Physical Disabilities

People suffering from physical disabilities are often exposed to practical problems and school is no exception. Class rooms for adult education may not be fully equipped to meet the needs of this group. People with hearing or visual disabilities may also need special equipment. To make education available for this group it might also be necessary to provide the staff with in-service training.

Case

Isa, 35, was born blind. She walks with a white cane and is able to care for herself. She is intelligent and expresses herself very well verbally. Her childhood education was in special schools, but she does not have a standard leaving-certificate.

She would now like to study English at a school for adults to get ordinary competitive grades. She is conscious of how her disability will affect her learning and therefore she wants the studies to be adjusted to her abilities.

You are an English teacher and Isa will be one of the students in your group. Isa knows Braille very well and she reads it fluently.

Reflections

• How can teaching methods that rely on vision be translated into a form that is accessible to Isa?
• Is there an organisation that can advise on resources and strategies?
• Consider ways that Isa could record her own work in a way that is accessible to both the teacher and herself.
• Think about how students can work together to share ideas and support each other.

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