The Myths and Realities of Print Disabilities

RFB&D’s Learning Through Listening Program^® is only available for students with documented print disabilities. RFB&D members have a disability that hinders their ability to access print in the standard way.  However, they are by using RFB&D’s AudioPlus^® CDs and other accommodations students with print disabilities can be as successful as any other student.  Below are a few of the myths and realities of some of the disabilities affecting RFB&D members.

Disabilities in General

MYTH:

If you do not see a disability, it is not there.

REALITY:

There are many disabilities that can not be seen by others, such as learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) or psychological disabilities. Individuals with “invisible” disabilities face the same challenges as individuals with more visible disabilities.

MYTH:

People with disabilities get an unfair advantage because they get special tools to help them learn and do other tasks.

REALITY:

Accommodations level the playing field for those that need them. This applies to everyone, not just individuals with disabilities. For example, Albert Einstein, who is well-known for his high level of intelligence, used an accommodation to help him see—glasses.

MYTH:

People with disabilities cannot do anything independently and rely on others to help them.

REALITY:

Many people with disabilities are totally independent and function with little or no help from others.

MYTH:

The lives of people with disabilities are completely different from people that do not have disabilities.

REALITY:

People with disabilities have the same responsibilities as their peers who are not disabled and often do exactly the same things. For example, people with disabilities go to school, get married, work, have families, do laundry, grocery shop, laugh, cry, pay taxes, get angry, have prejudices, vote, plan for the future and dream just as anyone else does.

Visual Impairments/Blindness

MYTH:

Students with visual impairments need to be taught in a separate classroom.

REALITY:

Enlarged print materials, enlarged screen text, speech synthesizers and Braille technologies provide students with visual impairments access to general education. RFB&D’s audiobooks provide print access to educational materials through the human voice.

MYTH:

Students who are legally blind cannot see.

REALITY:

Students who have 20/200 acuity (even with correction) or have less than 20 degrees of their peripheral vision are considered legally blind, but students who are blind or visually impaired are a diverse group. Many individuals may have partial vision and can access printed material with the use of technology or visual aids.

MYTH:

Students with visual impairments do not learn the same subjects their sighted peers do.

REALITY:

The curriculum for students who are blind not only includes reading, writing, math, science and social studies through the use of Braille, but also listening skills, personal-social and daily living skills, orientation and mobility, career education and instruction in the use of special aids and equipment. They use the exact same textbooks and literature books as their sighted peers.

Learning Disabilities

MYTH:

Students with learning disabilities cannot read.

REALITY:

Most students with learning disabilities can read, although they may read at a slower pace and it is more laborious.

MYTH:

Students with learning disabilities cannot participate in classroom reading assignments.

REALITY:

Audiobooks provide access to classroom reading materials. Students can listen to text whenever and wherever reading occurs.

MYTH:

Making accommodations for students with learning disabilities means lowering the standards for them.

REALITY:

Accommodations are designed to allow students with learning disabilities to meet existing standards and compensate for processing deficits.

MYTH:

Students with learning disabilities all exhibit similar learning problems.

REALITY:

Learning disabilities affect students differently.  Each student may have different strengths and weaknesses.

MYTH:

Students with learning disabilities are unmotivated and under-prepared.

REALITY:

Learning disabilities are the result of processing problems intrinsic to the individual. The learning disability is not due to poor teaching, a lack of motivation, laziness or cultural differences.

MYTH:

Learning disabilities can be cured.

REALITY:

Learning disabilities are permanent conditions, but there are many methods for students to cope with these conditions, including the use of RFB&D’s audiobooks.

MYTH:

Students with learning disabilities cannot keep pace with their classmates.

REALITY:

Audiobooks provide students with learning disabilities the opportunity to read and learn the same information, at the same time and at the same rate, as their classmates.

Audiobooks may help students do the following:

• Increase their decoding skills
• Increase pace of the students’ reading
• Improve reading comprehension
• Complete grade-level work

Physical Disability

MYTH:

A physical disability does not hinder a student’s ability to read.

REALITY:

Some students may be unable to effectively access printed materials because of physical disabilities. A student may not have the stamina, mobility or strength to hold a book, turn pages or mark up text. RFB&D’s audio textbooks can provide access to the printed text for these individuals.

MYTH:

If a student has a physical disability, he or she also has a mental disability.

REALITY:

A physical disability relates specifically to physical activity. Students diagnosed with physical disabilities have the same brain functioning capabilities as their non-disabled peers.