Physical Disabilities and Other Health Impairments, Special Gifts and Talents

Q1. Discuss the relationship between medical advances and the prevalence of physical disabilities.
Due to immense advancement in the field of medical science (Bureau, 2001), a number of diseases have been treated and improved especially the brain injuries and trauma cases which produce in a year more than 80,000 new generation people with a disability. Even the survival rates of less weighing babies have increased, in turn causing physical and mental development impediments (Bureau, 2001). This proves that as the medical science advances, problems like physical disabilities have also increased showing a positive correlation.
Q2. Define the three categories of physical disabilities described in the chapter (neuromotor impairments, orthopedic and musculoskeletal disorders, and other conditions that affect health or physical ability) and provide one example of each. Define each condition.
The three categories of physical disability discussed in the chapter are;
Congenital/Acquired: This classification emphasizes that the person is born with the disease or may get it due to an accident or disease. Example: Neuromonitor impairment.
Acute/Chronic/Episodic or progressive: Acute is when the disease is resolved on its own or through medication, chronic is when it recovers over a long period of time, episodic is occurring repeatedly over some time and progressive is when it increases in severity over time. Example: Muscular Dystrophy.
Other: This classifies other health related impairments causing physical disability or special gifts or talents.
Q3. Define cerebral palsy and discuss the range of effects that this condition can have on functioning.
Cerebral Palsy is related with impairment of the brain areas that control movement and coordination. It has three main kinds; rigid muscles (spasticity), irrepressible movements (choreoathetoid) and poor balance and direction (atonic). Its affect varies from person to person and the type of cerebral palsy that occurs. It majorly affects the movement, posture and balance. Some people show problems with walking, some just need help, some show intellectual disability, while in some cases the person also feels blindness or deafness. So its affect is not just constricted to muscular impediments, it also sometimes affect vision, hearing and sensations.
Q4. Describe ways that many physical disabilities could be prevented.
According to Vikaspedia (Kumar, 2014), Prevention is done on three main levels. At primary level, it is important to take action so a disability can be prevented like safety measures taken by pregnant women, regular exercising and avoiding caffeinated drinks, alcohol and smoking. Secondary is when the disability has occurred, but one tries to stop it from progressing. This can be done through, therapies and treatment. At tertiary level, minimizing the disability is of great importance. It is also known as rehabilitation (Kumar, 2014).
Q5. Discuss possible reasons for negative reactions to people with physical disabilities, negative feelings about themselves, and factors that may result in greater acceptance of people with physical disabilities.
People with disabilities face a lot of social issues like being left out of activities and people their age not wanting to interact with them. They are denied educational rights, job and other opportunities based on false assumption about their abilities. People with Disabilities might feel Internalization were they’d have a negative self-image about themselves due to being an outcast in the society. This disrupts in their treatment procedure where they become more sensitive and aggressive due to lower self-esteem caused by such social avoidance and discrimination. A study shows that kindergartens who are made to integrate and play with children with disabilities tend to develop more acceptance towards them (Forrest, 2011). The only way to make people and children accept them is through spreading awareness about these disabilities and integrating them within the social fabric of our society.
Q6. Explain what is meant by the statement: "Educating students with physical disabilities is not so much a matter of special instruction for children with disabilities as it is of educating the nondisabled population." Think about your own home, school, and community and provide three examples of limitations imposed on a person with a physical disability and how those limitations could be eliminated
The statement explains the fact that there isn’t a need of a very highly developed special school for educating the children with physical disability. They require the same attention as given to other students. There are so many limitations on a physically disable child; the children are not allowed to play with them, they require a special school even their IQ level is normal and they are seen with and treated with sympathy. Children should be allowed to play with them as they are as normal as these kids, it also develops acceptance towards these disabilities. Schools should cater them as a normal child, not some special child requiring a special school, this will encourage social inclusion and help with the treatment of that child’s disability. They should be treated with respect and equality, giving equal opportunities based on their abilities and not with sympathy.
Q7. Why is it important for teachers to know about and to practice proper positioning and handling of students with physical disabilities?
It is important because the children with physical disability should not be discriminated or excluded from social activities. Teachers should be more vigilant in being equal with those kids and help them move forward without making them feel inferior. This will help them develop healthier mindset and their treatment would become easier.
Q8. Discuss the factors that have led to expanded employment opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities.
Due to increased awareness regarding the physical disability and understanding that it doesn’t take away the abilities of a person, there has been increased number of opportunities for the disabled people. Introduction of Vocational Rehabilitation in the work environments has helped the physically disabled people to work. It works in three ways; it helps these people train for the work, help retain the existing jobs and help get the work for those who are out of it (Frank, 2016). There has been several laws and changes in the laws that have increased the employment opportunities for disabled people.
Q9. Describe acceleration and discuss the advantages of this approach to meeting educational needs of students who are gifted or talented.
Acceleration strategies are a wide variety of activities that enhance and assist with the learning capabilities of the gifted or talented individuals. This will increase social inclusion, they’d be able to participate in social activities as a non-disabled person. The society will be more accepting and accommodating. Economically a country would have more skilled workers.
Q10. List four barriers to developing better education for young children who appear to have special gifts or talents and the early identification and programming for these children.
It’s necessary to identify the gifted learners as their need is very different. They need better quality lecturers and environment to enhance their skills. Their identification, providing a differentiated curriculum, less resources and understand the uniqueness of the gifted student are four main barriers to facilitating them with a better education system.
Q11. Describe four ways that teachers can collaborate to serve students who are gifted.
· Offer difficult problems first to challenge them more, adopting the tiered learning.
· Encourage these gifted students to work in a group.
· Understand the uniqueness of that gifted student and challenge him based on his area of uniqueness.
· Tests for exempting them for more practice work.
Q12. Describe three possible reasons why females are underrepresented in programs for giftedness.
· Social structure of the world, women tend to be considered inferior.
· Challenging personal and professional lives
· Haven’t received serious recognition
Q13. Identify strategies used by teachers to facilitate the learning of students who are blind or visually impaired.
To facilitate a visually impaired or blind student, the teachers explain the visuals in the lectures/ book section etc. for that student to understand. They always provide oral instructions and oral examinations. Students are asked to clap before asking a question. Tactile learning experience is adopted by the teachers for them. They are given braille textbooks and handouts. The lessons are recorded for their assistive learning experience.
• Review case study number three. After reading about Declan, discuss the specific issues that he is facing and how you, as his teacher, would help enable success in your classroom.
As Declan is a very curious kid, it would be unfair if his curiosity is not satisfied so for that, I’d employ assistive learning techniques by providing him textbooks in braille form and get him smart scanners. I’d provide him audio lectures and informative material, to satisfy his thirst of knowledge. I’d record lectures for him and cater to all his questions that he has. Also, tactile learning will be given to him, I’d provide physical examples for him to feel and understand the information.
Q14. Identify strategies used by teachers to facilitate the learning of students who are deaf or have significant hearing loss.
Teachers seat these students in the front row, providing written materials for the lecture notes and not facing back or sideways which will impede that student from lip reading and using an interpreter. Teachers use assistive listening devices like induction loops. Speaking with pauses, being in the focal line of vision, using proper hand gestures, reinforcing the concepts etc. are some strategies used for these students.
Review case study number nine. Discuss what strategies you would specifically use to help facilitate learning for Jake.
Since Jake has no formal communication, he relies solely on lip reading then I’d give the lecture material (slides/documents/pointers) beforehand so he can understand them. I’d seat him in the first row and be in his eye contact so it’s easier for him to lip read. I’d utter my words with lesser speed and more clarity so it’s easier for him to understand. I’d give him time to absorb and understand the lectures.
Q15. What was the most interesting item you read in chapters 14 and 15?
Interesting thing in chapter 14 was how educational facilitations are enhanced for the students with different kinds of physical disabilities like through Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) to understand and cater to their needs. I like how chapter 15 identifies the other extreme of the broader spectrum, where the children with more than average intelligence, termed gifted/special, are explained including their identification and their needs of getting a challenged educational environment.
References
Bureau, P. R. (2001, September 1st). Emerging Trends in Disability. Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved from https://www.prb.org/emergingtrendsindisability/
Forrest, S. (2011, June 02). Learning about disabilities fosters social acceptance, study finds. Illinois News Bureau. Retrieved from https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/205310
Frank, A. (2016, July 16). Vocational Rehabilitation: Supporting Ill or Disabled Individuals in (to) Work: A UK Perspective. US National Library for Medicene. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5041047/
Kumar, R. (2014, October). Prevention of Disabilities- Parents Corner. Retrieved from Vikaspedia: http://vikaspedia.in/education/parents-corner/guidelines-for-parents-of-children-with-disabilities/prevention-of-disabilities