How Multiple Disabilities and Classroom Learning

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The definition of multiple disabilities is significant because of the ways that education must be approached for these children. Certainly, the general education program will not suit them although the law still is for children to be placed in the least restrictive environment.

To answer this question, a study called The use of a Multisensory Environment for Assessment of Sensory Abilities and Preferences in Children with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: A Pilot Study, was examined (Der Putten, Vlaskamp & Schuivens, 2010). The study came from the Netherlands and the researchers tell us that to offer appropriate activities within the curriculum for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) is a challenge. An important determinant of the adequacy of an activity is whether teachers have detailed and specific knowledge about the sensory abilities and contextual preferences of these children. Materials and In total, 23 children with PIMD and three teachers participated. The teachers functionally assessed the sensory abilities and contextual preferences of the children before and after an intervention period during which the teachers carried out individual activities with the children in a multi-sensory environment (MSE).

Due to a shift in educational policy towards inclusive education, the number of children attending schools increased (Tadema et al. 2005b). This is a challenge for teachers, who are generally unfamiliar with these children that have complex needs that comprise not only developmental but also a wide range of health needs (Zijlstra & Vlaskamp 2005). The quality of the offered curriculum depends on "tuning in to the child's needs, preferences and abilities on the one hand, and the content of the curriculum on the other" (Der Putten, Vlaskamp & ...