EleanorPieton

EDUC605
BillPorterPlan

AsBillPortersfirstgradeteacherIwoulddoeverythingIcoulddotolearnaboutBills
disability.IwouldfirstmeetwithBillandhismothertogettoknowthemandunderstandtheir
perspectivesandBillspastexperiences.Intalkingwiththem,Iwouldconductaninterest
inventoryofsortstogainunderstandingofBillsstrengthspertheTheoryofMultiple
IntelligencesbyHowardGardner.InformationsuchaswhatBillenjoyslearningaboutandhow
hebestlearns(visually,orally,handson,etc.)wouldbepertinent.Secondly,Iwouldparticipate
inmyownresearchofCerebralPalsyusingbooks,blogs,andonlinesitessuchas
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm.Thirdly,Iwouldinvitethe
specialeducationteacher,paraeducators,principal,otherschoolteacherswhowouldbepartof
Billsschoolday,alongwithBillsmothertoanIEPmeetingtodiscussBillsgoals.Allpresent
wouldhaveachancetogiveinput.IwouldcontinuetoobserveBillsstrengthsandlimitations
throughouttheschoolyeartobesureIwasadaptingcurriculumtomeethisneedsandgoals.
Itwouldbeimportanttoprovidedisabilityawarenesseducationtotheotherstudentsinour
classbeforeBillcomestoschooltohelpthemunderstandCerebralPalsy.Itwouldalsobe
importanttoallowfordisabilityawarenessdiscussionwithBillpresentintheclassroom.Iwould
beginbyhavinganopenquestionandanswersessionaboutCerebralPalsyandhowwecan
helpBillinourclassroom.WewouldinvitetheSpecialEducationTeacher,thePrincipal,andthe
GuidanceCounselortojointheconversation.Havingallthestudentstogetherforthese
presentationshelpedfurtherthebondingprocess.Disabilitybecamesomethingthatwas"OK"to
talkabout,notsomethingtohideorfeelashamedof(Levinson,2016).Withtheapprovalof
Billsmother,Iwouldalsodistributeadisabilityetiquette
(http://ucp.org/resources/disabilityetiquette/)noteforstudentstosharewiththeirfamilies.

Usingprojectsasaformat,studentsforgettheirdifferencesbecausethetaskathand
providesaunifyingelementratherthanlookingateachother,theyarelookingattheproject
goals(Levinson,2016).Itwouldbegreattohavethestudentsworkoncreatingaplay(asin
thearticle)orperformancetogetherteachingothersabouthowtointeractwithsomeonewhois
disabled.Otherstudentsinthebuildingwithdisabilitieswouldbeencouragedtoparticipate.The
regulareducationstudentswouldbelearningabouttheseinteractionsandultimatelyteaching
tolerancetootherstudentsintheschoolwhentheyperformedforthestudentbodyatafuture
assembly.
InlookingatbarrierstoBillslearningindifferentclasssettings,ithasbeenfoundthat
activityperformancelimitationswerefoundtoimpactonschoolparticipation.Thesefindings
stressthecontinuingneedtoproviderehabilitativeinterventiontowardsremovingexisting
barrierswithintheinclusiveenvironment(RSchenkera*,WCosterb&SParush,2005).
BecauseIwouldwantBilltobeabletoparticipateinPEclass,assistivetechnology
accommodationssuchasawheelchairorstoolscooterwouldbeimplementedforBills
horizontalmovementactivities.EventhoughBillwasnotinawheelchair,itwouldbegreatif
therewasoneforhimtouseaswellasanextrawheelchairorstoolscooterforarotatingpeer
touse.Thismightalsohelpwiththeirunderstandingofhowanotherstudentconfinedtoa
wheelchairorstoolscooterwouldparticipate.ApeertoassistBillcouldbeassignedforpartner
games.Ideally,thiswouldbeanaturalpeersupport.Animportantroleofeducatorsisto
connectstudentsandtofacilitatenaturalsupportgivingandreceivingateveryopportunity
(Frey,Fisher,Henry,[ofVoiceofInclusion:CollaborativeTeachingandStudentSupport],p.131,
2005).
IfsittingatadeskisabarrierforBill,thephysicaltherapistoroccupationaltherapistmay
haveinputorsuggestionsonanalternative.ApossibleaccommodationforBillwouldbeaseat

withbodyguidesandhipguidestoallowhimtositcomfortably,havetheirhipsinahealthy
position,andbeateyelevelwithpeersandtheteacher.Alapboardmightbeagood
accommodationtoBillsadaptedseattowhichtosecureabook,magazine,ortablet.Thereare
greatappssuchasDragonDictationtohelpBillwithcommunicating.Itconvertsspeechtotext
oremail.Inadditiontohisseatinganddesk,theclassroomarrangementwouldhavetobeone
inwhichthereareclearpathsforBilltomovesafely.Billwouldhavetheabilitytotakebreaks
fromlearningasneededthroughouthisday.Hisbreakscouldbebytakingawalkdownthe
hallwaywithaparaeducator,takingawalkoutside,orgoingtoaresourceroomforabreak.
Forreadingandwriting,abalancedliteracyapproachwouldbeutilized.Anaccommodation
utilizingtheipadandasetofheadphoneswouldbegreattolistentoliteraturebooksorstories
thatBillshowsaninterestin.Readingaloudmightbeagoodopportunityforarotatingpeerto
practicetheirfluentreading.Thispeersupportstrategymaybescheduledatfirst,thenhopefully
naturallyoccurringastheyearprogressesandopportunitiestopickreadingpartnersoccur.The
paraeducator(ormyself)wouldensurethepartnerswereeachutilizingquestioningstrategies
whilereadingtobuildcomprehension.
AnAugmentativeAlternativeCommunicationDevicewouldbeagreatassistive
technologyaccommodationforhimtousetocommunicatehisthoughtsduringwritingorreading
workshop.ThiswoulddefinitelybeagoodcommunicationdeviceforwritingassignmentsforBill,
sinceitcanrelyonbodygesturesinsteadofhandstrength.AccordingtoUnitedCerebral
Palsy,AssistiveTechnology(AT)oftenplaysavitalroleinthelivesofpeoplewithdisabilities.
ATisanyitem,pieceofequipment,orproductthatisusedtoincrease,maintain,orimprovethe
functionalcapabilitiesofindividualswithdisabilities.AThasallowedaccessibilityforeveryone.
Noone,regardlessoftheirabilities,shouldbeleftfeelingliketheyhavenoindependenceor
confidence(Domeier,2013).Hecanalsospeakhisthoughtstoapeeroraparaeducatorwho

cantakenotationforhim.Inbothcases,hewouldstillbeabletocommunicatehisthoughtswith
others.IntheinstancesthatspeechmightsometimesalsobeabarrierforBill,thistypeof
devicewouldbeagreatimplementation.Thespeechtherapistwouldbeagreatresourcetotap
forinputonthisbarrieraswell.DevelopingBillslanguageskillswouldalsobeafocusofthe
speechtherapistinclassandoutofclassifneeded.Iwouldgreatlyvaluehis/herinputonwaysI
canhelpBillwithhisspeechIEPgoals.
Allthroughouttheyear,Iwouldbeassessingstudentsthroughobservations,discussions,
projects,andvariousformativeandauthenticassessmentstofuelfutureinstruction.Theinitial
groupprojectwouldbeonesuchinstanceofanauthenticassessment.Sinceplanningand
implementationofservicesrequireacollaborativeteamorcouncil(R.Villa,J.S.Thousand,
p.118),Iwouldbesuretocollaboratewiththespecialeducationteacher,thespeech
pathologist,theoccupationaltherapist,physicaltherapist,andrelatedspecialsteacherson
lessonplansandassessmentstohelpmeetBillsIEPgoals.
Forsocialinteractiongoals,Iwouldprimarilyutilizetherotatingpeer/buddysupport
strategiesbothscheduledandnaturaloccurringintheclassroom,atspecials,inthe
lunchroom,andontheplayground.Iwouldalsobesuretoemploycooperativelearning
groupingsforactivitiesandprojectsinclass.Thisstrategywouldallowforsharingofideasand
communicatingaboutatopic.IliketheideaofrotatinglunchbuddiestohavelunchwithBill
eitherinthelunchroom,classroom,resourceroom,orelsewhereatschool.Billcouldalsowork
onhisorallanguageandcommunicativeIEPgoalsatthistimewiththehelpofaparaeducator,
speechtherapist,ormyselfforguidance,ifneeded.ItwouldbeimportanttoallowBillsome
freedomtocommunicatewithhispeersandnothaveaparaeducatororadultvelcroedtohim.
Ithinkthatissoimportant,especiallyinthewaythatheisviewedbyhispeers.

Outsideoftheschool,IwouldencourageBillsmothertolookintoadaptedsportssuchas
wheelchairbasketball,wheelchairfootball,ortrackandfield.Swimmingmightalsobeagreat
activityinwhichBillmightwanttoparticipate.Childrenwithdisabilitiesarefirstandforemost
children,andtheyhaveabuiltinneedforrecreation,bondingwithotheryoungpeople,and
feelingtheyareanactivepartoftheaction.Sportscanplayapowerfulroleinmeetingthese
goals...competitiongiveskidsasenseofaccomplishment,whichservesasapowerfulpathway
toselfesteem(AdaptedSportsinthePublicSchoolSystem,n.d.).
InregardstopostschoolsuccessforBill,Iwouldproposethatheandhismotherlookinto
TheDevelopmentalDisabilityProgramsthroughtheWisconsinDepartmentofHealthServices
website(https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disabilities/dd.htm)whichhasloadsofinformationon
employment,residentialoptions,waivers,integratingintothecommunityprograms,etc.ABCfor
HealthisanothergreatsourceforhealthcarebenefitinformationforBillasheentersadulthood
(http://www.safetyweb.org/index.html).TheAgingandDisabilityResourceCentermightbea
greatreferenceasBillagesandneedstoseekinformationontransportation,housekeeping,
financialassistance,housing,inhomecare(https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc/index.htm).
Finally,ThePathstoEmploymentResourceCenterisagreatsourcetooffereducation,training
programs,andresourcesforjobsandcommunityparticipation(http://www.percthinkwork.org).
TherearemanywaystoincludeBillinlifebothinandoutoftheclassroom.Hispresence
wouldfosteragreatcollaborationamongteachersandstudentsallforthebenefitofinclusionof
alllearners.HispeersandIwouldbeluckytohavethechancetolearnwithandfromhim.

References
Schenker,R.,Coster,W.,&Parush,S.(2005).ParticipationandActivityPerformanceofStudentswithCerebralPalsy
withintheSchoolEnvironment.DisabilityandRehabilitationVolume27(issue10),p539552.
doi:10.1080/09638280400018437


Levinson,L.(2016).DisabilityAwareness:We'reInItTogether[TeachingTolerance].Retrievedfrom
http://www.tolerance.org/article/disabilityawarenesswereittogether

Frey,N.,Fisher,D.,Henry,D.P.[ofVoiceofInclusion:CollaborativeTeachingandStudentSupport],(2005).Where
MiraclesHappenEveryDay.InR.A.Villa,J.S.Thousand.(Ed.2),CreatinganInclusiveSchool(124133).
Alexandria,Va:ASCD.

Domeier,A.(May10,2013).10MustHaveProductsforIndividualswithCerebralPalsy.Retrievedfrom
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/05/10/10musthaveproductsforindividualswithcerebralpalsy/

AdaptationsforWheelchairsandOtherSittingAids.(n.d.)Retrievedfrom
http://hesperian.org/wpcontent/uploads/pdf/en_dvc_2009/en_dvc_2009_65.pdf

NASET(2016).LDReport#7:PromotingPositiveSocialInteractionsinanInclusionSettingforStudentswith
LearningDisabilities.Retrievedfromhttp://faculty.uml.edu/darcus/01.505/NASET_social_inclusion.pdf

AdaptedSportsinthePublicSchoolSystem.(n.d.).Retrievedfrom
http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/information/sports/adaptivesports