An All Too Frequent Problem!

Increasingly, this editor's office receives inquiries regarding all manner of topics from readers. Not too long ago, we received a request from a high school student--I am a freshman in high school. I have cerebral palsy and can walk, but use a manual wheelchair during my able-bodied gym class. My teacher (seems) inflexible, not rude or discriminating, but a different sort of attitude.... ignoring and somewhat cold. It is obvious I am not really wanted by (my teacher) in the class.... My IEP states that the physical education teacher should modify the class as needed. Presently, we are playing volleyball. It is harder for me to play having to react immediately to a ball hit very hard over a standard net. I am used to playing sitting volleyball. My teacher is concerned about safety issues such as kids tripping over my chair when they jump to hit the ball. I have tried to reassure her, but the teacher remains unconvinced. My teacher will complain, but will not suggest any modifications or solutions either. Do you have any ideas? Should I get my parents involved?

Is this typical? Unfortunately, similar scenarios exist at all levels of physical education when teachers, who think they are neither trained nor have an interest in having students with disabilities mainstreamed, integrated, normalized, or included within their classes, are faced with the inevitable. The situation as described undoubtedly does not paint the whole picture; however, there are several points this editor would like to discuss.

Attitude. This student evidently sees the teacher's attitude as being inflexible, ignoring, complaining, and somewhat cold--not very humanistic. While we do not know the teacher's perception of this student, let it suffice to say that the student's feelings here are very germane. The old socio-psychological axiom--what you think of me, I will think of me, and what I think of me I will believe--is quite apropos. Whether this student's perceptions are founded or not, the fact remains that a perception exists. The master teacher must be aware that each human being is a unique entity and there is worth and dignity in every student.

Furthermore, this student believes the teacher is neither interested in

proffered suggestions or willing to suggest anything in return. It is quite obvious interactive communication between the two has stalled. It would seem a third party is needed to facilitate dialogue. This could be achieved under leadership of a counselor, an administrator, an adapted physical education specialist, a parent--any combination of these. Communication is essential to nurturing student motivation; to encourage the student to remain actively involved within the physical education class setting.

Individualized Education Program (IEP). Since the early 1970s, various Federal Laws (PL 93-112, PL 94-142--PL 101-476) have ensured the right of a student to a free and appropriate education within the least restrictive environment. Appropriateness is to be determined by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of a representative of the public education agency, the student's teacher, one or both parents/guardians, the child, when appropriate, and other individuals at the discretion of the parent(s) or agency--all of whom are charged with the development of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Without seeing this student's actual IEP, one cannot be certain of its essential details with regard to physical education. It can, however, be assumed that the IEP does place this student within a regular physical education class which should be age-appropriate (9th grade). From this student's remarks, we may additionally assume that the IEP ... states that the physical education teacher should modify the class as needed. We do know that an IEP must include a statement(s) of the specific special education and related services to be provided to the student, and the extent to which the student will be able to participate in regular education programs, in this case, physical education. Hopefully, this student's IEP would include type(s) of supplemental aids and services, including modifications needed to participate in the regular physical education curriculum. Or, at the very least, some indication of the extent this student would be able to participate in various instructional units throughout the year and/or alternatives for those situations in which she would be unable to participate while progressing towards the short-term objectives and annual goals established by the multi-disciplinary team.

The teacher of record should make appropriate accommodations. This does not mean modifying the class and its activities for everyone else just to accommodate this student. While it would, indeed, be ideal for the student in question to participate in volleyball with peers, utilizing the same skills and techniques as classmates, most of the time this might not be possible. Thus, expectations of performance technique could be modified allowing this student to participate as a unique whole within the unit by developing skills usable with the residual functioning a child with cerebral palsy, participating from a wheelchair, might possess. Utilization of peer tutors and/or para-professional aides could certainly allow this student to develop individualized skills, while non-disabled classmates proceed at their own pace in other drills when away from the student with unique needs. Clearly, watching others participate, if that is what is being implied here, is not appropriate accommodation, nor is it physical education.

Within this context, various approaches might include accommodation in this activity, volleyball; or in a different activity within the class that would have the same motoric and organic outcomes as volleyball; or within another class meeting at the same time but utilizing a different instructional unit more suitable to the functional capacities, limitations, and interests of this student. Likewise, this student mentions that she usually plays sitting volleyball. What an excellent opportunity to conduct disability awareness by teaching peers to play sitting volleyball, along with the myriad of potential discussions and comparisons that could be made between the two types of volleyball games and resulting skills and techniques needed by each.

In this student's communique the question is asked, Should I get my parents involved? The answer lies in these particular parents' viewpoint towards their child, as well as their feelings about their role in the IEP process and the educational welfare of their child. Parents play a more important part in the whole IEP picture than most realize. In the first place, the law specifically calls for their participation in development of the IEP as a safeguard for the student. Even though most parents do not realize the clout they possess in this process, the fact remains that an IEP only becomes official when both they and a representative of the public school agency have signed the document--then it becomes a contract. Parents should, by the very nature of their being parents, be the student's strongest advocate. Therefore, by all means, this student should communicate the feelings expressed so openly to this editor. After that point, what happens depends mostly on parental judgement and their willingness to open dialogue with the school on behalf of their child. Parents should always remember they have legal rights and recourse should it be determined that their public school agency is not fulfilling its contractual agreement as mandated by the signed IEP.

Safety. Concern for safe participation by all students within the class should be paramount in the mind of every teacher--this situation seems to be no exception. Letting this student participate from a wheelchair within a regular game situation has its obvious dangers. If another student were injured by tripping, falling, or crashing into the wheelchair, could the teacher be considered negligent and liable? Likewise, the student in the wheelchair could be injured by another crashing into the chair. The teacher has the ultimate responsibility to conduct a class wherein all students may participate in safety, yet at the same time, the teacher must consider appropriate accommodations necessary to allow a special needs student to become physically educated--often not an easy task.

Mainstreaming, integration, normalization, inclusion do not categorically mean that, when students with disabilities are assigned to regular physical education classes, the teacher must compromise the integrity of the game or activity from its basic nature, simply to enable the student with a disability to participate--court cases have usually supported this position. Furthermore, and equally important, it should be determined when such inclusion in the regular class activity is not appropriate, safe, or the thing to do for the good of all students. For example, this student could take part in many basic volleyball drills with no problems or difficulties. However, when movement in drills and/or playing the basic game occurs, this student should not be included. While this may not be in the best interest of this student, it does safeguard everyone from potential injury.

If the class is large enough, students could rotate around stations which include regular volleyball, as well as one with sitting volleyball (drills or game). As peers arrive at the sitting volleyball court, they would play in this student with a disability's environment and under those rules; otherwise, while at other stations, regular volleyball rules would prevail. Or, as an alternative during volleyball, this student could be guided into another activity with selected students; i.e., fitness and conditioning, weight training, another hand-eye coordination sport activity or drill--even to another class with another teacher for participation within a different skill unit more appropriate to the functioning of this student.

Perhaps an alternative to sitting volleyball, and one which would allow this student to participate safely with the non-disabled students in regular volleyball, would be to make several modifications to the game: a) since the ball seems to arrive too hard over the net, allow this student to catch the ball, then throw it up in the air prior to setting the ball to a teammate; b) allow this student to retrieve the ball after a bounce on the floor, or even two bounces (as in tennis); c) allow the nearest fellow student to the player in the wheelchair to catch the ball and place it in the wheelchair player's lap; d) restrict movement of players on both sides by allowing them to pivot only on one foot to receive and/or block the ball, thus reducing the chance for crashing into the wheelchair and making both teams even in movement; and, e) place a box outline, made of felt, on the floor as a no man's land reserved only for the player in the wheelchair which would move with the player as rotation occurs.

Undoubtedly, there are infinite variations that could be put into play which would safeguard all students when involved with their classmate who utilizes a wheelchair for mobility in their volleyball class. As physical education professionals, we are not limited in programming so much by money, as in lack of creativity or use of common sense. Such modifications, which would allow this student to feel as an integral part of the class, would go a long way in communicating to this student just.... what you (the teacher) thinks of me, I (the student) will believe--what a happy and motivated student that teacher might have, to say nothing of the message the teacher would be sending the rest of the class about this classmate with a disability!

According to the IEP, the final responsibility for physical education rests with the teacher! If the teacher does not know how to make accommodations for this student, the teacher should seek the help of an adapted physical education specialist. Non activity, watching others participate, or any other such remedy should never be considered as a viable alternative.

As a PALAESTRA reader, what are your feelings about this scenario? As a teacher, how would you tackle this problem? Do you agree/disagree with your editor? What suggestions would you give to this student?