Physical impairments represent a broad categorization of conditions including nervous system disorders (Cerebral Palsy), mental disorders (mental retardation), muscular-skeletal disorders (Rheumotoid Arthritis), cardiovascular disorders (coronary heart disease), respiratory disorders (emphysema), digestive disorders (cancer of the colon), urogenital disorders (kidney disease), endocrine-metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus), sense organ disorders (hearing and visual impairment). Only three of the impairments will be discussed here: motor impaired/orthopedically disabled, visually impaired, and hearing impaired.
Motor/Orthopedic Impaired Students.
The orthopedically disabled student is one who has an impairment which interferes with the normal functioning of the skeletal system, the joints, the connnective tissue, and muscles.
An assessment technique that allows the science teacher to determine an appropriate mitigative strategy for a particular student is the "life function impairment assessment," which interrelates general disability areas (motor/orthopedic, behavior, chronic disease, auditory, and visual) with five categories of functional impairment (health, mobility, communication, social/attitudinal, and cognitive/intellectual) (Figure 1)
In use, each block of the table would be filled in with some indication as to the degree of impairment for the individual student being assessed. Figure 11.18 shows a life function impairment assessment for a particular male Spina Bifida student. The student is wheel-chair bound, although he can use crutches for short distances and can transfer to chair or bench from wheelchair. The chart shows a problem in the social/attitudinal life function. In this case it is observed he has trouble keeping friends; urine bag is necessary and this has contributed to an odor problem; he tends to use the wheelchair aggressively. In terms of cognitive/intellectual life function, he has lowered grades, despite an average I.Q.
Some strategies that teachers can use to help physically disabled students in the science class include:
1. Provide for assistance (if necessary) from other people for such things as pushing a wheelchair to taking notes for the disabled student.2. Be aware of and use mechical devises as needed such as wheelchair lap board, tape recorder, voice synthesizer, electric hot plates instead of Bunsen burners, or pencil holders.
3. Employ teaching strategies such allowing more time to complete assignments, non-manual types of teaching techniques, breaks for stretching, storing materials so as to be accessible to all.
4. Evaluate the archetectural facilities of the classroom. Consider access to wheelchairs, lowering chalkboards, altering the height of desks and lab tables, use of non-skid floor for students with crutches.
5. Use a variety of student presentations including oral, and written. Use nonverbal signals such as blinking, head nodding, or a pointer.
Visually Impaired Students.
In working with students with visual impairments, Kenneth Ricker points out that the emphais should be on the student, not the visual impairment. He points out that we should place the emphasis on teaching science to students who happen to have some sort of visual impairment.
Visually impaired students include both students with limited vision and the totally blind. Ricker suggests that science teachers can be aided if they know how the student functions effectively in learning situations that involve four different levels of tasks:
1.Close-up tasks such as reading a book, drawing a diagram, or using a microscope.2. Near-by tasks at an arm's length, such as manipulating objects or handling lab equipment.
3. Distance tasks such as reading what is on the chalkboard or viewing what is on the screen.
4. Mobility tasks such as moving to different places in a lab or going on field trips.
One of the important aspects of working with students who are visually impaired is to make sure that they get to perform hands on science activities. A number of science teachers and researchers have developed a variety of strategies to encourage hands on science teaching for the visually impaired. Here are some ideas that science teachers can use to help visually disabled learners become science learners.
1. Keep materials, supplies, and equipment in the same place whether it is on a laboratory table or in a field kit.2. Describe and tactually/spatially familarize the student to all equipment.
3. Describe and tactually/spatially familarize the student to the classroom and laboratory.
4. Have the student do a trial run before the activity.
5. Enforce safety rules rigidly since the visually impaired student is more apt to work closer to the activity and laboratory table.
6. Use simple adaptive procedures on equipment.
7. Use tactile models to show visually impaired students what you visually show nonimpaired students.
8. Convert color change indicators in chemistry laboratories to tactile indicators by filtering the precipitate and having the student touch the precipitate on filter paper.
9. Use a thermoform machine to make multiple, reproducible tactile diagrams.
10. Make arrangements for tactile examination if touch is not normally permitted.
11. Present examinations in a form that will be unbiased to visually impaired students.
12. Use various mechanical devices such as tape recorder, overhead projector, slide previewer, raised-line drawings, and so forth.
13. Non-dominant laboratory partners can facilitate the work of the visually impaired during hands-on activities, and while working in the lab.
Hearing Impaired Students.
Hearing imparied students may have either partial or total hearing loss. The implications of having a hearing loss impact the constant problem of not being able to hear, either completely or partially, human voices and environmental sounds. Hearing loss can also affect the individual's language development, depending upon the time of the onset of the hearing loss. Speech and voice quality may also be affected by hearing loss. Therefore, the teacher should be aware that cognitive, personal, and social development might also be affected by a hearing impairment.
The teacher can help the hearing impaired student in science class by being aware of the following.
1. In considering the physical environment, place the student within 15 feet of the teacher. The student should also be placed with his or her better ear towards the class, and try to avoid placing the student near congested areas, or where there are excessive vibrations and noise.2. To help the student with communication insure the presence of an interpreter where needed. Communicate directly with the student, and use note-writing and the chalkboard for one-to-one discussion. Speak clearly, at a moderate pace, and without exaggeration or over-enunciation while making eye contact.
3. Teaching strategies such as providing an outline of the lesson or activity, as well as step-by-step directions prior to a lab activity are helpful. Use multiple sensory activities, especially visual to reinforce vocabulary and science concepts.
4. Encourage students to ask questions, make use of glossaries, and to take notes on major points of lesson or activity.
5. Arrange for non-dominant lab partner for helping with communication.