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Mobility impairments range in severity from limitations on stamina
to paralysis. Some mobility impairments are caused by conditions
present at birth while others are the result of illness or physical
injury. Injuries cause different types of mobility impairments,
depending on what area of the spine is affected.
Quadriplegia, paralysis of the extremities and trunk, is
caused by a neck injury. Students with quadriplegia have limited
or no use of their arms and hands and often use electric wheelchairs.
Paraplegia, paralysis of the lower extremities and the lower
trunk, is caused by an injury to the mid-back. Students often use
a manual wheelchair and have full movement of arms and hands.
Below are brief descriptions of other causes of mobility impairments.
Amputation is the removal of one or more limbs, and is sometimes
caused by trauma or another condition.
Arthritis is the inflammation of the body's joints, causing
pain, swelling, and difficulty in body movement.
Back disorders can limit a student's ability to sit, stand,
walk, bend, or carry objects. They include, but are not limited
to, degenerative disk disease, scoliosis, and herniated disks.
Cerebral palsy is the result of damage to the brain prior
to or shortly after birth. It can prevent or inhibit walking and
cause a lack of muscle coordination, spasms, and speech difficulty.
Neuromuscular disorders include a variety of diseases, such
as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and ataxia, that result
in degeneration and atrophy of muscle or nerve tissues.
Common accommodations for students with mobility impairments
include:
Instructional Strategies
The following strategies are suggested to enhance the accessibility
of course instruction, materials, and activities. They are general
strategies designed to support individualized reasonable accommodations.
If the current classroom is inaccessible, arrange for a room change
before the term begins.
If possible, try not to seat wheelchair users in the back row.
Move a desk or rearrange seating at a table so the student is part
of regular classroom seating.
Arrange early for field trips and ensure that accommodations will
be in place on the given day (e.g., transportation, site accessibility).
Make sure accommodations are in place for in-class written work
(e.g., allowing the student to use a scribe, to use assistive computer
technology, or to complete the assignment outside of class).
Be flexible with deadlines: assignments that require library work
or access to sites off-campus will consume more time for a student
with a mobility impairment.
When in doubt about how to assist the student, ask him/her or Disability
Services.
Allow the student the same anonymity as other students (i.e., avoid
pointing out the student or the alternative arrangements to the
rest of the class).
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