Mobility impairments result from congenital conditions, accidents, or progressive neuromuscular diseases. These disabilities may include conditions such as spinal cord injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia), cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, amputation, muscular dystrophy, cardiac conditions, cystic fibrosis, paralysis, polio/post polio, and stroke. Functional limitations and abilities vary widely even within one group of disabilities. Accommodations can best be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Disabilities that can affect mobility functioning:

• Cerebral Palsy: The term applies to a number of non-progressive motor disorders of the central nervous system. The effects can be severe, causing inability to control bodily movement, or mild, only slightly affecting speech or hearing. The term is a general classification for stable cerebral lesions that usually occur at or before birth.
• Spinal Cord Injury: In damage to the spinal cord, the level of injury determines the extent of the resultant paralysis and sensory loss.  Injuries below the first thoracic nerve root (T1) level result in paraplegia, a spastic paralysis of the lower extremities. Injuries above the T1 level result in quadriplegia, a spastic or flaccid paralysis of the lower and upper extremities. The injury may be complete or incomplete.
• Degenerative Diseases: Progressive diseases such as muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis may limit gross motor functions and/or fine motor activity.
• Post-Polio Syndrome: A variety of problems are presumed to be the late effects of polio. The symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and pain.
• Motor Neuron Diseases: A group of disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP), Progressive Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and Charcot-Morie-Tooth disease produce symptoms such as pain, numbness, weakness, loss of upper and lower motor functions, and problems in breathing.

Students with orthopedic/mobility impairments may have any of the following conditions:

• Pain, spasticity, or lack of coordination
• Flare-ups of intensity of the symptoms
• Periods of remission in which little or no symptoms are visible
• Inability to walk without crutches, canes, braces, or walkers
• Ability to stand or walk but may use wheelchair to conserve energy or gain speed
• Inability to stand or walk, and use wheelchair for total mobility
• Limited lower body use but full use of arms and hands
• Limited use of lower body and limited use of arms and hands
• Impairment of speech
• Decreased physical stamina and endurance
• Decreased eye-hand coordination

Reasonable accommodations approved by OSD may include, but are not limited to:

• Accessible location for the classroom, and a place for faculty to meet with the student
• Extra time to get from one class to another, especially in inclement weather
• Special seating in classrooms
• Note takers, use of tape recorders, laptop computers, or photocopying of peer notes
• Test accommodations such as extended time, separate place, scribes, and access to word processors
• Special computer equipment/software such as voice activated word processing, word prediction, and keyboard modifications
• Extra time for assignments due to slow writing speed
• Adjustable lab tables or drafting tables for classes taught in lab settings
• Lab assistance
• Accessible parking in close proximity to the building.
• Customized physical education class activities that allow students to participate within their capabilities
• Course waiver or substitution for certain students
• Taped texts
• Advance planning for field trips to ensure accessibility

Tips for working with students who have mobility impairment

• If the college provides student transportation on field trips, it must provide accessible transportation on a field trip.

OSD determines specific accommodations
Students may not need all of these accommodations. Specific accommodations are based on the diagnostic information that is on file in the Office for Students with Disabilities.