7-1 Discussion: Educating Students with Severe or Multiple Disabilities
Individuals with severe disabilities are, according to the Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps (TASH), "individuals of all ages who require extensive ongoing support in more than one
major life activity in order to participate in integrated community settings and to enjoy a quality of life
that is available to citizens with fewer or no disabilities" (TASH, p. 19). Students with severe disabilities
and/or multiple disabilities typically learn more slowly and forget more easily than their peers. I believe
that students with the most severe disabilities and/or multiple disabilities should be taught by teachers
and paraprofessionals who believe in them and set high expectations for them in accordance with the
student's communication style and learning style (are they auditory, visual, kinaesthetic, or verbal
learners?). Teachers and paraprofessionals should collaborate with one another and with the student's
parents and family, therapists, etc. Upon collaboration, a plan should be set for the duration of the
student's education at that particular school and beyond (Severe and Education of individuals With
Multiple Disabilities). The student should be provided with one-on-one daily instructional time with the
teachers and paraprofessionals who are all aware of a potentially slower learning and response time
from the student.
