Educating Students with
Significant Disabilities
Through Active Learning
Mari Garza
Education Service Center, Region 2
maricela.garza@esc2.us
Active Learning

Active Learning revolves around the
learner being active.
 Research based for all students
– with
– without disabilities
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Research - Dr. Lilli Nielsen
Biobehavioral States
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State
State
State
State
State
State
State
State
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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Deep Sleep
Intermediate Sleep
Active Sleep
Drowsiness
Quiet Awake
Active Awake
Fussy Awake
Mild Agitation
Uncontrollable Agitation
Dr. Lilli Nielsen
Second of seven
 Four younger children were born blind
 Preschool Teacher and Psychologist
 National Institute to Blind and Partially
Sighted Children and Youth
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Dr. Lilli Nielsen
Research spatial relations with infants
who are congenitally blind and has
 Written several books and articles about
educating children with visual
impairments and multiple disabilities
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Goals
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Promote active interaction
Clear understanding of existing likes and
dislikes
Current means of communication
Increase in communicative behaviors
Interactive relationship between the
caregiver and the child
Beliefs
All young children learn through play
 Encouraged to explore environment and
objects
 All learn by being active, rather than
passive recipients of stimulation
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Beliefs continued
Do not interrupt
 Slow down
 Control of her/his own hands
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Principles of Active Learning
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The essential active learning principal is
- to create the environments that
provide feedback and support the
learner so that the learner can take
action on their own initiative to learn.
Principles of Active Learning
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May take a lot of trust to allow a child
or challenged learner to be on their own
and apparently not be accomplishing
anything.
Principles of Active Learning
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It also takes a very well tuned
environment so that this time is
productive and not simply frustrating.
Principles of Active Learning
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There is productive frustration and
futile frustration.
Principles of Active Learning
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This is probably the most difficult
aspect as a parent, teacher and/or
caregiver to decide when frustration is a
learning mode vs. a fiasco.
Principles of Active Learning
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In order to justify any appreciable level
of frustration, one must make due
diligence that the environment is
optimally suited for learning for the
challenged learner
Principles of Active Learning
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This is where Dr. Nielsen’s research has
paid off. She has through the years
seen so many children and older
learners with severe disabilities and
tried so many variations that she has
identified some that work much better
than others
Recommendations
Observe the child
 Provide more activities and objects
similar to those he enjoys
 Give opportunities to practice and/or to
compare
 Provide materials and activities slightly
higher developmental level
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FIELA Curriculum
Assessment based on multiple
observations
 Student interests
 Fine motor, gross motor and
interactive with a caregiver
 Forms for documentation
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Equipment
Little Room
 Positioning Board
 Resonance Board
 Tipping Board
 Scratch Board
 Vest with Objects
 FIELA Curriculum
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Design Principles of Active
Learning Equipment
The basic principles involved in designing
the Active Learning environments are:
– Feedback
– Support
– Richness
– Variety
Millie Smith
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Former TVI
Employed at TSBVI
Now Employed by APH
Collaboration with Lilli Nielsen
Research trials based on experience with children with
multiple impairments
Experience of those working with her from APH
Numerous articles on
– assessment, documentation, and teaching MIVI
Sensory Learning Kit
American Printing House Product
 Revamped by Millie Smith and APH staff
with collaboration with Lilli Nielsen
 Address Biobehavioral States
 Encourages use of all senses not just
visual
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Advantages
Assessment
 Routines Addressing Biobehavioral
States
 Activities plus a list of materials needed
for each activity
 Forms to document Progress or
regression
 Research Based Program for Students
with Visual Impairments
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Advantages continued
Suggestions for other activities
 Routine Based
 Multiple opportunities through
repetition
 Routines
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– IEP Development
– STAAR-Alt
Questions - Comments
"If the child is not learning the way you
are teaching, then you must teach in
the way the child learns" - Rita Dunn
References
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Nielsen, Lilli. Space and Self, SIKON, 1992.
Nielsen, Lilli. Are You Blind?, SIKON, 1990.
Active Learning and the Exploration of Real Objects
Stacy Shafer TSBVI See and Hear Newsletter Winter
2004
An Introduction to Dr. Lilli Nielsen’s Active Learning
Stacy Shafer TSBVI See and Hear Newsletter Fall 2003
Nielsen, Lilli. "Environmental intervention for visually
impaired preschool children with additional disabilities,"
VIP Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 3.
Nielsen, Lilli. "The blind child's ability to listen," VIP
Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 3.
Nielsen, Lilli. "Active learning," VIP Newsletter, Vol. 10,
No. 1.
TSBVI
Contact Information
Mari Garza
Educational Consultant
361-561-8539