Ben could also be partnered
up with a peer he gets along with and use
that partner as a model on how to behave in
class. This will work on controlling his
frustration and help improve his relationships
with peers.
Supporting Ben’s parents is going to be one
of the most important strategies since they
are having a very hard time accepting the
changes in Ben’s life and therefore their life
as well. If Ben can tell his parents are
frustrated than it will only make Ben feel
even more frustrated too. Bringing his
parents in and part of the collaboration team
will help keep everyone on the same page.
Working with Ben’s parents on how to
support him at home and keeping them up to
date with what the school is doing will
hopefully ease some of their frustrations.
The school should keep in mind, when
speaking to Ben’s parents that they should
inform them and keep them up to date but
they should speak to them so they
understand what the plan is. Keeping in
mind his parents are still struggling with
Ben’s injury and may be emotional. If Ben’s
parents feel supported then they will be more
helpful at home with Ben.
A continuum of services for Ben should
include collaboration between his IEP team
and his parents to determine his least
restrictive environment. Ben suffered a TBI
and has set backs in his academic skills,
to worsen. In order to make sure she is in the
best instructional environment and therefore
the least restrictive environment her IEP team
along with her parents should constantly be
evaluating her and staying up to date with her
progress or setbacks. The goal is for Marta to
remain in the inclusive setting and may
require other supportive services to do so.
Instructional
environment
strategy 2
The physical layout of the classroom should
be considered for Marta since she is in a
wheelchair. Wheelchair accessible desks,
easy to grasp objects, removing barriers or
objects that will get in her way, and placing
her in a space that allows her to possibly have
two desks so she can have her computer with
her to assist with work and communication.
Creating an easy to move and access
environment will help Marta to feel
comfortable and successful in her classroom.
Instructional
technology
strategy 1
Marta will need adaptive equipment for
mobility (wheelchair for independence),
physical management (for health and
positioning), and even adaptive eating tools
(spoons easy to grasp handles, nonslip lunch
trays). Marta is able to communicate but she
is hard to understand. An alternative or
augmentative communication device could
assist her with her communication until she is
able to speak more clearly. She could use the
device to show pictures of her wants and
needs.
Assistive Technology will improve Marta’s
access and instruction. Marta can move her
arms but she is very limited and it could
become exhausting after trying to move all
Instructional
technology
strategy 2
he only has them once a month and is able to tell
when he is about to have one. He is still keeping
up with his work and seems to be functioning
alright in the general education classroom.
Continuing to monitor Andre at school and at
home and having his parents collaborate with the
IEP team will help to make sure he is safe and if
anything needs to change the consistent
communication will help to make sure those
changes will occur.
Classroom arrangements should be considered if
Andre is in the class. He still suffers from
seizures once a month so placement of his desk
and who he sits near is important to acknowledge.
Placing Andre near the teacher so he can easily
communicate that he feels a seizure coming on
and also making sure his desk is not near any
objects that he could possibly hit his head on if he
were to have a seizure and fall out of his desk. I
also think it would be a good idea to place a
carpet under Andre’s area (if the floors are not
carpeted) to cushion his fall.
Andre should first be assessed to determine his
need for instructional technology. When Andre
has a seizure he may sleep for ten minutes to an
hour after the episode. This will cause him to
miss class time. Technology could be used to
help him make up some work he missed and stay
on track with his curriculum.
Andre has a harder time in the afternoons when
he is tired and the classroom may be a bit noisy.
If this is the case, Andre’s teacher could have him
working on a computer in a less chaotic area that
behavior skills, and social skills. Creating an
environment to meet these needs will involve
collaboration and communication. As Ben
improves his skills his environment may need
to be adjusted.
The classroom arrangements that should be
considered for Ben are making sure services
that are needed are scheduled and delivered
meaning the general education teacher and
the classroom teacher need to collaborate to
ensure the goals are being met and the
supports Ben needs are being provided.
Avoiding competing philosophies is important
and so is appropriate training of all teachers
and staff. All factors will help assist Ben in
his instructional environment.
Ben should first be assessed to determine
his need for instructional technology. Since
Ben had a traumatic brain injury he lost some
of his academic skills and tends to get
frustrated easily. In order to work on his
academic skills Ben could use software
programs to improve his academic skills
such as reading, writing and math. He could
be working on the same curriculum but with a
different assignment through the computer
that simplifies the steps and gives him direct
feedback.
Assistive technology would be another
strategy to use in order to work on Ben’s
academic skills. A program that has voice
output could be beneficial for Ben to help
Peers and
socialization
strategy 1
Peers and
socialization
strategy 2
day. An eye-gaze system can be used to
allow her to use her eye movements to
activate computer functions. She could also
use a switch system for part of the day as
well. It is also important to make sure the
technology is accessible for Marta to operate
and manipulate. Meaning placing objects at a
height she can reach and operate them and
stabilizing equipment and creating an easy
environment for her to move her wheelchair
into position to use the equipment.
Marta may need some help forming peer
relationships since she lacks the freedom to
go places on her own. One strategy to help
her develop peer relationships in school is to
place her desk with a group of students who
are understanding of her disability. Talking to
the students beforehand to let them know
more about Marta’s CP and that they can be
great friends by helping their classmate out.
Marta’s setting arrangements will also allow
her to observe her peers and how they
interact with one another so she can mimic
their actions. Marta will be able to develop
relationships and her classmates will have an
opportunity to help their classmate out and get
to know Marta.
Marta could also work on peer relationships
and socialization by having a lunch buddy or
recess buddy. The class could rotate each
day who their buddies are for different
activities throughout the day. Each student
including Marta will have the opportunity to sit,
talk, and play with a different student each
day. Marta can work on her communication
skills and have different opportunities to meet
people in her class.
is quiet. He could be working on the same
content but through a computer program. This
keeps Andre on pace with his class but helps him
to control his environment so he is not in a
situation that would bring on a seizure.
guide him through computer programs. It
could be a one-to-one working environment
that will take him step by step through an
activity. He will still get direct feedback, learn
how to be patient and work on not getting
frustrated. He will have the ability to work
through scenarios on the computer while still
knowing what he did right and where he
needs to improve.
One strategy to use in order to assist Andre with
peers in his class is to talk to the class about
Andre’s seizures. Since the students will see the
seizures occur sometimes they will need to know
and understand why it happens and why certain
things may happen such as Andre losing control
of his bladder. Andre will already feel
embarrassed enough since he knows it could
possibly happen when he has a seizure, so
discussing this with the class may help them to
understand and avoid issues of peers making fun
of Andre. The teacher will explain that it is not
Andre’s fault and he needs support from his
classmates. Hopefully this will allow his peers to
be sympathetic and want to support Andre. Andre
will hopefully in return be less embarrassed.
Andre sometimes knows when one of his seizures
is about to occur so assigning Andre a buddy
could not only help with communicating to the
teacher that Andre is about to have a seizure but
it would also give Andre a person he can
communicate with, get to know, and develop a
relationship with. The buddy would have to be
someone Andre trusts and feels comfortable with
but this strategy could help Andre work on his
social interactions.
Before Ben’s accident he had friends and
good peer relationships. After his brain injury
he now has difficulty with his interactions
because he is easily frustrated. Setting up
structured social time would allow Ben to
work on his interactions in a safe controlled
environment. These situations could occur
during class through working on a group
assignment, peer buddy work, or even a five
minute break where the teacher has students
turn to their partner and talk about their
favorite TV show, music group, what they did
the day before, etc.
Another strategy that would benefit Ben is to
practice social skills with the teacher or
special education teacher in order to give
him confidence and build his self-esteem.
Once he feels more comfortable in social
situations he will be more likely to put himself
out there to try and communicate with his
friends again.