Accommodating Students with

Cerebral Palsy

Fact Sheet Series
2

JAN’S ACCOMMODATION FACT SHEET SERIES

ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a disorder caused by damage to the brain during or shortly after

birth, especially affecting the ability to control movement and posture. CP is not a

disease so it is not progressive, communicable, inherited, or a primary cause of death.

The United Cerebral Palsy Association estimates that approximately 3,000 infants are

born with CP each year. In the United States, 500,000 adults and children have one or

more of the symptoms associated with CP. Symptoms may include muscular weakness

and floppiness (hypotonia); abnormal, awkward positions; a tendency to favor one side

of the body over the other; poor muscle control and lack of coordination; muscle spasms

or seizures; problems with sucking, chewing, or swallowing; inability to control bladder

and bowels (incontinence); and difficulty speaking, concentrating, and interpreting

sense perceptions, such as touch.

The following is a quick overview of some of the accommodations that might be useful

for students with CP. For a discussion regarding how to accommodate people with CP

in the workplace, access our publication titled “Accommodating People with Cerebral

Palsy” at http://askjan.org/media/CP.html.

Performing Activities of Daily Living:

 Provide an accessible restroom

 Assign classrooms close to an accessible restroom

 Allow the use of personal care attendants

 Allow the use of a service animal

 Schedule classes to allow extra time for activities of daily living (ADL)

Accessing Classrooms:

 Provide accessible parking, an accessible route of travel, and accessible

entrances/exits

 Install lightweight doors or automatic door openers

 Maintain unobstructed hallways, aisles, and means of egress

 Provide an accessible classroom desk or portable wheelchair desk

Taking Notes:

 Use a laptop computer with alternative computer input device/software

 Use writing and grip aids

 Provide a note taker

 Provide a copy of the instructor’s notes or outline
3

Studying and Test Taking:

 Use a computer software program for self-editing, word prediction, and

grammar/spell check

 Use an electronic organizer, post notes/reminders

 Allow extra time to complete homework assignments

 Provide a scribe

Communicating with Others:

 Use a communication aid with speech output

 Add communication software/speech synthesizer to a laptop

 Use a speech clarification device

Resources Specifically for Students with Cerebral Palsy

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

Univ. of Mass. Boston

100 Morrissey Blvd.

Boston, MA 02125-3393

617-287-3880 (V)

617-287-3882 (TTY)

http://ahead.org

HEATH Resource Center

The George Washington University

2121 K Street, NW Suite 220

Washington, DC 20037

202-973-0904/800-544-3284

http://www.heath.gwu.edu

National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA)

Formerly the United States Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association

25 West Independence Way

Kingston, RI 02881

401-792-7130

http://www.ndsaonline.org/main.htm

United Cerebral Palsy Association

7 Penn Plaza, Suite 804

New York, NY 10001

800-USA-1UCP

http://www.ucpa.org

Updated 3/23/10.
4

This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a

contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment

Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the

position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names,

commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of

Labor.