AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & DENTISTRY

EP's ANNUAL EDUCATION ISSUE

"Teachers with disabilities are not a handicap."1

BY H. BARRY WALDMAN, DDS, MPH, PHD, LAUREN M. KOENIG AND STEVEN P. PERLMAN, DDS, MSCD, DHL (HON)

"Teachers with disabilities bring a unique perspective to the classroom." 1

"Teachers (with disabilities) are an essential resource. They are role models for pupils with disabilities. Like other teachers, they are a valuable source of experience and expertise. Adults with disabilities in our schools help to prepare all students for life in a diverse society. (For example: in Great Britain) teachers with disabilities make up only 1 in 100 teachers. With support, this figure could be improved to 1 in 10. Social and physical arrangements are the biggest barriers to full participation by people with disabilities in teaching." 2

LEGALITIES

A series of U.S. court actions and legislative enactments have established the framework to protect and support the needs of children and adults with disabilities. A partial timeline of these events includes:

The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) was organized in 2002 to provide a forum for healthcare professionals who provide clinical care to people with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities (ND/ID). The mission of the organization is to improve the quality and assure the parity of healthcare for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities throughout the lifespan.

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OUTSIDE THE LINES: Many teachers with disabilities require nothing more than the same consideration as administrators may already be providing to its staff without disabilities, such as flexible work schedules, telecommuting or restructured areas.

THE PERSPECTIVE OF A TEACHER WITH DISABILITIES

"I live being different every day," she says. "In what other job could I make an impact on kids who live what I live?" 1 

"A teacher (with disabilities like me) sharing their experiences with disability can break down barriers of isolation that students with disability often experience. Seeing how you navigate with a limitation can inspire them and strengthen their trust in the practice. This is also why I believe practicing with a group of people who experience similar limitations can be extremely valuable." 4

Wendy, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair and a service dog, says she, too, has encountered prospective employers who couldn't see past her disability. Nevertheless, "I'm tougher (on the children with disabilities) than the nondisabled teachers, because I know what skills they need to be able to cope in the real world." 1

PREPARATION OF TEACHERS

[Editor's note: One of the authors, (LMK) with cerebral palsy is planning for a career as a speech pathologist.] "English-language learners and students with disabilities – groups of children once taught in isolated classrooms with specially trained instructors – spend more time in general education classrooms now than in years past. But many general education teachers are not equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of English-learners or students with disabilities." 5 Only 17% of general education teachers feel "very well prepared" to teach children with mild to moderate learning disabil ities, and only 30% "feel strongly" about their preparedness to teach these individuals. More than 60% feel they are "somewhat prepared" to teach them. 6

"Most teachers want to be better prepared, but only seven states currently require future general education teachers to take coursework focusing on students with disabilities, and much of this instruction does not prepare them for the realities of the classroom. Many teachers also have misconceptions about the source of learning disabilities and low expectations for student success. They require more professional development to help them work with these students with better understanding." 6

DON'T HIRE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (MYTHS)

Myths may stem from a lack of interaction and experience working with people with disabilities, which can generate negative attitudes. These myths can lead to missed opportunities when employers ignore candidates with disabilities or choose not to focus recruitment efforts on them.

Myth #1: People with disabilities are not qualified applicants. Reality: There are many qualified candidates with disabilities. Often, the only difference is that teachers with disabilities might do things differently, which could mean more efficiently and better than what others have previously done in the position.

Myth #2: Reasonable accommodations are expensive. Reality: Many teachers with disabilities require nothing more than the same consideration as administrators may already be providing to its staff without disabilities, such as flexible work schedules, telecommuting or restructured areas. Personnel can help departments understand that accommodations ensure that a person with a disability can be productive in the same way as provided to those without disabilities to ensure their productivity. The tools may be different (e.g., a computer with a larger monitor versus a computer with a glare screen, or a desktop versus a laptop to work from home), but they are all just methods to help ensure productivity.

Myth #3: School administrators can't expect the same level of performance from teachers with disabilities. Reality: According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (a federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination) "…an employee with a disability must meet the same production standards, whether quantitative or qualitative, as an employee without a disability in the same job." 7 School administrators, need to realize that, at any time, any staff member or teacher could develop a disability and require reasonable accommodations.7 Note: Disabled Teacher's Network provides resources to assist teacher's with disabilities. As Stephen Hawking, the theoretic physicist, summed it up: "Don't be disabled in spirit, as well as physically!" •

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

H. Barry Waldman, DDS, MPH, PhD is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of General Dentistry, Stony Brook University, NY. E-mail: h.waldman@stonybrook.edu. Lauren M. Koenig is a 2nd year student of Adelphi University Garden City, NY. Steven P. Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL (Hon) is the Global Clinical Director and founder, Special Olympics, Special Smiles; and Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, The Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

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