Mobility Impairments

Generally, there are two types of physical disabilities which affect mobility: Orthopaedic and Neurological. Some of the more representative disabilities will be discussed.

Orthopaedic disabilities involve a deformity of the skeletal system. The impairment can be the result of a congenital anomaly (ie. club foot, Spina Bifida), the result of disease (ie. Muscular Dystrophy, Arthritis), or the result of trauma or accident (ie. amputation).

Neurological disabilities involve the nervous system affecting the ability to move, use or control certain parts of the body. Such impairments can be the result of a congenital anomaly (ie. Cerebral Palsy), the result of disease (ie. Poliomyelitis), or the result of an accident (ie. spinal cord injury, head trauma).

Common problems for students with mobility impairments are fatigue, pain, and adverse side effects of medication which can be serious detractors to learning. They may have to expend more energy for the routines of daily living and so consideration should be given to their expenditure of energy in the classroom and surrounding environment.

Accommodations and Supports

Some of the most commonly provided academic accommodations and supports to students with mobility impairments include

• If the classroom is inaccessible or in a remote location request a change
• Note taking support and/or recorded lectures
• Allowance of break periods as needed for rest, taking medication, and toileting
• Use of adaptive equipment e.g. computers with speech synthesizers, adapted keyboards and keyboard guards, tape recorders, specialized software.
• Exam and Assignment Accommodation (i.e. use of adaptive technology, assistive devices and/or a scribe, extra time, take home exams)
• Punctuality should not be penalized where mobility is a factor
• A Student-Aide or Student Assistant may sometimes accompany a mobility-impaired student into the classroom. His/her duties may involve: placement of books, note taking, retrieval of research material, and feeding and personal care needs during class time.
• Advance notice of texts and readings in order to allow time for scanning.

This page last modified Monday, 29-Aug-2011 15:22:15 ADT