School Librarians and Students with Disabilities

Statistics

More than 54 million people in the United States, or 18.7 percent of the nations population have a disability. Diagnoses of learning disabilities are increasing. It is estimated that 1.5 million people in the U.S. are affected by autism, and one in 110 children is diagnosed with disability. 21 percent of illiterate American adults have multiple disabilities, and more than 70 percent of this population will go on to be unemployed, (Subramaniam, 2).

Statistics Continued

About 12 percent of the school-age population, or more than 5.7 million students between the ages of three and twenty-one, have a disability, (Perrault, 2011).

An Ethical and Legal Obligation

Services to Persons with Disabilities: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

A librarians must -provide equitable access to facilities, collections, and services -be proactive in reaching out to those with disabilities -be aware of available technologies used to assist those with disabilities

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act Forbids discrimination against individuals with disabilities

IDEA/IDEIA

Individuals with Disabilities Act (renamed Individual with Disabilities Improved Act) 2004 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services (idea.ed.gov)

Who Are Special Education Students?

Students that receive special education instruction and related services because of a disability that affects their learning. Incredible variety: ability, age, learning style, personality, cultural backgrounds, multilingual Unique learning needs Great potential to succeed in school academically and socially

To be eligible for Special Education the

Student Must Exhibit Characteristics of:
High Incident Disabilities: Learning Disabilities Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disability Emotional Impairments Speech/Language Impairments
Low Incident Disabilities Hearing Impairment Visual Impairments Deaf-blindness Severe or profound intellectual disability

Multiple Impairments
Orthopedic/Neurological Impairments

Traumatic Brain Injury

Autism

Tips

Remember that these students are people first. Dont get too bogged down in the condition details. Several disabilities manifest themselves in similar ways.

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

This is a program developed for a special needs student to help them succeed in school. The school library is not always sufficiently represented, at a loss to the student.

How Are We Doing?

Changes in Special Education Children are more often

mainstreamed/educated with their peers vs. isolated special education classes IDEA requires that services are provided in the least restrictive environment

Challenges

Quickly changing education environment Librarian lacks the proper education or training (pre-service and in-service) Understaffing Under budgeting Lack of administrative support Lack of leadership or advocacy

Lets Do This

Universal Design

An architectural approach employed in public spaces to achieve a maximum benefit in accessibility for the largest number of users as opposed to designing spaces for the average user (Subramaniam, 5)

Characteristics: o ramps o maneuverable shelf spaces and walkways o variant height circulation desks o adjustable work spaces o Welcoming, not intimidating atmosphere

Assistive Technology

any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability (Subramaniam, 5) o hardware, software o touch-screen technology o headsets with microphone o screen readers o speech-to-text-converters o access to magnification o Low tech: dry-erase boards, laminated photos and albums, binders, calculators, timers

Services

Variety of formats and Multimodal access Welcoming Collection e.g. Schneider Family Book Award winners Readers Advisory Customized Instruction

Strategy Suggestions

Components of services and support:

Motivation and engagement o Content instruction o Learning strategy and skill acquisition
o

Develop policy around students with special needs Collaborate Consult with the IEP team

Professional Development

Project ENABLE (Expanding Non-Discriminatory Access for Librarians Everywhere) o created by the Center for Digital Literacy at Syracuse o Train-the-trainer face-to-face workshops awareness of disabilities, school disability laws, web and information technology accessibility, modifying services, programs, and policies, motivation and management of IEPs, collaboration, collection development o Training website free professional education. includes subjects like Asperger Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, law, universal design, advocacy, assistive technologies, web accessibility

ALSC/Candlewick Press Light the Way Grant

This grant was formed in honor of Newbery Medalist and Geisel Honoree author Kate DiCamillo, and the themes represented in her books. The award consists of a $3,000 grant to assist a library in conducting exemplary outreach to underserved populations through a new program or an expansion of work already being done. LSSPCC (Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers) Committee evaluates the applications.

Sources
Allen, Kendra and Hughes-Hassell, Sandra. Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities. School Library Monthly. 27.1 (2010). page number http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=6e1b07a6-7d92-4414-a347d4b5a4d529da%40sessionmgr198&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=53337476 Downing, Joyce Anderson. Media Centers and Special Education: Introduction to the Special Issue. Intervention in School and Clinic. 42.2 (2006). 6777. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=6e1b07a6-7d92-4414-a347-d4b5a4d529da%40sessionmgr198&hid=117 Perrault, Anne Marie. Reaching All Learners: Understanding and Leveraging Points of Intersection for School Librarians and S pecial Education Teachers. School Library Media Research. 8.10 (2011) 1-10. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=6e1b07a6-7d92-4414-a347d4b5a4d529da%40sessionmgr198&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=67740987 Small, Ruth V. and Stewart, Jessica. Meeting Needs: Effective Programs for Students with Disabilities. School Library Monthly 29.8 (2013). 11-13. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=e642ae42-8ddf-4a1b-a60ba3f6352e9f29%40sessionmgr113&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=87773553 Subramaniam, Mega; Oxley, Rebecca; and Kodama, Christie. School Librarians as Ambassadors of Inclusive Information Access fo r Students with Disabilities. School Library Research 16 (2013). 1-33. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=10&sid=6e1b07a6-7d92-4414-a347d4b5a4d529da%40sessionmgr198&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=85514214 Zambone, Alana and Jones, Jami L. Special Ed 101 for School Librarians. School Library Monthly 26.6 (2010). 19-22. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=8&sid=e642ae42-8ddf-4a1b-a60ba3f6352e9f29%40sessionmgr113&hid=117&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=47652719