Andrea's Story
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Today, Andrea Forester arrives on the bus. She wheels herself into the high school atrium and takes her place among her peers at Dover Bay Secondary School. |
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This determined 17-year-old is personally responsible for removing herself from a program offering life skills as its emphasis, to participating in a regular high school course load, with adaptations and modifications to suit her individual learning needs. Now in a class with other teenagers, her world of academics and teenage anxieties is a far cry from the program for the trainable mentally handicapped she left behind. |
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Andrea has quadraplegic cerebral palsy She operates a power wheelchair and her computer through head controls. Andrea uses a Macintosh computer with Ke:nx and Co:Writer software combined with switch and scanning access. |
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SET-BC is pleased to participate in the telling of Andrea's Story. As Andrea neared graduation from secondary school, we felt compelled to document the outstanding progress she has made. Andrea's is a story of determination, independence, advocacy, teamwork, and assistive technology solutions. |
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Joyce Forester, Andrea's mother, had long believed that her daughter's learning was hindered by her undeveloped literacy. The "big change" happened about three years ago when June Carrott, the coordinator of the Skills for Life program, realized that Andrea did not fit the profile of a student who is "mentally challenged". Andrea's program quickly took on another form and increasing her level of literacy became the number one priority. Andrea's family has always been supportive. They have a computer setup at home with the same adaptations as at school "Our daughter, although quadraplegic, is intelligent, verbal, and extremely social. Nothing should stop our daughter and others with similar challenges from realizing their dreams," says Joyce Forester. "Her dream is to be independent one day; have a job and utilize the assistance of a service dog." The success of the students is clearly due to the collegiality at Dover Bay Secondary. The students are encouraged to take the responsibility for their learning. "At Dover Bay, we tried IEP's (Individual Educational Plans) that were Special Education Driven. We tried IEP's that were Regular Education driven. We found the answer was an IEP that was student driven. It's all about students; that's why we're here!" says her resource teacher Bob Esliger. |
| In 1989 at the age of 7, Andrea was one of SET-BC's first referrals. Technology was requested to provide Andrea with access to the curriculum to facilitate Andrea's participation in curriculum activities. The team was requesting "guidance in all areas of technology." Self-esteem and independence were identified as the motivating factors. |  |
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Andrea is cognitively able to handle regular curriculum but she requires many adaptations and modifications to her programs. Once Andrea had access to software with scanning and speech output, she was interested in writing and felt able to pursue her literacy goals. Andrea's first technology setup in 1989, was an Apple IIGs computer, adaptive firmware card, two head switches, and an echo speech synthesizer. Today, Andrea uses a Power Macintosh, Ke:nx, and 2 TASH Cup switches to access the following software applications: Co:Writer, Big:Calc, and Clarisworks. Currently, Andrea uses a MAC computer provided by SET-BC, to express herself in writing and to do her math. The Ke:nx software provides Andrea with full access to her computer environment. Andrea has become adept at using her scanning arrays which have been developed for access to her word-processor that is enhanced with Co:Writer word prediction software, and her Big:Calc math calculator program. Once Andrea felt able to produce writing by using a word prediction program on her computer, her growth in literacy flourished. |
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The Power of Independence In September 1996, Andrea was personally responsible for assisting Dover Bay in becoming more barrier free and she made recommendations, in writing, to the city of Nanaimo on how best to alter and improve wheelchair access to the school. |
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The success of inclusive schooling at Dover Bay lies in the ability of staff to work together. Teachers, along with school and district support staff, have formed a partnership through which to serve the needs of students who are experiencing difficulties. Andrea's teachers are very positive about having Andrea in regular classes. "She takes an active part in class", says Andrea's Spanish teacher. "It is simply a delight to have such an interested and keen student in Spanish 11. She is doing all the work that I expect every other student to complete, she just does it in a different manner." |
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The role of the teaching assistant is extremely important in tying the various components of the student's program together. Linda and Andrea are a finely-tuned team. Patience, promotion of independence, and a keen sense of humour are some of the qualities that make Linda so successful as Andrea's teaching assistant. |
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SET-BC and Dover Bay staff wish Andrea continued success in the future. We will miss you, Andrea! |