Exceptionality Case Study : 14 A Report to My Teachers 1. What are the key facts/elements of this case?

Heather sought out Ms. Cerini as a mentor and has approached her to help her deal with a situation with another teacher. Heather has advocated for herself in terms of her disability (Spina Bifida) and her teacher, Mr. Hobbes, has not agreed to the suggestions that Heather has made that she feels would help her meet with success, namely more time to write her math test. 2. What do we know about Heather? About her teacher and mentor, Maria Cerini? Heather was born with Spina Bifida and is confined to a wheelchair. She has weak fine motor control and tires easily from using a pencil. She is currently in grade 11 at Dominion High, which is wheelchair accessible and has many programs for exceptional students. She takes one less course per year than her peers and attends learning assistance during her period off. In grade 9 Heather was quiet and afraid to challenge the system however in grade 11 she has advocated for herself requested a monthly meeting with her teachers for progress updates, to make suggestions and to help her teachers to learn from each other. Ms. Cerini is currently Heathers drama teacher and previously taught Heather Grade 9 English. In grade 9 Ms. Cerini suggested that Heather write a report for her teachers about herself and Spina Bifida. In this report Heather makes suggestions on how her teachers can best help her in the classroom. 3. Describe the main dilemmas in this case. Heathers math teacher Mr. Hobbes has informed Heather that he will not attend any more team meetings and that he will not give her the extra time they had previously agreed on to write her math test. Mr. Hobbes feels as though Heather is asking her teachers to water down her courses. Heather does not feel she will be able to successfully complete the test in the allotted amount of time. 4. What underling issues contribute to the dilemma(s)? Mr. Hobbes feels pressured in the team meetings and that he is losing his freedom to make teaching decisions. Heather knows that she finds math challenging and does not think she can succeed in the given amount of time. Given her weaken motor control Heather may not be physically able to write in the given amount of time. Heather does not appear to have a documented IEP. 5. What issues are most important to Heather? What issues are most important from Ms. Cerinis point of view? From Mr. Hobbes point of view?

The most important issue for Heather appears to be to have all her teachers understand her perceived areas of strength and need and provide accommodations accordingly. Knowing that she lacks confidence in math, it is important that Mr. Hobbes know that she doesnt feel that she can complete the math test in the given amount of time. The most important issue for Ms. Cerini is to see that Heather has practiced selfadvocacy by suggesting the team meeting with her teachers. This is a skill she will need in university and the workplace. Ms. Cerini briefly mentions that she isnt sure if Heathers teachers are aware of her weak motor control and occasional absences from school for medical reasons. The most important issue for Mr. Hobbes seems to be for him to have freedom to make his own decisions regarding his teaching practices and not have them dictated by a group of teachers in a meeting. 6. How should Heather and Ms. Cerini resolve the dilemma(s)? There are a few steps that Heather and Ms. Cerini could take to resolve the issue. Ms. Cerini could discuss with Heather why she thinks that more time for the math test would be beneficial. If Heather is worried about the content of the test then she may suggest that Heather consider attending extra help or tutoring. If Heather is worried about physically being able to write in the given time, Ms. Cerini may suggest that Heather disclose her tendency to get tired when writing for long periods of time to Mr. Hobbes. Ms. Cerini should consider contacting Heathers parents, the schools learning strategist and the school principle to discuss Heathers anxiety. She could consider inviting them to the teacher meeting so that all interested parties could be on the same page and discuss whether Heathers teachers have noticed an improvement in her academic success when accommodations were made. According to the Government of Ontario as well as other Canadian provinces and territories, students do not have to be formally identified to receive accommodations, which would normally be part of an IEP. If Heathers parents and school principal agree that Heather has special education needs and on the nature of the special education program or service there is not need for formal identification according the Education Act (1980). If there is an IEP the school is legally responsible for implementing the special education program outlined in the IEP. 7. Consider the consequences of such a resolution for Heather, Mr. Hobbes, Ms. Cerini. 1. Heather may have to disclose more personal information and she still may not get the accommodations from her math teacher.

2. Heather may be able to establish an accommodation plan with her school principle/learning strategist that all teachers could follow and receive support on. 3. Mr. Hobbes may learn more about Heathers situation but he may also may feel that he is loosing his decision making power. 4. Ms. Cerini may be putting herself in a position where she is going against a colleague. 8. What can we learn from Heathers experiences in this case? Ms. Cerinis experiences? From this case we can learn the importance of a team approach to learning and assessment so that all interested parties feel they have a voice. We can learn the importance of self-advocacy as Heathers ability to communicate her strengths and areas of need with her teachers resulted in her ability to take an active role in her education and feel more independent in the face of her physical disability. We can also recognize that self-advocacy involves negotiating for accommodations and that while developing the skill of advocating for ones-self is important, it is also important to develop the skill of resiliency. In my teaching practice I have dealt with an issue where our school learning strategist suggested a student purchase a Livescibe pen to help with note taking. One teacher did not feel comfortable having his voice recorded in the classroom and asked the student not to use it in his class. Instead, we arranged for the student to have a peer provide her with a copy of their notes. While the Livescribe pen did prove to be useful for the student, it was within the teachers rights to request that she not use it within his class and to negotiate another solution for her note taking needs. Does this case lead us to question any long-held belief or to recognize assumptions we might be making about students, teachers, and self-advocacy? In my experience, it is often teachers and parents who advocate for their childrens educational rights and accommodations. It was refreshing to see Heather take an active approach in her education. Versnel and his colleagues (2008) noted that providing accommodations is a process that works better for the student when they are part of the negotiation process rather than handed out accommodations. This case also helps us recognize the important roles teachers play in educating students about their rights. Test (2005), noted that students need tools for self advocacy; knowledge of self and knowledge of rights, and an ability to communicate these types of knowledge. Ms. Cerini has provided Heather with the tools she needs to communicate her needs.

This case study calls to question that equitable does not always mean equal. An equal amount of time to write a test does not necessarily translate into

References
Questions and Answers Parents May Have Regarding Special Educaiton. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2013, from Ontario Ministy of Education: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elesec/speced/Questions_and_Answers_P rents_English.pdf The Education Act. (1980). Retrieved October 3, 2013, from Ontario Ministry of Education: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/edact.html Test, D.W., Fowler, C.H., Brewer, D.M. & Wood, W.M. (2005). A content and methodological review of self-advocacy intervention studies. Exceptional Children, 72(1), 101-125. Versnel, J. Hutchinson, N., Munby, H. & Chin, P. (2008). Work-based learning for adolescents with learning disabilities: Creating a context for success. Exceptionality Education Canada, 18, 113-134.