Acces s c ool
FORMS OF THE NEEDS OF
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Infosheet 4
COGNITIVE DISABILITIES
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CHOOSING A SCHOOL
Challenges
Possible solutions / Recommendations
Collecting the existent information
• Availability of short/easy-to-understand info through internet, telephone or written documents
• Information on hard copy coloured explanatory written documents
Informed about the courses'
schedule
• Detailed information regarding presuppositions & skills needed to complete the various courses
• Flexibility in time schedule, especially during the morning hours when students with cognitive disabilities find it
difficult to make the transition between home and school
Informed on the accessibility of the
school's buildings
• Clear, short, easy-to-read information on buildings & surroundings
• Signs and labels for all crucial points inside and outside the school
Informed on the facilities offered
to address specific needs
• Evaluation by specialist/multidisciplinary assessment teams, for developing an individualised educational program,
based on student's needs and abilities in cognitive sector
• Organising collaboration teams between the students for improving personal expression
• Training programs based on student’s training profile (acoustic type, optical type, sensory-perceptual type)
• Methods of identifying child’s dexterities and knowledge for facilitating autonomy and regular attendance
• Existence of specialized school staff/special assistants during the educational process
TRANSPORT
Challenges
Possible solutions / Recommendations
Using public transportation
• Information on routes through easy-to-read signs with pictograms
• Availability of safety seats and belts
• Easy-to-distinguish stop/exit/emergency buttons
Arriving to school by familly car
• Parking spaces well-marked near the school entranc with clear signs/pictograms
Need the school bus for my
transportation
• Information on school bus routes through special signs/pictograms
• Availability of school staff attendant within the bus
ACCESSIBILITY
Challenges
Signposting
Passing through the main entrance
Possible solutions / Recommendations
• Obstacle-free pathways
• Unobstructed and well lighted access paths with smooth and non-slip surface to the school entrance
• Main entrance marked with a contrasting colour
• Main entrance marked with clear & easy-to-read signs with pictograms
• Easy and short information provided through welcoming labels
Passing through interior spaces and
doors
• Classrooms environment offering a variety of stimuli
• Doors, skirtings, stairs and steps marked with a contrasting colour
• Functional training rooms with ergonomic spaces/furniture, safe & secure
• Lobbies with with clear informational signs
• Reception, information or desk point marked with easy-to-read signs/pictograms
Seating settings/arrangements
• Furniture arrangement easying one's orientation within the classroom
• Simple seating solutions attractive to children
• Flexible arrangements using mats, cushions, that allow students work in small groups
• Different type of flooring and coloured spot-lights indicating different areas or potential hazards
Using the school toilets
• Well marked toilets to ease orientation; interior parts indicated with contrasting colours
Setting evacuation plans
• Safe zones in fire evacuations & easy access through fire doors: announcements and alarms along with visual &
audible output
EDUCATIONAL CONTENT
Challenges
Possible solutions / Recommendations
Inclusive teaching
• Use of simple and clear language
• Awareness of non-verbal communication, body language, tone of voice & facial expression
• Usage of welcoming and empowering forms of communication
• Regular communication breaks
Requiring course material
• Getting digital format of course materials/lecture notes or providing readable text and pictures that promote the
information flow
Attending to courses
• Accessible equipment provided (digital communication devices, voice synthesizers, computers with screen adapters,
talking books)
• Having an assistant/note taker
• Typing in adjusted laptop computers
• Using voice recorders
• Recording lectures or having copies of the teacher’s lecture notes available (written or on-line; simple & direct
language with pictograms)
PARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES
Challenges
Attending to internal/external
activities
Participating in group assignments
Possible solutions / Recommendations
• Activities take place in areas with signs with pictures/symbols
• Organising time (more time may be required to complete tasks)
• Empowering relations between school-mates (enhancing "in vivo" education)
• Early availability of required information/material in order to allow early preparation
• Flexibility in relation to timing and teaching arrangements; i.e. some students with cognitive disabilities need
extra time to go from one class to another
• Role-play games and multisensory approach
• Workload devided into smaller tasks that are easy to handle
• Setting specific deadlines for each workpackage in order to complete the assignments on time
• Collaborating with class mates on presenting the assignments
UNDERSTANDING AND ASSIMILATION
Needs
Possible solutions / Recommendations
Designing the workload
• Discussion and writing material given before the activity/assignment
• Extra corresponding time allowed (e.g. for users of spelling/communication board, pupils with cognitive disabilities
know reading and writing is their weak spot and often adopt delaying or avoidance tactics)
• Any written or printed material should be supported by the symbols’ system (e.g. Makaton vocabulary) or other
assistive devices that the student uses
• Identifying student's personal learning profile (e.g. acoustic type, optical type, sensory-perceptual type) and
promoting the use of assistive technologies that empower learning abilities
Understanding the lectures' content
• Familiarisation of teachers/professors with the assistive devices that the student uses
• Discussion and "easy-to-read" writing material given before the lecture
• Availability of support systems: assistant, volunteer, note taker
• Decreasing the spead of the course presentation so that children have extra time to correspond
• Usage of multisensory teaching approaches and multisensory methods (e.g. vision, hearing, touch, smell,
kinaesthesis)
PRODUCTION OF WORK
Needs
Implementation of school
assignments
Possible solutions / Recommendations
• Usage of assistive communication means, such as: communication boards (i.e. with Makaton symbols),
simplified keyboards, spelling boards, communication books, special software (e.g. speech feedback letter by letter,
predictive typing)
• Using a personal assistant for completing the tasks, under the guidance of the student
EXAMINATIONS
Needs
Possible solutions / Recommendations
Oral/written evaluation
• Getting time for rest breaks (e.g. pupils with attention disorders or with speech problems that need extra time to
complete their sentences)
• Submitting scripts on computer by adapting special hardware and software equipment
• Getting a reader or a writing-assistant (amanuensis)
• Short, clear & understandable written examination instructions and sentences
• Questions using bullet points
• Slow & careful reading of the examination paper
Evaluation assignments - Difficulties
in completing the traditional
evaluation assignments due to
reduced cognitive dexterities
• Assignments and course work with multiple-choice questions
• Alternative evaluation assignments (e.g. taped interviews)
• Flexible assignment deadlines