A Case Study: Learner with Documented Disabilities

Name: Bobby Hill

Age:17

Grade: 12th

Gender: Male

Areas of Exceptionality: Gastroparesis

Background Information

Bobby Hill is a senior at Nazareth High School who has a condition called Gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is a digestive disorder where the stomach is unable to contract normally and cannot digest food properly into the small intestine. Symptoms of gastroparesis include bloating, nausea, heartburn, and stomach pain. The interference with digestion puts Bobby at a higher risk of aspiration, where substances are inhaled into the lungs. The symptoms of aspiration are no voice, wheezing, choking, gagging, vomiting, spitting, and cyanosis.

Accommodations

Here is a list of accommodations for Bobby:

• Bathroom breaks whenever he asks

• Snacking periodically throughout the day

• Restriction from P.E.

• Homework can be submitted typed or through alternative assistive technology programs

• Extended time on written assignments

• Alternative/modified assignments that require coloring, drawing, cutting, pasting

• Teacher must provide copies of notes

• Testing accommodation such as keyboarding, speech to text, scribing

• Separate quiet testing environment with wifi access

• Tests that have a separate answer sheet, answers will be transcribed and not put on a bubble sheet. Staff can transcribe if necessary

• Print must be enlarged to 16-18 font with 1.5 spacing

• Additional white space between questions and numbers

• Enlarged illustrations/maps/diagrams on tests

• Will take math assessments 1 on 1 with a person who is familiar with Bobby

• Bobby will not be penalized for circling wrong answers if correct work is shown

• On math assessments, after he finishes, he will take a break (short walk) and then encouraged to check his work

• Can leave 5 minutes early and arrive 5 minutes late

• Spelling will not be counted on tests and assignments that are not specific to measure spelling ability

• 1:1 consultation time with case manager to review coursework and assessment schedule

Areas of Concern

Bobby struggles with his fine motor skills, visual, and motor coordination. His visual integration is age equivalent of 7 years, motor to be at an age equivalent of 6 years, manual dexterity to be age equivalent of 7 years, upper limb coordination to be age equivalent of 7 years, and handwriting skills to be in the range of a 3rd grade student. Because of this, Bobby has trouble with depth perception, visual tracking, and handwriting. Math is an area of concern because of the way things can be formatted on paper. Teachers must use MathType software with creating math assignments and assessments for Bobby.

Areas of Strength

Bobby is a very strong willed and determined child. Even with a lot of things going on, Bobby is able to push himself to move forward. He is very independent and likes to take matters into his own hands and be his own advocate. Bobby plans on moving away for college and being independent.

Recommended Strategies

The curriculum must be adapted for Bobby to actively participate. This means that materials should be provided for Bobby in the way that is not hindering him. For example, instead of writing in a scientific notebook, he can use a laptop or scribble. Scientific notebooks help a person think, experiment, investigate, record their observations, ideas, drawings, etc. Caroline Wist from the College of William and Mary wrote:

“Interactive notebooks can help students’ process information, study and review for assessments and personalize the content knowledge being presented. The same notebooks can help teachers plan lessons that reach a range of students’ abilities and learning styles.”

A teacher can use SciNote, which is a free digital lab notebook, and customize the sections depending on the lab. Bobby will be able to type or talk to text in the boxes, instead of writing. This will allow him to be able to have organized information and be able to look up pictures, add charts/graphs, etc.Lab equipment must also be adjusted. For example instead of using a regular microscope, Bobby can use a projection scope. A projection scope will enhance the image seen by the microscope onto a bigger screen for Bobby to see the fine details. The projection scope does the same thing that a microscope does and will help Bobby be able to investigate cellular biology and gain a deeper understanding instead of just looking up pictures online. Bradley Duerstock, PhD writes that:

“Without the ability to operate a microscope students with disabilities are relegated to reading histology atlases, studying stock micrographs, operating computer simulations, or relying on another to operate the microscope for them. These passive learning activities do help students with disabilities learn histology and cell biology, but they are not substitutes for practical experience.”

This microscope will allow Bobby to be self-sufficient and emphasize the hands on and technology component of Pennsylvania Science standards. The projection scope can be adjusted to Bobby and how much he feels he can do that day. For example, the microscope can be adjusted through the knobs, a computer, or even a controller similar to a game system controller.

Work Cited

Duerstock, B. S. (n.d.). 29th Annual RESNA Conference Proceedings. Retrieved from https://web.ics.purdue.edu/

Wist, C. C. (n.d.). Putting it all Together; Understanding the Research Behind Interactive Notebooks (The College of William and Mary)