Scenarios for Disability-Centred Safety Considerations
This section demonstrates how the Disability-Centred Safety Considerations can be applied to a physical education setting to support safe participation for students with disabilities.
In order to do this, two scenarios of physical education classes, including students with identified disabilities, are outlined along with their applicable safety considerations.
Note that the applicable safety considerations for the scenarios are directly taken from the Disability-Centred Safety Considerations. However, the examples within the considerations have been updated to be specific to the scenarios.
Visit Ophea's Disability-Centred Movement: Supporting Inclusive Physical Education resource for information on designing a physical education program for students with disabilities.
The safety considerations for each scenario are organized using the same five main sections as the activity safety standards (i.e., Equipment, Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery, Facilities, Special Rules/Instructions, Supervision). The considerations are specific to the students identified with a disability (using the disability grouping from the Disability-Centred Safety Considerations) from the scenarios.
Scenario 1
You are teaching a Grade 5 physical education class of 25 students. One student is a wheelchair user and is at their grade level cognitively. Another student with global developmental delay is able to perform physical tasks alongside their peers and is cognitively at a Grade 1 level. You are planning a striking/fielding (e.g., cricket, soccer baseball, softball) unit that will focus on sending and receiving objects using different body parts and equipment. Both students are accompanied by one educational assistant to support them during the class.
Equipment
Student who is a wheelchair user (Students who are Wheelchair Users)
- Determine with trained school staff as identified in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) that the wheelchair is in good working condition (e.g., tires inflated, brakes are working), adjusted for the student, and ready for use in the activity.
- Ensure the equipment is at the appropriate length and/or size for safe use. For example, implements are at the height level for students using wheelchair and/or mobility device.
Student with global development delay (Students with Cognitive Disabilities)
- Determine the equipment needed for the student to safely and effectively engage in the activity. For example, use sensory-friendly equipment, such as softer balls or textured surfaces, to accommodate students who may be sensitive to certain textures or sounds.
Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery
Student who is a wheelchair user (Students who are Wheelchair Users)
- Clothing, footwear, and jewellery should not pose a safety risk to the student (e.g., getting tangled with wheelchair wheels, preventing straps from opening and closing).
Student with global development delay (Students with Cognitive Disabilities)
- Clothing, footwear, and jewellery should not pose a safety risk to the student (e.g., getting tangled with an assistive device, distraction to students).
Facilities
Student who is a wheelchair user (Students who are Wheelchair Users)
- Determine that all facilities are safe for use (e.g., entrance and exits have smooth transitions, ease of transition between pavement and grass in outdoor areas) and report issues to appropriate school/school board staff.
- Establish boundaries of the playing area that allow for safe play and space to stop safely (e.g., increase the out of bounds space to give an individual time to stop, ensure enough space for turning and moving about the space).
- Store unused equipment (e.g., the wheelchair of a student who transitioned to using a walker) safely away from the playing area.
Student with global development delay (Students with Cognitive Disabilities)
- Remove obstacles within the playing area to promote a flow of movement. For example, store unused pieces of equipment safely away from the playing area.
- Identify distractions (e.g., loud noises, bright lights, cluttered spaces that may overwhelm or distract students) in the playing area. Report the issues (e.g., noise) to appropriate school/school board staff to help address the concern (e.g., clean up the space, identify alternative ways to support the student such as noise-cancelling headphones).
Special Rules/Instructions
Student who is a wheelchair user (Students who are Wheelchair Users)
- Inform students of the safety rules and procedures for safe engagement in the activity. For example, being aware of others and their surroundings when moving around the space, avoiding contact with others and/or equipment.
- Provide additional accommodations (e.g., allow the student to take breaks as needed) and/or assess individuals needed to support student participation.
- Enlist available trained school staff as identified in the student’s IEP (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistants) to assist students if they have difficulty self-propelling their wheelchair.
Student with global development delay (Students with Cognitive Disabilities)
- Inform students of the safety rules and procedures for safe engagement in the activity. Use clear and concise language, use visual aids and demonstrations as appropriate to help students understand the rules and objectives of activities.
- Identify additional accommodations (e.g., breaking down tasks into steps, then allow time to practice each step in isolation, provide further opportunities to put the steps together in a sequence) and/or individuals needed to support student participation.
Supervision
Student who is a wheelchair user (Students who are Wheelchair Users)
- Enlist available trained school staff, as identified in the student’s IEP (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistants) to assist with supervising/monitoring and supporting students.
Student with global development delay (Students with Cognitive Disabilities)
- Enlist available trained school staff, as identified in the student’s IEP (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistants) to assist with supervising/monitoring and supporting students.
Scenario 2
You are planning your Grade 9 Health and Physical Education course and determining the class activities. The class will have 30 students. Two students with autism spectrum disorder are integrated into the class. Cognitively, they are close to their grade level and require occasional support from an educational assistant to transition between environments and activities. Another student is also integrated into the class and has Down syndrome. The student’s physical ability matches their peers; however, cognitively the student is at a grade 6 level. The three students are accompanied by two educational assistants.
Equipment
Student with autism spectrum disorder (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Prior to participation, collaborate with school/school board staff (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistant, physiotherapist, occupational therapist) to learn about additional equipment (e.g., prescribed sensory equipment such as weighted vests) that can be used to support safe participation.
- Ensure all individuals supporting student participation know how to use the adaptive equipment properly as prescribed in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- Determine the equipment needed for the student to safely and effectively engage in the activity. For example, use sensory-friendly equipment, such as softer balls or textured surfaces, to accommodate students who may be sensitive to certain textures or sounds.
Student with Down syndrome (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Prior to participation, collaborate with school/school board staff (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistant, physiotherapist, occupational therapist) to learn about additional equipment (e.g., prescribed sensory equipment such as weighted vests) that can be used to support safe participation.
- Ensure all individuals supporting student participation know how to use the adaptive equipment properly as prescribed in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- Determine the equipment needed for the student to safely and effectively engage in the activity. For example, use sensory-friendly equipment, such as softer balls or textured surfaces, to accommodate students who may be sensitive to certain textures or sounds.
Clothing/Footwear/Jewellery
Student with autism spectrum disorder (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Clothing, footwear, and jewellery should not pose a safety risk to the student (e.g., getting tangled with an assistive device, distraction to students).
Student with Down syndrome (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Clothing, footwear, and jewellery should not pose a safety risk to the student (e.g., getting tangled with an assistive device, distraction to students).
Facilities
Student with autism spectrum disorder (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Remove obstacles within the playing area to promote a flow of movement. For example, store unused pieces of equipment safely away from the playing area.
- Prior to participation, establish boundaries of the playing area. Provide students the opportunity to identify and touch the boundary makers to familiar themselves with them. For example, use large pylons that outline the playing area, and teach the student how to stay within the boundary during play.
Student with Down syndrome (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Identify specific features (e.g., bleachers, stage, goalposts) of the playing area to support safe movement and engagement. For example, prior to the activity describe the environment, identify features (e.g., portable goals, temporary tent shelter, cones that identify uneven surface) that are outside of the usual ones in the playing area, and encourage the student to move around the playing area and touch features to familiarize themselves.
- Prior to participation, establish boundaries of the playing area. Provide students the opportunity to identify and touch the boundary makers to familiar themselves with them. For example, use large pylons that outline the playing area, and teach the student how to stay within the boundary during play.
Special Rules/Instructions
Student with autism spectrum disorder (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Inform students of the safety rules and procedures for safe engagement in the activity. Use clear and concise language, use visual aids and demonstrations as appropriate to help students understand the rules and objectives of activities.
- Identify additional accommodations (e.g., breaking down tasks into steps, then allow time to practice each step in isolation, provide further opportunities to put the steps together in a sequence) and/or individuals needed to support student participation.
- Identify any possible triggers the student may have that would pose a risk for them in physical activity. For example, learn about any safety plans that may be in place for the student in different environments that may transfer into the physical activity setting.
Student with Down syndrome (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Prior to participation, collaborate with school/school board staff (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistant, physiotherapist, occupational therapist) to learn about tools/strategies used in other subject areas (e.g., visual supports such as a schedule board or pictures, augmentative communication system) that can be used to support safe participation.
- Inform students of the safety rules and procedures for safe engagement in the activity. Use clear and concise language, use visual aids and demonstrations as appropriate to help students understand the rules and objectives of activities.
Supervision
Student with autism spectrum disorder (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Enlist available trained school staff as identified in the student’s IEP (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistants) to assist with supervising/monitoring and supporting students.
Student with Down syndrome (Students with Cognitive Disability)
- Enlist available trained school staff, as identified in the student’s IEP (e.g., special education resource teacher, educational assistants) to assist with supervising/monitoring and supporting students.