Modifications+in+an+Inclusive+Setting


 * //Different adaptations that can be made for varying disabilities: //**

**DEAF/HARD OF HEARING- ** **What Is Meant by the "Auditory-Oral" Approach?**

The auditory-oral approach is based on the fundamental premise that acquiring competence in spoken language, both receptively and expressively, is a realistic goal for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Further, this ability is best developed in an environment in which spoken communication is used exclusively. This environment includes both the home and the classroom (Adams, Fortier, Schiel, Smith, & Soland, 1990; Stone, 1988). Elements of the auditory-oral approach that are critical to its success include:  **//Parent involvement//**. Parental involvement and education are the bases for success in an auditory-oral approach. Acquiring effective speech and language requires that parents play an active role in their child's education. Early intervention efforts focus on educating parents to become effective communication partners. Classroom efforts involve supporting classroom activities and goals while advocating for their child.  **//Appropriate amplification//**. The auditory-oral approach places a premium on consistent use of appropriate amplification. Each child's needs are evaluated individually and monitored carefully over time with modifications made as necessary. Hearing aids are the first choice; however, for children whose severity of loss limits the success of a hearing aid, cochlear implants are a viable option. Given the power and flexibility of current hearing aids and the availability of cochlear implants, it is realistic to expect almost every child with a hearing loss to hear speech at conversational levels. Teaching children to use whatever hearing they have to further the acquisition of spoken language is basic to the auditory-oral approach. Although begun before school, oral intervention continues in the classroom. The four levels of listening skill development are detection, discrimination, identification, and comprehension. Because the purpose of developing listening skills is to further spoken language competence, speech is the primary stimulus used in listening activities (Ling & Ling, 1980). **//Consistent quality speech training//**. Developing speech production skills (duration, loudness, pitch, and articulation) requires skilled teachers who work individually with children wearing appropriate amplification. Instruction is carried on at two complementary levels: the phonetic (developing proficiency with isolated syllables) and the phonologic (developing proficiency with words, phrases, and sentences). Skills are developed at the phonetic level and practiced immediately at the phonologic level. This is crucial as meaningful communication is the goal and serves to stimulate further development. Children are typically working at two or three stages at each level at any given time.  **//Developmentally appropriate language instruction//**. Language is best learned in child-centered, naturalistic situations as opposed to didactic, teacher-directed activities, where students develop useful communication rather than memorize lists of vocabulary and rules of grammar.  **//Range of placement option//**. Effective implementation of the auditory-oral approach requires that a continuum of placement options be available. Individual sessions for infants and their caregivers, and self-contained or mainstreamed placements in preschool and elementary school are necessary options. The particular placement for an individual child will depend on his or her social, communication, and learning skills. (See ERIC EC Digest E557 for a discussion of inclusion.)

**//MILD DISABILITIES: //** **//ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM- //** **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Organization: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Low-tech solutions include teaching students to organize their thoughts or work using flow charting, task analysis, webbing or networking ideas, and outlining. These strategies can be accomplished using graphic organizers to visually assist students in developing and structuring ideas. A high-tech solution might be the outline function of word processing software, which lets students set out major ideas or topics and then add subcategories of information. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Note Taking: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> A simple approach is for the teacher to provide copies of structured outlines for students to use in filling in information. A high-tech approach might include optical character recognition, which is software that can transform typewritten material into computer-readable text using a scanner. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">A teacher's typewritten notes can be duplicated using either NCR paper (carbonless copies) or a copy machine. A slightly more high-tech method is to use microcassette recorders. Or, notes can be read by a voice synthesizer, allowing students with reading difficulty to review the notes much the same as reviewing a tape recording. Recorders are beneficial for students with auditory receptive strength, but they may be less useful for those needing visual input. Videotaping class sessions may be helpful for visual learners who pick up on images or body language, or for students who are unable to attend class for extended periods of time. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Laptop or notebook computers can provide high-tech note taking for many students with disabilities. An inexpensive alternative to a full-function portable computer is the portable keyboard. The limitations of these keyboards are in formatting information and a screen display limited to four lines of text. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Writing Assistance: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Word processing may be the most important application of assistive technology for students with mild disabilities. Many of these students have been identified as needing assistance in the language arts, specifically in writing. Computers and word processing software enable students to put ideas on paper without the barriers imposed by paper and pencil. Writing barriers for students with mild disabilities include mechanics: spelling, grammar and punctuation errors; process: generating ideas, organizing, drafting, editing, and revising; and motivation: clarity and neatness of final copy, reading ability, and interest in writing. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Grammar/spellcheckers, dictionaries, and thesaurus programs assist in the mechanics of writing. Macros, a feature that allows keystrokes to be recorded in a file that can be used over and over, also assist in mechanics. Macros can be used for spelling difficult text, for repetitive strings of words, or for formatting paragraphs and pages. Macros also save time for students who have difficulty with either the cognitive or motor (keyboarding) requirements of writing. Word prediction is assistive software that functions similarly to macros. If a student has difficulty with word recall or spelling and cannot easily use the dictionary or thesaurus feature, then word prediction software offers several choices of words that can be selected. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Teachers can use the editing capabilities of the word processor during the writing process, making electronic suggestions on the student's disk. If the computer is on a network, students can read each other's work and make comments for revision. Painter (1994) indicated that peer feedback was an effective way to assist students in generating and revising text. Computer editing also reduces or eliminates problems such as multiple erasures, torn papers, poor handwriting, and the need to constantly rewrite text that needs only minor modifications. The final copy is neat and legible. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Motivation is often increased through the desktop-publishing and multimedia capabilities of newer computers. A variety of fonts and styles are available, allowing students to customize their writing and highlight important features. Graphic images, drawings, and even video and audio can be added to the project to provide interest or highlight ideas. Multimedia often gives the student the means and the motivation to generate new and more complex ideas. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Productivity: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Assistive productivity tools can be hardware-based, software-based, or both. Calculators, for example, can be the credit-card type or software based, which can be popped up and used during word processing. Spreadsheets, databases, and graphics software also offer productivity tools, enabling students to work on math or other subjects that may require calculating, categorizing, grouping, and predicting events. Productivity tools also can be found in small, portable devices called personal digital assistants (PDAs). Newer PDAs can be used as notetaking devices via a small keyboard or graphics-based pen input. Some PDAs can translate words printed with the pen input device to computer-readable text, which can then be edited with the word processor and transmitted to a full function computer.

**//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; msobidifontstyle: normal;">Tips For Working With Exceptionalities //** <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">It is quite likely that you will have a diversity of students in your classroom—representing a variety of talents and abilities. With this in mind, I suggest some generalized strategies for you to consider as you work with all special needs students:

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Be aware that [|special needs students] may not want to be singled out for any special treatment. To do so may identify their disability for other students and cause them to receive some form of attention they may not be able to handle. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Ensure that your attitude and responses to special needs students are identical to those to other students. View all students as contributing students. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Consider learning over a long period of time. Special needs students may require extended periods of time to master a concept or learn a specific skill. You may need to repeat information several times and reinforce it in many ways.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">-It is quite easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the weaknesses of special needs students. Yet it is vitally important that you be aware of and seek to identify the individual strengths of each and every student in your classroom.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">-Help students understand that grading, [|evaluation], and [|assessment] is based on identifiable objectives in accordance with individual potential. Evaluation should not be coupled with the limitations of students but rather to their expectations.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">-Provide significant opportunities for students of all abilities to learn from each other. Structure a [|variety of learning activities] in which the social climate of the classroom is both promoted and enhanced. It is important that everyone feels like he or she is contributing.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 110%;">-Do not make inappropriate assumptions based on students' exceptionalities. For example, don't assume that a student who is confined to a wheelchair is an unhappy child. Don't assume that a learning disabled student is not gifted in the [|visual arts]. Also, don't assume that children with disabilities are disabled in all areas