Support Role of Special

Education Teachers in

Natural DisastersElizabeth McAdams Ducy, M.Ed.

Laura M. Stough, Ph.D.Texas A&M University

NOAA - 11:45 p.m. EDT Friday Sept. 12, 2008 shows Hurricane Ike approaching the coast of Texas.

Impact of Hurricane Ike Storm surge of

17 feet 74 deaths in

Texas 1.9 million

evacuees Over 2 million

without power 40,614 in public

shelters Over 160 school

districts in Texas were affected

(FEMA, 2010; TEA, 2010)

Children and Disaster It is estimated that 175 million

children worldwide will be impacted by disaster over the next decade (Save the Children, 2008).

Studies have rarely examined the affects of disaster on any children with disabilities, regardless of diagnosis of disability (Peek & Stough, 2010).

Think about one of your students with a diagnosis of ID.

What do you think would be one of his/her support needs during any phase of a natural disaster?

Individuals with ID and Disaster

Kailes and Enders (2007) identified functional needs that individuals might have in a disaster situation C-MIST framework Communication Needs Medical needs Independence needs Supervision needs Transportation needs

http://www.jik.com

Individuals with ID and Disaster

Individuals with ID in Japan had difficulty with adapting to refuge settings after the Hanshin earthquake

This study recommended the establishment of a widespread support network to assist individuals with ID in order to assist with functioning post disaster

(Takahashi, Watanabe, Oshima, Shimada, & Ozawa,1997)

Teachers as Supports

Research has documented teachers as valuable sources of supports to their students before and after a disaster . (Peek, 2008; Barrett, Barron Ausbrooks, & Martinez-Cosio, 2008; Wolmer et al, 2005)

Special education teachers were instrumental to their students who had lost parents during the 9/11 Twin Tower attacks (Christ & Christ, 2006).

Purpose of Pilot Study

Studies on the valuable support role of teachers following disaster led us to question how special education teachers might similarly have assisted students with disabilities during Hurricane Ike.

(Photo by: Ellis Lucia, Associated Press)

Photo by: Earl Nottingham, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Earl Nottingham

Photo by: Sarah Moore Kishell, Killeen Daily Herald, Associated Press

Photo by: Mario Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

Pilot Study Our focus was on teachers from one

school district that was closed for three weeks after Hurricane Ike.

We interviewed a small group of special education teachers to explore their role in supporting their students with disabilities

Data Collection The four special education teachers

were initially interviewed 6 months after Hurricane Ike

Follow up interviews were conducted 1 year after the storm

All interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim

Participants According to the teachers; their

students were diagnosed with intellectual disability autism sensory disabilities multiple disabilities physical disabilities health impairments

ParticipantsTeacher Sex Race/

Ethnicity

Grade Taught

Years of Experience

Denise F White K-5 12

Anne F White K-5 27

Teresa F Hispanic 6-8 8

LaShonna

F African American

9-12 34

Denise She had a total of seven students all

with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum

She evacuated with her family to another town

Denise and her students were able to return to the same classroom three weeks after the storm

Anne Taught children with disabilities for

her entire 27 years of teaching

Taught students with significant disabilities

Had to relocate with her students to another school

Teresa Bilingual and special education

certification

Taught children with health needs that were undergoing medical treatment

Reassigned to a different classroom after the storm

LaShonna Veteran teacher with 34 years of

experience, 10 with students with disabilities

Her students rotated amongst four classrooms throughout the day

She and her students and to use another classroom for a month before returning to their previous rooms

Analysis Our aim was not to build theory but

instead identify and describe categories

Line-by-line coding was the first step in coding process

“I touched base with my parents the next day after the storm,” was coded as “talked to parents.”

Analysis Focused coding

Axial coding

Constant comparative method

Analysis

Four thematic categories emergedLosses ResourcesCommunication from teachers Reestablishing routines

Losses Resources and services for

students

Students personal items

Instructional time

Teachers professional functioning

LossesStudents personal items-

“He looked in his front yard and all of his belongings were there. All of the things he pretty much likes. He likes art and all of his art was destroyed and he was really devastated with pain; with his pottery on the front lawn broken and his bed broken. “(LaShonna)

Resources-Support Category

Teachers to families and students Informational More Personal in nature Classroom resources

Community and school to families and students Supplies/Equipment Teachers appreciative of the supports

Personal Nature of Resources

“In a Life skills setting, you have some of the students for four to five years so you become very close with your parents because you go through a lot with your parents you go through hospitalizations with them. You go through ups and downs.” (Anne)

Communication-Support Category

Before the storm

Immediately after the storm

Recovery

CommunicationBefore the storm-

“I would have talked more about what would happen if you were homeless so they could be aware there is a possibility that something that drastic could interrupt their livelihood.” (LaShonna)

Re-establishing Routines-Support

Category During School Closures

Once School Reopened

Teachers own routine

Re-establishing Routines During School Closures

“When I would talk to my parents and ask how the kids were, they said they are very upset and confused. They [the kids] think they need to be going to school. It was very rough on them. I tried to tell the parents to do as much as you can, even if you have to draw a picture, let the students know what is going on.“ (Denise)

Supports Provided in the Context of Disaster

What are some examples of disasters that can impact your students, your children and/or yourself in the area you live?

Types of Disasters Floods Tornados Fires Hurricanes Ice Storms Flu outbreak Terrorist attacks

Suggested Supports-Before

Send home useful disaster related information

Include instruction on natural disasters in lesson planning

Involve students actively in preparedness discussions and planning

Provide families with disaster specific picture cards to assist with maintaining routines in evacuation and sheltering situation

Encourage students and families to consider their own emergency plan (Peek, 2008; National Council on Disability, 2009).

Would anyone like to share any supports they have provided to their students, children or families to prepare before a disaster?

Suggested Supports-Immediately After

The teachers in this study did not wait until their school district reopened to make contact with students and begin providing supports

Be aware of your possible role as a source of information

Be familiar with agencies that provide specific disability and disaster related services

Would anyone like to share any supports they provided to their students, children or families immediately after a disaster?

Suggested Supports-Recovery

Be aware of how psychological responses from disaster might manifest in students with disabilities (Administration for Children and Families; National Association of School Psychologists, 2002)

Be familiar with school mental health referral plans

Maintain family communication on recovery needs

Be familiar with agencies available to assist with long term recovery needs

Strive to maintain classroom routine as much as possible when school resumes

Suggested Supports Teachers should be aware of strategies

to assist students with ID coping with exposure to disasters

Limit further exposure to trauma Address concerns about safety Use language the child understands Expect misunderstandings Use pictures to talk together Relaxation training

(Administration for Children and Families)

(Farell & Crimmins)

Would anyone like to share any supports they provided to their students, children or families during the recovery phase of disaster?

Teachers Dually Impacted

The teachers in this study were dually impacted alongside with their students

Teachers should also be aware of the importance of monitoring and nurturing their own mental health when impacted by disaster (Buchanan, 2010).

Resources for Individuals, Teachers,

and Parents Administration for Children and Families

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/Sept11/addcoping.html

American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/disasters/index.cfm

American Association on Health and Disability http://aahd.us/page.php

Bridge Multimedia www.emergencyinfoonline.org

FEMA www.fema.gov/about/odic/ www.fema.gov/kids/index.htm

Resources for Individuals, Teachers,

and Parents National Association of School Psychologists http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/specp

op_general.aspx National Organization on Disability

www.nod.org/emergency Ready America

www.ready.gov/america/getakit/disabled.html www.ready.gov/kids/index.html

The American Red Cross www.redcross.org http://www.prepare.org

The Center for Children with Special Needs http://cshcn.org/planning-record-keeping/emergency-pr

eparedness-children-special-needs

Resources for Individuals, Teachers,

and Parents

AAC-RERC-Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centerhttp://aac-rerc.psu.edu/index.php/pages/show/id/4

Laura M. Stough, Ph.D. lstough@tamu.edu

Elizabeth McAdams Ducy, M.Ed.elizhope@neo.tamu.edu

http://redd.tamu.edu

QUESTIONS?