Module 8: Complexity

How Individual Learning Differences Interact

Case Example: Cooper

Cooper is a high school student with dystonia, which causes constant movement beyond their control and is non-verbal communication. In this video, you will notice that Cooper is learning to use an eye gaze system to communicate with a classmate while working together on a project.

Watch the following video and consider how Cooper’s fluctuating tone affects his ability to use his communication system.

Reflection 1

Write down your thoughts and observations to the following questions:

What accommodations are being made to help Cooper communicate successfully and work with his classmate on the project?

Possible Responses

  • Two accommodations are evident in this video: positioning and extra time

What supports Cooper to hold his head up and focus on his communication device?

Possible Responses

  • Cooper is seated upright in his power wheelchair
  • He is positionally supported for active learning by leaning forward
  • His arms are being stabilized by soft forearm straps that are anchored to his tray

Cooper’s EA allows time for him to process, plan, and execute the motor movements he needs to use his eyes to communicate. As a result of this scaffolding. Cooper can then independently ask for help from peers to complete a school project. Even with the high level of support Cooper has in place, active participation requires significant effort and energy for him to interact.

Case Example: Sara

Sara is an elementary school student and has a diagnosis of cortical visual impairment. Sara has trouble keeping her balance, is easily distracted, and doesn’t understand what many of the words in her grade-level books mean.

While watching the following videos, consider Sara’s level of engagement and learning when she is sitting at the back of the circle, and compare this with how she engages when seated next to the teacher. Think about what accommodations are being made to help her attend and learn.

Watch the following videos.

Reflection 2

Write down your thoughts and observations to the questions that follow.

For Sara Video 1:

In what ways does Sara’s placement on the floor at the back of the circle impact inclusion and learning in the class?

Possible Responses

  • Because Sara has challenges with balance, she must concentrate on maintaining a seated position while sitting on the floor rather than paying attention to the story
  • Sara’s challenges with distraction make it difficult to listen and focus on the teacher, who is far away from her, and using vocabulary above a level she can understand
  • Given Sara’s cortical visual impairment, it’s difficult to visually attend to a book that is so far away. Finally, the pace of book reading makes it challenging to process the information being read

For Sara Video 2:

What accommodations are evident in the second video?

Possible Responses

  • By positioning her in her wheelchair, Sara no longer needs to focus energy on supporting her body or maintaining her balance, and she can dedicate more of her attention to listening to the story
  • Placing Sara next to the teacher ensures she can see and touch the materials
  • Adjusting the vocabulary of the book supports Sara to understand what is being read

These accommodations together allow Sara to attend, process what she is hearing, and integrate new learning more effectively.

Case Example: Todd

Todd is a middle school student with cerebral palsy and scoliosis. He also has an intellectual disability and a left visual field impairment. Because of his visual field impairment, Todd compensates by moving his head to the left, so he can use his right visual field to look at his surroundings and objects. His vision impairment also means he needs objects to be 10 times larger or 10 times closer to him in order to see them.

Watch Todd’s video.

Reflection 3

Write down your thoughts and observations about the following:

  • How the surrounding environment impacts Todd’s vision
  • How the task being completed supports his learning
  • The possible impact of multiple people giving instruction

Possible Responses

  • Todd was squinting, suggesting that he is trying to manage a lot of sensory input at once: the bright sun, background noise from a weed whacker, and attempting to focus on verbal instructions being given by several different adults
  • To learn how to drive the new power wheelchair, Todd must process the various instructions about the touch-sensitive controls while simultaneously filtering out the background noise, and while working out where his body is in space in relation to the red ball

Write down three accommodations that supported Todd’s participation and learning.

Possible Responses

  • Todd’s support provides physical modelling and assistance to operate the touchpad and keeping the ball within his right visual field, so he can successfully participate in the game.
  • Extra time is provided for Todd to process their instructions
  • Simple verbal prompts such as “again” can be heard throughout the video as well as repetition of instructions.

Case Example: Grace

Grace is an elementary school student with a cortical visual impairment and bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss for high-frequency sounds. She has complex medical and motor needs.

Watch the two videos of Grace. In the first, she is learning to tolerate her hearing aids while completing an unfamiliar task with an unfamiliar adult. In the second, she is doing a known task with a known adult.

While watching these videos, consider:

  • The impacts of environmental sounds on Grace
  • How the cognitive demands of the tasks and the different relationships might impact Grace’s successful active participation

Reflection 4

Write down your thoughts and observations about the following:

How Grace learns a new task with someone whose voice is unfamiliar.

Possible Responses

  • Grace is learning a new task—how to tolerate her hearing aids—for 10 seconds at a time
  • She is working in a noisy classroom with someone whose voice is unfamiliar
  • She appears more interested in the light and finding out where it is coming from

How Grace participates in the activity with a familiar voice and trusted adult.

Possible Responses

  • When the task was known and there was a familiar, trusting relationship, Grace used her vision to gain eye contact
  • Grace appeared to be more engaged in the social communication aspects of the task
  • The adult also used hand-under-hand support to assist Grace’s active participation

The contrast between these two videos illustrates how a student may respond differently with different people and tasks. A familiar task, voice, and presence of a trusted adult changes Grace’s participation in the activity.

Case Example: Ben

Ben is an elementary school student with diagnoses of mild bilateral conductive hearing loss, intellectual disabilities, and low muscle tone.

You will watch two videos of Ben. In the first, he is learning to take part in a group math activity. In the second, he has been provided with a communication aid.

While watching these videos, consider:

  • How Ben participates in the learning activity
  • What accommodations are being tried to increase his inclusion

Watch the following videos of Ben.

Reflection 5

Write down your thoughts and observations to the questions that follow:

What accommodations have been provided for Ben?

Possible Responses

  • Supported seating on the carpet
  • A voice output communication aid

How do these accommodations help Ben participate?

Possible Responses

  • Providing Ben with a voice on a speech-generating communication app means he can say, “go fish,” just like his friends
  • The presence of the communication device also allows the other students to use the iPad to say, “go fish,” and in this way, do some peer modeling of the communication. With an active role established, Ben is more able to participate and build relationships with his peers