- As defined by the IDEA "Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures)."
The IDEA category of orthopedic impairments contains a wide
variety of disorders. These can be
divided into three main areas: neuromotor impairments, degenerative diseases,
and musculoskeletal disorders. The specific characteristics of an
individual who has an orthopedic impairment will depend on both the specific
disease and its severity, as well as additional individual factors.
Neuromotor: A neuromotor
impairment is an abnormality of, or damage to, the brain, spinal cord, or
nervous system that sends impulses to the muscles of the body. These
impairments are acquired at or before birth, and often result in complex motor
problems that can affect several body systems. These motor problems can include
limited limb movement, loss of urinary control, and loss of proper alignment of
the spine. The two most common types
of neuromotor impairments are cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
Cerebral palsy refers to several non-progressive disorders of
voluntary movement or posture that are caused by malfunction of or damage to
the developing brain that occurs before or during birth or within the first few
years of life. Individuals with cerebral palsy have abnormal, involuntary,
and/or uncoordinated motor movements. Cerebral palsy is also classified by which limbs (arms and
legs) are affected. Major classifications include hemiplegia (left or right
side), diplegia (legs affected more than arms); paraplegia (only legs), and
quadriplegia (all four limbs). The
four most common types of cerebral palsy include:
- Spastic (very tight muscles occurring in one or more muscle groups that result in stiff, uncoordinated movements)
- Athetoid (movements are contorted, abnormal, and purposeless)
- Ataxic (poor balance and equilibrium in addition to uncoordinated voluntary movement)
- Mixed (any combination of the types)
Spina bifida is a developmental defect of the spinal column.
Spina bifida is characterized by an abnormal opening in the spinal column and
frequently involves some paralysis of various portions of the body. It may or
may not affect intellectual functioning. Spina bifida is usually classified as
either spina bifida occulta or spina bifida cystica. Spina bifida occulta is a
mild condition while spina bifida cystica is more serious.
Degenerative
diseases are composed of various diseases that affect motor development.
The most common degenerative disease
found in the school population is muscular dystrophy. Muscular
dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases characterized by progressive muscle
weakness from degeneration of muscle fibers.
Musculoskeletal
disorders are composed of various conditions that can result in various levels
of physical limitations. Two examples of musculoskeletal disorders include
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and limb deficiency.
Some indicators could also include:
Decreased hand-eye coordination
Decreased note taking and writing
Impaired verbal communication
Decreased physical stamina and endurance
An accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability.
- Classrooms in accessible locations and a place for faculty to meet with the student
- Extra time to get from one classroom to another,
especially in inclement weather
- Note takers, use of tape recorders, laptop word
processors, or photocopying of notes from peers
- Environments that minimize fatigue or injury
- Special computer hardware/software; voice activated word processing, word prediction, keyboard modification, alternative mice
- Accessible parking close to buildings and/or tram services
- Course waiver or substitution for qualified students
- Special seating in classroom
- Advanced planning of field trips to ensure
accessibility
- Adjustable tables and/lab work stations
http://www.partnerstx.org/accommodations-modifications-wait-they-are-not-the-same
http://www.washington.edu/doit/health-impairments
http://www.washington.edu/doit/health-impairments
Modifications are generally connected to instruction and assessment; things that can be tangibly changed or modified.
- speech recognition software
- screen reading software
- augmentative and alternative communication devices (such as communication boards)
- academic software packages for students with disabilities
- keyboard modification
- providing more time to complete tasks
- computer with alternate input
- extra set of books
- study outlines
- alternate responding
