Students With Severe Speech and Physical Impairments

Abstract

This qualitative study examined obstacles to literacy for individuals with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Using a constant comparison approach, the authors addressed attitudinal and opportunity barriers to literacy education from the perspective of parents, teachers, university faculty, and administrators involved in literacy education of students with SSPI. Major themes emerged within the categories of knowledge, policy, practice, and attitude relating to funding issues, segregation of students with SSPI, use of a life skills curriculum, lack of certification preparation and training in methods and assistive technology, and attitudes that embraced stigmatization and lowered expectations.

Literacy Instruction in General Education Settings: A Call to Action

“…This group of students is at increased risk of being educated in separate self-contained settings and denied access to comprehensive literacy instruction, with teachers reporting that they lack the knowledge necessary to make general education literacy content accessible to their students with more intensive communication support needs (Machalicek et al, 2010; Ruppar, Dymond, & Gaffney, 2011). Barriers to inclusive literacy instruction for students with extensive support needs who have complex communication needs may be addressed by increasing the knowledge of effective literacy instruction practices for this population through high-quality research (Downing, 2005; Zascavage & Keefe, 2004).…”

Instructional Methods that Foster the Reading Development of Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities

“…The opportunity and access barriers that have limited reading development arise from professional and societal attitudes, educational practice, instructional priority, lack of knowledge, and a paucity of research-based instructional methods [14,15]. First, the belief that literacy skill limitations are "innate" [16] has influenced the instructional curriculum of students with significant ID.…”

“…Accordingly, the curricular priority for students with significant ID has been that of functional skill development [18,19]. Consequently, access to the instruction needed to foster reading development has been restricted [14][15][16]. Due to limited knowledge, some parents and professionals lack the skills needed to understand children's nonsymbolic communication, identify and use available assistive technologies, adapt literacy materials and provide alternative means for participation, thereby preventing access to activities that promote reading development [14,15].…”

Fulfilling Two Needs With One Deed: The Psychological Effect of Volunteering on Persons with Physical Disabilities

“…Such stigma reduces opportunities for persons with disabilities to integrate into the community and build social networks, ultimately resulting in lower levels of psychological well-being for this vulnerable group (Rao, 2004;Zascavage & Keefe, 2004). Although South Korea had disability policies that included employment quotas, classifications of disability, and separate education, disability activists claimed that these policies had maintained structural discrimination (Arrington & Moon, 2020).…”