Meredith Wright

Homewood Middle
08/28/15
Observation and Adaptation Plan for Student J
Student J is currently an 8th grade student at Homewood Middle School. He was
diagnosed with Ataxia while in the third grade when his parents and teacher started
noticing that he was falling often. Ataxia is a degenerative disease that weakens the control
that Student J has on his motor and fine motor skills.
Student J exhibits strengths both cognitively and socially. He has the desire and
hard work to learn and does his best to not let his disability inhibit this. He is able to keep
up with the curriculum of his peers and is a visual learner. Along with academics, Student J
very much obtains a positive attitude most days and interacts well with his peers
considering his circumstances. Most of the students in his grade have been with Student J
for the past two years and are very accepting of his disability. Since he is able to keep up
with the Eighth grade curriculum, he is able to be is his least restrictive environment
throughout the majority of his day.
Along with Student Js disability, comes many limitations to his physical capabilities,
which can ultimately make success in the classroom a little more difficult to maintain. It
was interesting to see just how much physical disabilities can interfere with learning in the
general education classroom if they are not accommodated for. Student Js ability to walk,
sit, or stand independently are all affected by his disease, along with his ability to write or
use any fine motor skills at all. Student Js speech and vision are also impaired. All of these
things combined can obviously create a difficult obstacle for Student J to overcome so that

he can still succeed to the very best of his minds ability. I have listed below a few
recommendations as to what could be done to best serve Student J in the General Education
classroom.
Personal aide to assist with getting into desk, getting materials onto desk, and taking
notes during class time.
Using whiteboard in the Resource Room to take quizzes and tests
Seated at the front of the class
Personal white board for working math problems in class, etc.
Occupational and Speech Therapy during elective two-three times a week
Extended times on quizzes and tests
The accommodations of having a personal aide to help Student J get into his desk,
materials, take notes, and allowing for him to use the whiteboard in the Resource Room are
chosen because of the lack of control Student J has with his motor and fine motor skills. By
allowing Student J to use the whiteboard, he will still be able to write because he is able to
grip his hand around an expo marker and he can write larger. Student J should be seated at
the front of the class because of his visual impairments and it would be difficult for him to
see if he was seated anywhere else. I included occupation and speech therapy instead of
electives a few times a week to keep as much regression in motor and speech skills from
occurring for as long as possible. Also since writing is a more difficult task for him, it would
be helpful for him to have extended time on quizzes and tests. As a note, Student J is
extremely capable in his academic abilities and no modifications should be done to his
curriculum.