School Reintegration: A Rehabilitation Goal for Spinal Cord Injured Adolescents

Abstract

This article describes how the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, Public Law 94-142, assists in achieving the rehabilitation goal of school reintegration for spinal cord injured (SCI) adolescents. It also describes how subordinate goals are achieved during the inpatient rehabilitation phase. Comments from a survey of 13 SCI adolescents who returned to school demonstrate the need to prepare SCI adolescents for the services to which they are entitled, to acquaint them with ways of resolving possible problems they may encounter, and, when they return for follow-up care, to encourage them to continue in school.

Educational Participation of Children With Spinal Cord Injury

“…Patterns of educational participation shown among the participants match our best recommendation and hope for their subsequent experiences in employment and independent living. The graduation and postsecondary enrollment rates we encountered are much higher than those reported in other studies (e.g., DeVivo & Richards, 1992;Graham et al, 1991). This finding may have resulted from our particular selection criteria and the likelihood that the children who were lost to follow-up or unwilling to participate in this study could have had Go someplace for entertainment (e.g., movie, Go over ro a friend's house ro visit, warch television Go someplace to eat concert) Build or make things (e.g., cook, sew)…”

Psychosocial Aspects of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury With Onset During Adolescence: A Qualitative Study

“…Early school involvement has been reported as successful in facilitating the transition from rehabilitation to school (52)(53)(54). Only 6 interviewees in this study provided specific and strong comments on school reentry as having been important for readjustment.…”

Returning to School After a Spinal Cord Injury: Perspectives From Four Adolescents

“…Although a few articles have focused on spinal cord injury in pediatrics (Choi, Hoffman, Hendrick, Humphreys, & Keith, 1986;Cook 1985;Gordon 1987;Murphy, Ogden, & Bucholz, 1981;Smith, 1985;Sneed, Stover, & Fine, 1986), none have described the phenomenon of returning to premorbid school environments. Graham, Weingarden, and Murphy (1991) reported on the implications of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142) for students with spinal cord injury. The school life of 13 adolescents with spinal cord injury was described.…”