This document provides definitions and information about various physical, intellectual, sensory and invisible disabilities. It defines terms like impairment, disability, handicapped and ableism. It then summarizes information about specific disabilities like cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, fetal alcohol syndrome, hearing impairment, vision impairment, cystic fibrosis and more. Examples of inclusive teaching strategies and class activities are also provided.

1. Disabilities , Impairments and special needs A teachers guide to

2. Definitions Disability – the interaction between impairment and externally imposed restrictions (World Health Organization) Impairment – exists “when a person has physical, sensory, or intellectual conditions that potentially limits full participation in social and/or physical environments” (Coakley & Donnelly, Sport In Society, p.44)

3. Definitions Impairment becomes a disability when “accommodation in social or physical contexts are not or cannot be made to allow the full participation of people with functional limitations.” (Coakley & Donnelly, Sport in Society, p. 44)

4. Definitions Handicapped – when others define a person as inferior and “unable” due to perceived impairments Ableism – “exclusionary practices that fail to take disability into account, particularly the failure to make sport and recreation programs and facilities fully accessible.” (Lenskyj, Canadian Sport Sociology, 101)

5. Person First Terminology Person before disability “The boy with down syndrome” as opposed to “The down syndrome boy”

6. Physical Disabilities

7. Cerebral Palsy “Characterized by an inability to fully control motor function, particularly muscle control and coordination” ‘Cerebral’ – brain ‘Palsy’ – problems with movement and posture, or motor control impairment Cerebral Palsy Source

8. Cerebral Palsy Characteristics Muscle tightness or spasticity, involuntary movement, disturbance in gait or mobility, difficulty swallowing and problems with speech 3 types: Spastic, Athetoid, and Ataxic Preventable Tests & prenatal care Cerebral Palsy Source

9. Cerebral Palsy 70 % of cases in children are congenital, or present at birth No cure Treatments Physical therapy Speech and language therapy Occupational therapy Drug therapy Surgical procedures Cerebral Palsy Source

10. Team Hoyt

11. Learning Disabilities

12. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) “a condition where the person suffering from it is below the accepted norm when it comes to being able to sit still, pay attention and focus on the task at hand” 3 sub-types Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive Predominantly inattentive Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive 500Health.com

13. ADHD 10 % of children are affected Boys are more prone to ADHD than girls Treatment options: Behaviour therapy Medication Support groups Social skills training Educational support Professional coaching HELPGUIDE.org

14. Down Syndrome Each normal cell in the human body has 23 pairs of chromosomes In a person with Down Syndrome, there are 3 chromosomes on the 21st pair (instead of 2) Canadian Down Syndrome Society

15. Down Syndrome Persons with Down Syndrome may be predisposed to certain illnesses and medical conditions Down syndrome commonly results in an effect on learning style, although the differences are highly variable and individualistic People with Down Syndrome usually have mild to moderate intellectual delay Canadian Down Syndrome Society

16. Down Syndrome Types of chromosomal patterns that result in Down Syndrome Trisomy 21(95%) Translocation (2-3%) Mosaicism (2%) Physical characteristics (babies) Chubby cheeks, large, round eyes, larger tongue, smaller limbs, and smaller body frame Canadian Down Syndrome Society

17. Down Syndrome Health Concerns Congenital malformations of the heart (more than 40%) Hypothyroidism Hearing loss (as a result of frequent ear infections) Vision problems Canadian Down Syndrome Society

18. Intellectual Disabilities

19. Autism “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviour” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

20. Autism Males are more likely than females to have ASD Estimated that 3 of 6 children of every 1,000 will have ASD ASD varies significantly in character and severity Other forms of Autism: Asperger Syndrome Rett Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

21. Autism Impaired social interaction Unresponsive Exclusion of others for long periods of time Withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement Lacks empathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

22. Autism ~20 – 30% of children with ASD develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood (For most children) Symptoms improve with age There is no cure for ASD National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

23. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) “Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE) are conditions associated with drinking alcohol during pregnancy. FAS causes a variety of mental, physical, and developmental disabilities in the baby.” FAE is a milder form of FAS Body and Health Canada

24. FAS Alcohol damages the developing cells of the fetus The brain and nervous system are particularly sensitive to alcohol and can suffer permanent damage There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy There is no way to reverse the damage of prenatal alcohol exposure Body and Health Canada

25. FAS Signs of central nervous system abnormalities: Delayed development, behavioural patterns, learning disabilities, intellectual impairment Typical facial malformations features: Short eye slits or dropping eyes, a thin upper lip, flattened cheekbones, absence of a distinct groove between the upper lip and nose Children with FAS are often naive, have poor decision-making skills and judgement E.g. substance abuse and other difficulties later in life Body and Health Canada

26. Sensory Impairments

27. Hearing Impaired “Hearing impairment occurs when there’s a problem with or damage to one or more parts of the ear” KidsHealth.org

28. Hearing Impaired Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)- too much exposure to loud noise Types of hearing loss Conductive hearing loss- problem with outer or middle ear (including the eardrum or ossicles) Sensorineural hearing loss- damage to the inner ear(cochlea) or the auditory nerve Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder- transmission of sound from the inner ear to the brain is then disorganized KidsHealth.org

29. Hearing Impaired Congenital hearing loss- when hearing loss is present at birth Acquired hearing loss- when hearing loss occurs later in life ~28 million Americans are deaf or hearing impaired (which equals out to ~1 of 10 people) Hearing loss is most common at birth KidsHealth.org

30. Vision Impaired Vision loss can be caused by eye problems present from birth, by conditions that appear later in life, or by infections or environmental factors Blind – persons with no usable sight Visual Impaired – refers to persons who have partial sight Canadian National Institute for the Blind

31. Vision Impaired Guidelines for Interacting with a person who is blind Introduce yourself immediately Shake hands to accompany a greeting in place of a smile that usually accompanies a greeting Speak directly to the person who is blind. Don’t look away. Use explicit verbal instructions. Offer your arm when walking with a person who is blind. Do not “push” them around When you leave a person who is blind, it is important to let them know When others enter or leave the room, use their names so that the person who is blind can keep track of who is in the room Provide an orientation of the environment describing the location of landmarks The most important things to remember are to be genuinely kind and respectful. This will facilitate a successful relationship Mini U Instructors Manual 2008

32. Vision Impaired Eye injuries in sport Research shows that 90% of all eye injuries in sports are preventable The most common eye injuries associated with sports are: Corneal abrasions (scrapes and cuts) Injuries from a blunt object (such as the impact of ball or puck) Penetrating objects (such as from a plastic or wood splinter) Children under the age of 12 are especially at high risk because they are still developing their visual perception, making it easy for a child to misjudge the speed or distance of a ball or puck Canadian National Institute for the Blind

33. Vision Impaired High Risk Sports: Shooting sports that involve an air rifle or BB gun, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, fencing, hockey, lacrosse, full-contact martial arts, paintball, racquetball, softball, squash, badminton Moderate Risk Sports: Fishing, football, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball Low Risk Sports: Bicycling, diving, non-contact martial arts, skiing (snow and water), swimming, wrestling, track & field, gymnastics Canadian National Institute for the Blind

34. Goalball Paralympic Sport played exclusively by athletes who are blind or visually impaired. All players wear eyeshades so everyone is on an even playing field, and cannot see anything regardless of their degree of visual impairment. All of the lines of the court are applied by taping cords to the floor. This creates tactile markings which the players can feel with their hands and feet to orient themselves on the court Canadian Blind Sports Association

35. Goalball The game is played by “throwing” a ball back and forth (bowling motion.) Has bells inside the ball The players track the ball by listening for the sound of the bells and work together to block the net. The object of the game is to get the ball past the other team to score in their net. Canadian Blind Sports Association

36. Class Activity Cat and Mouse Form a circle on the floor with the group (everyone sitting down) 2 volunteers, 1 cat and 1 mouse(both blindfolded) Objective: the cat is trying to tag the mouse (in the middle of the circle). Because both individuals are blindfolded, they must listen and respond to auditory cues from the group Cues: when the cat is near the mouse, the group claps fast and loud. If the cat or mouse is far away from the other, the group claps slowly and softly Safety: the cat and mouse must crawl at all times. If the cat or the mouse are headed outside the circle, group members must gently direct them back inside

37. “Invisible” Disabilities

38. Cystic Fibrosis Genetic disorder Occurs when a child inherits two defective copies of the gene responsible for CF (one from each parent) 1 in 25 Canadians is a CF carrier 1 in 3600 children born in Canada has CF No known cure Predicted life span ~ 37 years old Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

39. Cystic Fibrosis Signs and Symptoms Difficulty breathing Constant cough which brings up thick mucus Excessive appetite, with weight loss Bowel disturbances, such as intestinal obstruction or frequent, oily stools Skin which tastes salty Repeated or prolonged bouts of pneumonia Failure to thrive Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

40. Cystic Fibrosis Class activity Breathing exercise

41. Including students with special needs Get to know the student Be knowledgeable about their disability Know the students’ physical, mental, social, and emotional limitations Choose activities that can be altered or changed to accommodate all students Accessibility Educate all students to be respectful and have a basic understanding of students with special needs

42. References Dr. Sarah Teetzel, PERS 3460 Sociology of Physical Activity and Leisure , class notes, November 16, 2009 http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI http://www.500health.com/all-about-add-and-adhd/?gclid=CJqT_oj_sJ4CFQjyDAod5x66nQ http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_treatments_coping.htm http://www.cdss.ca/ http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#140113082 http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/condition_info_details.asp?channel_id=0&relation_id=0&disease_id=307&page_no=2 http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/hearing_impairment.html http://www.cnib.ca Mini U Instructors Manual 2008 http://www.canadianblindsports.ca http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/