Write a short report on dwarfism. Please examine the problems faced by students with dwarfism in a classroom setting and examine the role of the teacher in minimizing problems faced by students with dwarfism.
Dwarfism is a recognized condition under the Americans with Disabilities Act. One possible source of information for this report is the Little People of America website (http://www.lpaonline.org/). Here you will find information about guidelines for accommodations in school for students with Dwarfism; guidelines for creating a 504 plan and for IEPs.
Understanding Barriers to Learning - AY2024-T5
EDUC 5270-01
Writing Assignment Unit 2
September 16, 2024
“I often forget that I'm a little person. It's the physical environment and society that remind me.” (Burke, 2017)
“Then a friend of a friend of mine had a daughter who was a dwarf. And when her daughter was born, she suddenly found herself confronting questions that now began to seem quite resonant to me. She was facing the question of what to do with this child. Should she say, "You're just like everyone else but a little bit shorter?" Or should she try to construct some kind of dwarf identity, get involved in the Little People of America, become aware of what was happening for dwarfs?” (Solomon, 2016)
Every teacher faces a similar choice when a student first appears in his or her classroom. As soon as a new student with new needs crosses the threshold, the teacher's life changes dramatically. Solomon A (2016) also proposed the idea of two kinds of identities. There are vertical identities that are passed down from generation to generation from parents to children. These are things like ethnicity, often nationality, language, often religion. These are the things that unite a person with their parents and children. There are other identities that a person must learn in a peer group, and Solomon calls them ‘horizontal identities’ because a peer group is a horizontal experience. These are identities that are foreign to a person's parents and that they have to discover when they see them in their peers.
Little people. That's what they call both midgets and dwarfs. Although there's a big difference between the two. The former inherited a disease of the pituitary gland. It's the part of the brain that's responsible for, among other things, growth. That's why Lilliputians are tiny - from 40 to 90 centimetres - but they're built in proportion. Dwarfism is the result of many diseases. Children are usually born normal, and then their growth stops. Therefore, later these people have an adult head, but the body is deformed, arms and legs are short.
Many little people have a hard time psychologically. Some don't even cope (Mother Posts Heartbreaking Video of Son with Dwarfism Sobbing after Being Bullied: ‘I'm Going to Kill Myself,’ n.d.). It depends on whether someone needs the person or not. Communities such as Little People of America (DEI Statement, n.d.) and a teacher educated about dwarfism, able to answer questions from students (direct to LP or parent if needed) play an important role in forming ‘horizontal identities’ (Solomon, 2016).
A teacher can support by
- encourage questions, discourage staring and whispering (talk to the LP, not about the LP);
- consider accessing one of many documentaries on dwarfism to view or circulate among staff- ask parents if they own copies;
- consider visit from an adult LP to address curiosity, questions, teasing if needed;
- frequent communication with parents as questions/concerns arise.
The Little People of America community website has thoughtful definitions of the words Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA):
Inclusion is the active creation of a welcoming space for dwarf communities that values and invites the contribution and participation of all the identities and multiplicities embedded within it.
Diversity is a celebration of our whole community and recognizes the many positionalities that occur within it. We seek to ensure that a diverse group of people are represented across our leadership and membership. We acknowledge that having multiple marginalizations creates more challenges to access. These marginalizations can include but are not limited to: multiple disabilities, age, race/ethnicity, class, religion, immigration status, sexuality, gender, etc. Diversity is also a participation in and celebration of dwarf and disability history.
Equity is an ongoing process of examining and restructuring, thereby removing intentional and unintentional barriers to membership, participation and leadership. This works to create a community that provides fair and just treatment to each member, and the ability for all to access resources and information. We believe equity to be the practice of diversity in action.
Accessibility is the ability for each member, including those with multiple access needs (i.e. mobility device users, deaf or hard of hearing, scent sensitivities, etc.) to take advantage of all the benefits of the organization, thus providing true access to everybody for the benefit of all participants (DEI Statement, n.d.).
The teacher's understanding of these statements helps to use them as instructions for creating the necessary conditions in the classroom.
In conclusion, achondroplasia is associated with some restrictions or limitations in certain activities. Such a student needs a special toilet, chair, table and writing aids (DEI Statement, n.d.). Common amenities: more time to walk between classes without penalty, more time for tests if manual dexterity gets in the way, a chair (portable or stationary) in the bathroom and at water fountains, easy to open door handles (not knobs), easy to push automatic door closing settings, lowered bathroom mirror, lowered paper towel dispenser. An aide will also be needed to help with questions and difficulties that arise while the student is at school. This will avoid many awkward situations where the student will have to ask for help or call for help from those around them at the time, which can be humiliating.
References
Burke, S. (2017). Why design should include everyone. [online] Ted.com. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/sinead_burke_why_design_should_include_everyone/transcript?subtitle=ru [Accessed 15 Sep. 2024].
DEI Statement. (n.d.). Www.lpaonline.org. https://www.lpaonline.org/inclusion-diversity-equity-and-accessibility
Mother posts heartbreaking video of son with dwarfism sobbing after being bullied: “I’m going to kill myself.” (n.d.). Www.cbsnews.com. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-posts-heartbreaking-video-young-son-with-dwarfism-sobbing-after-being-bullied-2020-02-20/
Solomon, A. (2016). Love, no matter what. Ted.com; TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_love_no_matter_what/transcript?subtitle=ru