Mobility Limitation

This disability will usually be visible to some extent and the educational limitations will revolve around providing physical accommodations. Mobility impairments include students using wheelchairs, crutches, braces, walkers or canes to move about; however, not all students with mobility impairments require mobility aides.

Some students have disabilities in which the intensity of the impairment can vary. This means the accommodation(s) will be necessary on an occasional basis. It is important that instructors allow this student to be as independent as possible in the educational environment. They should talk directly to students and involve them in the process of implementing the accommodation(s). If talking to a student in a wheelchair for more than a few minutes, they should sit down or kneel if convenient. Working directly with the student may be the best way to provide modifications to the work/classroom environment.

Common accommodations which instructors may support may include: reviewing emergency evacuation plans based on student needs, accessible locations for field trips, more time to arrive in class based on interruptions to travel routes, note-taker assistance, scribes for test taking situations, and the use of a tape recorder in class.