Para eLink: Where Minnesota's Paraprofessionals Learn Online

competencies | tutorial | glossary | help | site index

K5: Understanding of general medical terminology and the effects of medical treatments and medications as they relate to students with Other Health Disabilities (OHD) in the education setting.

K6: Understanding of how OHD (including terminal illness and emergencies or life-threatening situations) impact learning, including behavioral, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

K8: Understanding specific information related to students with OHD and using this information to take steps to respond to emergency situations within the education setting that involve students with OHD.


	1	1R	2	2R	2a	2aR	2b	2bR	3	3R

Linking Students’ Needs to Health Conditions

Picture of a young student sitting and reading a book outside. According to the Other Health Disabilities Companion Manual from the Minnesota Department of Education, the school team must demonstrate that the student’s health condition adversely affects his/her ability to complete educational tasks within routine timelines in order to determine whether or not a student’s health condition qualifies for special education services. The following section from the Minnesota Rule 3525.1335 lists specific behaviors of which three must be present to demonstrate an adverse affect on a student’s ability to perform educational tasks in a timely manner:

Subpart 2B. In comparison with peers, the health condition adversely affects the pupil’s ability to complete educational tasks within routine timelines as documented by three or more of the following:

excessive absenteeism linked to the health condition, for example, hospitalizations, medical treatments, surgeries, or illnesses;
specialized healthcare procedures that are necessary during the school day;
medications that adversely affect learning and functioning in terms of comprehension, memory, attention, or fatigue;
limited physical strength resulting in decreased capacity to perform school activities;
limited endurance resulting in decreased stamina and decreased ability to maintain performance;
heightened or diminished alertness resulting in impaired abilities, for example, prioritizing environmental stimuli; maintaining focus; or sustaining effort or accuracy;
impaired ability to manage and organize materials and complete classroom assignments within routine timelines; or
impaired ability to follow directions or initiate and complete a task.

As these criteria illustrate, a student’s health condition can have a significant impact on the student’s learning in the areas of cognitive, behavioral, physical, and social development.

As a paraprofessional, you can provide more effective supports for the students with whom you work and assist the teacher more efficiently if you become familiar with these eight criteria. By observing student behavior frequently and carefully, you will be better able to provide accurate and relevant information for the education team to use when assessing a student.

References

Information in this unit was used with permission from:

Minnesota Department of Education. (2007). Other Health Disabilities Web page. Retrieved March 27, 2007, from http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Learning_Support/Special_Education/Categorical_Disability_Information/Other_Health_Disabilities/