Students with behavior disorders need a structured learning environment. To provide this environment, you may find it helpful to seek input from the students themselves. Ask about their strengths, their weaknesses, and the techniques that enhance the learning process for them. You will also have to balance the individual needs of these students with the group's requirements. Reinforce appropriate behavior and model it for students.

Students with behavior disorders can at times struggle to maintain the level of attention needed to deal with challenging material. To assist these students and encourage them to persist, you may wish to speak to them on an individual basis about their strengths and weaknesses. It might also be helpful at this time to outline chapter objectives with an eye toward helping them feel successful. This may require a flexible assessment program and enrichment material that capitalizes on their interests.

Students with behavior disorders of any type require a class environment that provides both support and structure so that they know what to expect and what will be expected of them. Experiment to determine the best learning modality for each student and structure activities accordingly. For example, a visual learner would benefit from having material presented in the form of photographs or computer graphics. Students who act out in class may need assignments to match their learning styles. Approaches like these will help students comprehend the material and enable them to participate better in class discussions.

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Gifted Students

Gifted students may find that the material in this chapter offers them a first look at real-world organizational behavior. Encourage these students to take on a wide variety of enrichment and independent practice activities that will put them in contact with people in the business world and allow them to observe the daily practices that lead to success. Be sure they have the opportunity to present written summaries of their findings and let them share what they observed with the group.

Have gifted students work in small groups to complete an analysis of the stocks offered by a company of their choice. Encourage each group to employ a variety of research techniques to put together a profile of the company and explain why that company's stock would be a good financial investment.

Students in your class who consistently finish work more quickly than others and who have above average ability, task commitment, and creativity may be considered gifted. You may wish to challenge these students to work on an independent project related to investment alternatives, such as real estate, precious metals, gems, and collectibles. Have them choose a specific alternative investment and calculate an estimated return on investment in, say, 10 years.

For students who would benefit from the additional work of an independent project, assign the task of researching a successful business in the area and discovering through written reports and/or personal interviews how the concepts described Unit 5, Introduction to Business Finance, and Unit 6, Organization and Financial Planning, affected the business in its first few years. For example, how did their initial estimates of profitability vary from paper to real numbers? What sources of financing did the business utilize, and what would they recommend to other businesses in the start-up phase?

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Students with Hearing Impairments

You may find it helpful to pair students with hearing impairments with hearing partners to work on the activities and questions presented in this chapter. Hearing students can assist students with hearing impairments by writing a summary of all oral directions given in class. In addition to benefiting students with hearing impairments, the hearing student will also benefit from the enhanced knowledge they gain about how students with hearing impairments compensate for their challenge.

Students with hearing impairments can and do participate in a wide range of classroom activities. To encourage their maximum participation, look at these students when you speak. Do this even if the student talks with the assistance of an interpreter. Not only is this more courteous, but it also allows the student with hearing impairments the option of viewing you and your lip movements directly. If class materials involve technical terminology, supply a list of these words in advance to the student and his or her interpreter. Unfamiliar words can be difficult to lip-read or sign without prior exposure.

Many students with hearing impairments, ranging from complete loss to moderate loss, communicate mainly by sign language. When it comes to written English, they are actually using it as a second language, much like students who are nonnative speakers.

Many factors affect the comfort level of students with hearing impairments. These include personality, intelligence, degree of deafness, residual hearing, age of onset of deafness, and family environment. This does not mean, however, that you should overlook errors in spoken or written English. Improvement can occur with increased use, correction, and exposure.

Students who wear hearing aids can be easily distracted by background noise, so it is important to restrict unneeded interference. Each hearing aid has its own limited range of use. Therefore, you will need to learn how close to stand so the student can hear you. Keep in mind that comments made in the back of the room may be inaudible. You can repeat questions or comments for the benefit of the hearing-impaired, or include a question in your answer.

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Students with Learning Disabilities

If you have students in your class with learning disabilities, they may require additional guidelines or even study aides to get the most out of the material presented in the textbook. For example, for students who find the written text difficult to use, you may wish to make chapter audio tapes so they can listen and read simultaneously. The tapes can be made with the help of other students in the class. Select students whose voices are clear and easy to follow. Set a relaxed pace for the reading, and use a bell or clicker to signal when to turn pages. Getting as many students as possible involved can make the audio tape preparation a real class project in the best tradition of cooperative learning.

Students with learning disabilities can have difficulty processing information in written and/or oral form. It is important that students with learning disabilities receive and give information in a way that works best for them.

Students who have difficulty processing written work often find it helpful to have the text tape-recorded. Obtaining information from visual representations such as graphs, charts, tables, and headings also helps. Students who have problems with spoken presentations are advised to read materials before class discussion. They should also read notes taken in class by other students to ensure that they are not missing any valuable information.

Because students with learning disabilities may have trouble with symbols, such as numbers, learning the material in the chapter could present challenges. Some students can more easily access the information when it is read aloud, either by a person or on tape. Students who have difficulty communicating effectively through printing or cursive writing may prefer to use a computer to perform calculations or to dictate their work to another person. In general, students with learning disabilities benefit from a classroom that incorporates a wide variety of learning modalities (visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic).

Students with learning disabilities may require additional assistance completing some of the activities in Chapter 21, Developing a Business Plan. The scope of developing a business plan can be complex and requires analytical ability and methodical work. Break the task up into self-contained steps and provide additional assistance as needed. A variety of resources can come into play, including peer assistance or adult mentors. Students with learning disabilities require more support and structure. Clearly specify the scope of the assignment and review their work on a regular basis throughout the course of the project.

Providing a positive learning environment for all the students in your class may require you to modify or rethink some of your teaching methods. If you have students in your class with learning disabilities, you may wish to consult specialists in your school regarding techniques that have proven effective in teaching these students. You might also consult the Journal of Learning Disabilities or the Learning Disability Quarterly. Pairing students with peer helpers, when appropriate, can also serve to increase the participation of students with learning disabilities in class activities, provided a good pair match can be made.

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Students with Orthopedic Disabilities

One of the special situations brought up by having students with orthopedic impairments in your class is that you have the opportunity to educate other students and adults about people with physical impairments. Speak with your students who have orthopedic impairments ahead of time, discuss any issues you feel uncertain about, and read the various educational journals about ways in which students with physical impairments are succeeding in the world. You can learn a great deal and overcome any doubts you may have about the capabilities of these individuals. Be aware that the way you treat students with physical impairments will be imitated. Use the opportunity to increase student awareness.

Career choices for students with orthopedic impairments need not be limited in any way other than by the interests and talents of the individual student. In order to help all students overcome preconceived notions about existing career choices, invite a marketer, entrepreneur, or other successful person with physical impairments to class to speak about his or her career. Invite him or her to discuss any obstacles that could have hindered his or her success and how they were overcome. Allow time for questions and encourage students to ask questions about physical barriers to entering buildings as well as biased treatment.

If you have students who have orthopedic impairments, making sure they have access to the classroom can be one of the first steps you take to ensure their full participation in the class. Be aware that a barrier can be a stair, a curb, a narrow walkway, a heavy door, or an elevator door that does not allow time for a wheelchair exit. Classroom tables need at least 27½ inches of clearance for a student in a wheelchair.

Also keep in mind that some students in wheelchairs have full use of their hands and others do not. Never assume that a physically challenged student can or can't do something based on experience with another student.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 makes it illegal for companies to deny employment opportunities to otherwise qualified individuals who have real or perceived mental or physical disabilities. It also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to enable disabled workers to perform their work. This includes access to entrances and exits and to the work itself. These factors influence workplace design and personnel space design, as well as encourage companies to design buildings that all people can enter and exit without difficulty. You may wish to consider these issues in chapter discussions.

If your class involves field research or field trips of any kind, encourage students with orthopedic impairments to participate in site selection and transportation planning to ensure the access to all sites for all students. Access issues are of major concern for students who use wheelchairs, and barriers, such as stairs, curbs, narrow walkways, heavy doors, etc., must be taken into account when planning an event. By making the fieldwork accessible to all students, you allow a positive rather than an exclusionary situation. Awareness is the key issue, along with a willingness to learn of the daily problems faced by those with physical challenges.

Students who use wheelchairs do so as a result of a wide variety of disabilities. Most wheelchairs are electric or manually propelled by the student, but some students who have limited use of hands or arms may have an aide to assist them. Most students who need other assistance will ask. Don't automatically assume that assistance is required. Do not insist on "helping" if your offer is turned down. Students who use wheelchairs will appreciate your awareness if you are not so aware of their disability that it becomes all you see about them.

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Students as Second Language Learners

If your class includes any second language learners, provide outlines of lecture notes or planned classroom discussion topics in advance. Written materials help to reinforce what you say. They also make it possible for the student to review materials later at a slower pace or to look up unfamiliar vocabulary.

Always keep in mind how you would feel if you suddenly found yourself as a student in another country whose language was only marginally familiar to you. Being educated in your own language wouldn't help you at all. You would still require additional help to comprehend the discussions going on around you.

Students whose native language is other than English face special challenges when class work turns to large numbers. Often when native speakers discuss numbers, they speak very quickly, blurring the sounds.

If the nonnative speakers are experiencing any difficulty, write the numbers under discussion on the board along with the sign indicating the operation being performed. It is usually not the calculation that causes the problem but the indistinct sounds involved in processing a string of numbers. Most bilingual adults revert to their primary language to perform the calculation mentally in their heads and then translate the answer into English.

If your class consists of students with differing levels of English fluency, some material can be especially challenging—especially in the area of role-playing. Encourage active participation of all students in these activities, but keep in mind varying ability levels. Pair nonnative with native speakers for oral exercises when appropriate.

In regular classroom activities, allow sufficient time for nonnative speakers to answer oral questions. This will help them gain confidence in their communication skills. Also, note that there will be a big difference in students' English skills depending on how long they have been in the United States.

Students whose native language is other than English may find the legal terminology used in extended warranty features or in credit applications overwhelming. Because these topics are important to students and consumers alike, you may wish to spend extra time going over this vocabulary, and provide real life examples for students to read. Allow time for students to ask questions and receive clarification of any unfamiliar terminology.

The job search process can be a monumental challenge to people whose native language is other than English, especially if they are newcomers. In order for these individuals to attain their goals, extensive practice and role-play dealing with the job search situations described in the chapter can make the difference between employment and despair. Peer partners selected for role-play should include one native speaker and one nonnative speaker, if possible. Give extra attention to telephone situations and dealing with government agencies, both of which can be intimidating situations for those who feel uncertain about using English.

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Students with Speech Impairments

Students with speech impairments may have impediments ranging from problems with articulation or voice strength to being without ability to speak. These impairments can include stuttering, chronic hoarseness, or difficulty in expressing an appropriate word or phrase. Typically, such students refrain as much as possible from class participation. When speaking with a student with speech impairments, use normal communication patterns and refrain from completing words or phrases for the student. Some students use electronic speaking machines or are adept at using body language to communicate. Your role as teacher is to create an environment in which all students can participate to the best of their abilities.

Students with speech impairments often do not feel comfortable participating in exercises devoted to interpersonal skills because the physical difficulties they experience can make the exercises uncomfortable for them. Even so, these students can benefit from watching others and participating at a level they select as comfortable.

Enforcing classroom rules regarding nonjudgmental behavior and never allowing ridicule of any sort in the classroom can go a long way to encourage participation from all students. Another way to give students with oral expression difficulty an outlet is to allow students to submit written questions about material that they find challenging.

Students with speech impairments benefit from an opportunity to make a contribution to the class in ways other than in-class discussion. For example, students might prepare a bulletin board display or a report on a topic that could be distributed to all students. Make assignments in accordance with students' interests and talents. The opportunity to participate is the key and involvement can take root if students are given regular opportunities. Keep in mind, these students do benefit from listening to class discussion even if they are not comfortable contributing.

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Students with Visual Impairments

Students with visual/spatial difficulties may have difficulty working with accounting-oriented content. You will need to describe accounting procedures and operations specifically with these students in mind. Do not assume that they can follow what you are saying while you perform calculations on the board. Take special care to name categories (i.e., accounting entries and spreadsheet cells) and to explain how figures are calculated. Also, provide an opportunity for students to ask questions or request assistance with calculations.

Students with visual challenges face special risks and require special tools in order to participate in academic and workplace environments. The specific tools can vary from reading machines to Braille texts to the use of guide dogs. Some students benefit from working with a peer "visual translator" who is able to verbally describe visual images, such as the photos in the textbook to the student. If you have students with visual impairments in your class, you may wish to implement this cooperative learning technique.

Coping with the volume of printed material in class can be a challenge for students with visual impairments. To meet this challenge, such students often use a combination of resources, such as readers, books in Braille, recorded books, and class lectures.

To make lectures more helpful to students with visual impairments, you need to think carefully about what you say in class. Consider writing on the board while talking through a computation. Use examples that are clear and specific and don't require interpretation. "This (pointing) plus that (pointing) equals 11" requires clarification; "4 plus 7 equals 11" doesn't. Sensitivity to student needs is the key.

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