Learn About Assistive Technologies that Increase Mobility for Students With Disabilities
RSS
 View all Hubs
See what's in...

Assistive Technologies that Increase Mobility

Article by Mayflor (2,948 pts )
Published on Jul 21, 2008
Students with disabilities sometimes have limited mobility. But mobility can be regained using assistive technology devices. Here are several options for the teacher to evaluate.
24 views

Importance of Mobility

For many students with physical disabilities, the assistive technologies that enable or increase their mobility are equivalent to personal freedom. The special education teacher should be acutely aware of the special students’ need to obtain and maintain this personal freedom. It is not just a matter of pride. It is also about independence and self-confidence. Since the IDEA requires school districts to identify and provide the assistive technologies needed by special students, it is the task of the teacher to know more about available mobility devices. Three of the major devices are canes and crutches, self-propelled walkers, wheelchairs, and recreational vehicles like bikes and scooters.

 

Common Mobility Devices

Self-propelled walkers and rollators are ideal for students whose physical disability has not taken away their ability to stand by themselves. Wheelchairs, on the other hand, are for special students whose lower extremities cannot always support the whole weight of their bodies. The wheelchairs can be manually-propelled or motorized. The most basic wheelchairs, especially those made of aluminum, can be obtained by the school. Recreational vehicles, such as bikes and scooters, are rarely used in schools. But if students come with these types of assistive mobility devices, the school should look into ways that these can be accommodated inside the campus and the classroom.









Mobility devices

ScooterRollator or walkerWheelchair

Access Around the School

Aside from the above assistive technology devices, the school’s physical layout must be prepared to accommodate them. For example, the school must have ramps to expand the special students’ access to different offices and buildings around the campus. The teacher, together with other professionals involved in the making of IEPs for the special student, must confer with parents regarding other mobility devices that will be useful at home. Some of these devices are wheelchair lifts, lift chairs, bath lifts, and adjustable beds.

How the Teacher can Help

Some special students, whose prognosis of their medical condition allows them to overcome the physical ability, will eventually throw away the above devices because these are no longer needed. This is a hopeful vista for the special education teachers. However, there are also special students whose life will always be attached to the wheelchair. In such cases, it is up to the teacher to help these students to comfortably carry out their day-to-day activities.


Bright Hub - Science & Technology Articles, Buyer's Guides, How-To Tips and Software Reviews
About Bright Hub | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy | ©2008 Bright Hub Inc. All rights reserved. Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape