• Written permission from parents
• Interpretation of assessment with parents present
• External evaluation is available (outside the school)
• Negotiation and hearings if parents disagree with results
• Confidentiality

• Current level of educational performance
• Long-term goals
• Short-term objectives
• A statement of special education and related services that will be provided
• Beginning and ending dates of services
• Evaluation of short-term objectives

Creating the Least Restrictive Environment

The term least restrictive environment focuses on placing children in a setting that offers the most opportunity for educational advancement.

Inclusion-  demands that the school get ready to include students with disabilities.

Mainstreaming-  the practice of placing children with disabilities into classes with able youngsters.

Five Types of Mainstreaming

Understanding and appreciating individual differences include three aspects:

1. Recognize the similarities among all people.
2. Understand human differences and focus on the concepts that all have some type of disability.
3. Explore ways to deal with individuals who differ and stress the acceptance of all children as worthwhile individuals.

Guidelines for successful integration of children with disabilities into physical education:

• Meet target goals as specified in the IEP
• Build ego strength and stress abilities
• Foster peer acceptance
• Concentrate on the child's physical education needs and not on the disability
• Provide continual monitoring and assess periodically the child's target goals
• Be constantly aware of the child's feelings and anxiety
• Modify the program to meet the capacities, physical needs, and social needs of youngsters with disabilities
• Provide individual assistance
• Consult regularly with the special education consultant
• Give consideration to more individualization within the program

Programs that have been recognized for outstanding contributions:

1. Project Active-  Provides direct service delivery to students with psychomotor problems through a competency-based teaching and individualized learning approach.
2. Project Unique-  Fitness assessment project designed to determine the best tests for measuring fitness in students with sensory (blind or deaf) or orthopedic impairments.
3. Project I Can-  Three separate programmatic systems including preprimary skills; primary skills; and sport, leisure, and recreation skills.

Lack of strength and endurance

• Lower or enlarge goal size
• Modify game tempo
• Reduce projectile weight and/or size
• Reduce throwing distance
• Reduce points necessary to win game
• Modify striking implements
• Slow down ball by decreasing air pressure
• Play games/activities at different positions
• Provide matching or substitution
• Youngsters can substitute skills

Lack of coordination

• Increase target or goal size
• Offer protection from injury
• Throwing - allow student to throw at maximum velocity
• Striking - begin striking a stationary object
• Catching – use soft, lightweight, and slow moving objects
• Place student in an environment where they will not have to chase equipment

Lack of balance and agility

• Increase width of rails, lines, beams
• Increase width of base of support
• Increase number of balancing body parts
• Increase surface area contacting floor
• Lower center of gravity
• Ensure surfaces offer good friction
• Some children require balance assistance
• Teach students to fall correctly

Understanding Specific Disabilities

Mental Retardation (mildly retard are those with an IQ between 50 and 75):

• Difficulty understanding directions and pulling facts together.
• Mildly retarded students learn as a slower pace
• Goals should be challenging yet attainable
• Teach skills presented through demonstration
• Practice periods should be short

Epilepsy (dysfunction of the electrical impulses emitted by the brain):

• Child with epilepsy appears just as other children except for unpredictable seizures.
• Most epilepsy can be controlled with proper medication.
• In case of a seizure:
  • Have a blanket, pillow and towels ready for clean up
  • Make the child comfortable (put nothing in the mouth).
  • Don't try to restrain the child.
  • Remove anything that might cause harm and protect the head.
  • Secure help from a doctor or nurse and notify parents

Visual Impairment

• Includes those who are partially sighted as well as those who are legally blind.
• This disability puts limits on participation in certain types of physical activity.
• Bring children with visual impairment into contact with an able child.
• The task of monitoring movement and helping should be considered a class privilege.
• Brightly colored balls or balls with bells may be used.

Auditory Impairment

• Those who are deaf or must wear hearing aids
• A form of non-verbal instructions can help greatly.
• Keep a deaf child near you to increase the opportunities to read lips and receive facial cues.
• For rhythmics, keep record player speakers on the floor to provide vibration.

Orthopedic Disabilities

• Physical ailments which may involve external support items, such as splints, braces, crutches, and wheelchairs.
• Mobility is a problem for most
• Strong emphasis should be placed on individual and dual sports.

Emotionally Disturbed Children

• Have traditionally been removed from the regular classroom because they may cause disruption.
• Physical Education is sometimes the only situation in which they find success.
• Establish a learning environment that is fair and consistent.
• Youngsters must know who is in charge and what will be accepted.

Learning Disabilities

• Range of problems including perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
• According the the federal government's definition over 40% of school-aged youngsters can qualify as being learning disabled.
• The physical education program should be modified for these students on an individual basis.

Asthma

• About 1 of 15 children have asthma.
• Those with asthma have restricted breathing capacity.
• Check with school nurse of health professional to receive information on students with asthma.
• Understand symptoms of attacks and know how to deal with them.
• Stop the activity
• Follow the student's asthma management plan
• Help the student with medication
• Closely observe the effect.
• Students are often the best judge of their limitations.

Cerebral Palsy, Cardiac Problems, and Diabetes

• Children with cerebral palsy usually have normal intelligence but may have problems with controlling movement.
• Children with cardiac problems are generally under the guidance of a physician who's recommendations should be followed.
• Diabetes is an inability to metabolize carbohydrates that results from the body's failure to supply insulin.
• Diabetic must be monitored to detect the possibility of hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar level).
• The diabetic usually carries carbohydrates in case of hypoglycemia but the instructor should have some available.

Designing Programs for Children with Special Needs

Weight Problems

• The assumption that obese children normally grow out of the condition is a fallacy.
• Any weight-control program should include the entire school and involve the classroom teacher.

Motor Deficiencies

• Two types of programs exist for remedying motor deficiency:
• Specific learning disabilities-  children with academic problems
• Children who exhibit motor deficiencies that do not allow them to participate in movement activities with peers.

Posture Aberrations

• Posture refers to the alignment and balance of the body segments while the body is standing, walking sitting, or lying.
• Faulty alignment can cause undue strain on supporting muscles and ligaments.
• The emphasis on posture instruction should be on hints, reminders, and encouragement during all phases of the program.

Take Quiz