Question

A middle school student has multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and an intellectual impairment. The student uses a wheelchair and an electronic communication board. The student currently attends a special education classroom and receives related services from the school nurse, the speech-language pathologist, and the occupational therapist. Which of the following statements describes an important principle that the student's team should keep in mind when providing instruction related to self-help skills?

A. Each of the student's service providers should be exclusively responsible for providing instruction in specific functional tasks.

B. Practice in functional tasks should take place primarily in settings where the student will perform those tasks in daily life.

C. Functional tasks should be initially presented to the student in the special education classroom to the greatest extent possible for the student's comfort.

D. A variety of functional tasks should be presented to the student each day so that the student remains physically engaged and motivated to learn.

Answer 1

The student's educational team should focus on practicing self-help skills in real-world settings that mirror where these skills will be used to promote direct and practical application. Collaboration and consistent learning experiences are essential to their development.

Step-by-step explanation:

When providing instruction in self-help skills to a middle school student with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and an intellectual impairment, it is crucial for the student's team to adopt a holistic and integrated approach to education. An important principle for the student's team to adhere to is that practice in functional tasks should take place primarily in settings where the student will perform those tasks in daily life. This real-world contextual learning is beneficial because it offers the student an opportunity to transfer skills directly and meaningfully into their everyday routines, thereby fostering independence and confidence. Rather than segregating skill development to the special education classroom or focusing on a fragmented, service-provider-specific approach, the team should collaborate to ensure that the student receives a consistent and unified learning experience across diverse environments.

Initiatives like The Nora Project are indicative of a shift towards a more inclusive and empathetic educational environment, which supports the diverse needs of students with disabilities by promoting hands-on and practical learning experiences. Additionally, language matters in this setting, and it is essential to use terms that are respectful and focus on the individual rather than the disability. Understanding the unique context of each student's educational needs, as guided by IDEA, allows for a more tailored and effective approach to instruction.