Disabled Children – Picking Up Learning Skills to Lead a Normal Life

Some children live with a disability from birth while others can become disabled after an illness or accident. Disabilities can be permanent or temporary.

After an accident or illness it can happen that a person can’t walk, see or hear for a period of time. However, if the injury is too severe it can be permanent.

This article will look at three disabilities that will require additional methods and equipment for optimal learning.

Visual disability

This can vary in severity.  A person can be completely blind from birth or after an accident or illness or they can have partial vision. Children with partial vision can, with the help of some aids and certain adjustments, be as independent as any other child. They can usually be accommodated in a regular class. Subject material and test papers can be printed in large print to assist the child. A computer with a magnification program is another option. Blind children will need special equipment such as a computer, enabled with adaptive software. Another choice will be a school that focuses specifically on the needs of blind children.

Auditory Disability

Again the severity will differ. People that are born deaf are usually not able to speak either. They learn sign language to communicate with each other and with other people who understand and can use sign language. Special schools equipped for hearing impaired people will allow children to study using sign language. Teachers are trained to use sign language when teaching. People that are deaf because of an illness or accident can many a time, learn to read lips, if people talk clearly and slowly. Where the disability is not that severe, a hearing aid might be enough to allow children to attend a mainstream class.

Mobile disability

Mobile disability also varies in severity. Some people might just find it difficult to walk while others will be in a wheel chair. Work places, schools, entertainment areas and other public areas are mostly equipped and well adapted to make provisions for this disability. Most schools should be equipped to accommodate children in wheel chairs and there is no need for them to be excluded from mainstream education. Some children who are immobile may also have learning disabilities and they will need extra care and attention. Schools should make provisions to accommodate these learners in some way or the other. A special class with a teacher who has understanding for their learning impairments and trained to assist these children will be the best option.

A disabled child should, wherever possible, have the same options and choices that any other child would have.

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