Because every student with a disability has complex and unique needs, the
strategies and tools of instruction must be constantly modified so that each student can
succeed at learning. Researchers at the Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies
have identified six dimensions of learning tasks that teachers can modify to engender
success.
Physical Demands
Typical learning tasks can be physically challenging for
students with motor and/or cognitive impairments. Some students may be physically
incapable of manipulating the tasks and tools of learning in standard ways. Others may
find physical tasks quite strenuous and readily become fatigued. A careful analysis of the
physical demands of the tasks and tools of learning can result in effective modification
along this dimension. For example, when students are unable to physically turn pages of
typical books, minor adaptations such as foam block page separators may be helpful.
Students who are unable to use their hands in this way can access many titles on the
computer, turning pages by simply hitting a switch. For students who have difficulty
writing, adapted pencils and crayons can be provided, as well as computers with
specialized software and hardware.
Sensory Demands
Typical learning tasks have both visual and auditory components which can be challenging
for students with visual or hearing difficulties. Therefore teachers must adjust the
sensory demands of learning tasks and/or provide specific tools that circumvent these
demands. For example, students with visual impairments can benefit from large-print books,
Braille translations or specialized storybooks that integrate tactile cues to meaning.
Software programs with auditory feedback, including music and speech output, are helpful.
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing can benefit from software and videos with either
captions or American Sign Language translations.
Communication Demands
The ability to communicate can be significantly limited by motor, cognitive, linguistic or
socio-emotional difficulties. Whether a child is non-speaking as a result of cerebral
palsy, or is unable to engage socially with peers due to autism, strategies and tools can
be manipulated to foster interaction and ensure that all children have the opportunity to
express their needs and preferences. The systemic use of alternative communication
strategies can provide all students access to the key concepts and vocabulary embedded
within the curriculum. As you tour Barbara's and Susan's classrooms, you will see numerous
examples of how picture communication symbols and boards and simple communication devices
with speech output are integrated into all activities to ensure students are full
communicative partners.
Experience Demands
Prior experience is an important component of learning
new information. Students with disabilities may have less exposure to the broad range of
experiences that comprise a student's background knowledge. Students' opportunities to
explore their immediate environments can be limited by the disabling condition itself and
the demands it places on students and caregivers. However, instructional strategies can be
modified to ensure that students have the necessary foundation for learning. For example,
before encountering new concepts or vocabulary, students can be immersed in discussion and
examples to build a necessary referential base for deeper learning. Students can be
encouraged to identify what they do know about a topic and expand this knowledge through
language experience stories.
Emotional Demands
Some students with disabilities struggle with tasks that
require risk-taking, perseverance, and self-motivation. Students with disabilities
frequently rely on assistance from caregivers to initiate and complete tasks; therefore
their opportunities may be limited to develop autonomy and a sense of self-worth. However,
tasks can be "scaffolded" in such a way that students can achieve independence
and success. That is, tasks can be broken down into component parts and students can be
given the necessary structure and prompts to succeed over time. For example, repeated
reading of the same words, sentences and passages can promote fluency and confidence in
reading. Similarly providing a series of increasingly complex written language models can
offer students the structure they need to be creative.
Back to Global View
[ NCIP Home | Library | Videos | Tour | Spotlight | Workshops | Links ]
This material was developed by the National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP) in collaboration with the Center for Literacy and Disabilities (CLD) at Duke University. NCIP was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs from October 1, 1992 - September 30, 1998, Grant #H180N20013. Permission is granted to copy and disseminate this information. If you do so, please cite NCIP. Contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by CLD, NCIP, EDC, or the U.S. Government. This site was last updated in September 1998. |