A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs. Transport and Main Roads

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1 Transport and Main Roads A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs This booklet was developed by the Department of Education and Training for the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland school bus and taxi industry Connecting Queensland

2 Contents Students with special needs 3 Introduction 3 Requirements of students with special needs 3 Communication is the answer 4 If you re not sure, ask. If you are sure, let others know 5 Management strategies for students with special needs 5 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 6 Physical impairment 7 Intellectual impairment 8 Vision impairment 9 Hearing impairment 10 Challenging behaviour category 11 General strategies to use with students with special needs 12 Social stories 14 Please remember confidentiality 14 For bus operators: The Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses 15 What you need to do if you have to deal with an emergency situation with a student 15 For further information 15 The State of Queensland (The Department of Transport and Main Roads) 2011 The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of information. However, copyright protects this document. The State of Queensland has no objection to this material being reproduced, made available online or electronically, provided it is for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation, this material remains unaltered and the State of Queensland is recognised as the owner. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

3 Students with special needs Introduction Students with special needs who travel in your vehicle have similar needs to all students. They enjoy good humour and the sharing of personal interests and events that occur in their lives. Students respond well when treated with fairness and consistency. Most students want to belong as part of a family, a school, a class, a friendship group, a bus/taxi group. But above all else they want to be valued. Relax and enjoy the students company. But also make sure students are aware of the rules of behaviour you expect in your vehicle. There may be times that you need to remind them, and their parents/carers, of these. Schools are a good back up for ensuring this happens as they can provide you with a specific strategy that works with a particular student, or they can ensure that the students receive the necessary transport training. This guide will assist you in understanding some of the issues students confront with their particular special needs. The suggestions in this guide will also give you some strategies to think about, use and adapt for your students. These suggestions are general suggestions. If you have students with very specific needs, you or your company manager need to approach the school and the parents/carers seeking more specific strategies to assist you. They will be happy to assist you in making their student s/child s travel with you an enjoyable experience, and a positive start or end to the day. I find that if I know something about a student s special needs then I m much better able to understand their behaviour, how I can meet their transport needs, and how I can communicate with them. (Driver, country town) Requirements of students with special needs Students with special needs require: respect, and being valued and trusted a sense of belonging and relationships with others a safe, secure and supportive environment communication which is clear and uncomplicated your understanding of how their specific needs can be met encouragement for their efforts and praise for their achievements assistance when required or requested calmness and not an over reaction to a situation involvement in fun and good humour consistent treatment no surprises! A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

4 Sometimes students with special needs can have challenging behaviours, and it is through your support and good communication with them that their journey can be made an enjoyable and safe one. What you can do: Relax and enjoy the student s company. Talk with them and get to know them let them get to know you. Let students know the rules of behaviour you expect sometimes you may need to remind them, and their parents/carers, of these. The positive ways in which (bus and taxi ) drivers interact with students with special needs sets up a positive tone for the student s day at school, and if we continue this at school then the driver has an equally good trip with the students that afternoon. (Head of Special Education Setting, State High School) Communication is the answer Behaviour is communication. It is used to express joy, happiness, frustration, fear, desires, needs, good humour, concerns, questions/answers and excitement. Often, if a student is assertive or over exuberant about how they express themselves, we read these signs and associate them with negative behaviour. This is particularly so with students with special needs. The behaviour may be perceived as misbehaviour, when in fact it may be the student communicating a need. You may at times feel extremely frustrated by your inability to understand students with special needs, or by their apparent inability to understand you. During those moments give a thought to the fact that those students are probably frustrated as well. Their behaviour is in fact telling you something. Some of the students you transport may be unable to speak and may communicate with you differently. We, and they, often use gestures other than verbal to communicate to others. For example, we may tap ourselves on the head when we forget something; or raise our eyes with head uplifted or shake our head if we have done something silly. So, use visual clues with students to talk with them. You can provide opportunities for them to enjoy the day ahead, and in your own way, contribute to their personal, social and educational fulfilment simply by making the trip to and from school an enjoyable and safe journey. I ve received great support from schools in finding out how we can better meet the needs of students with special needs. They have given us strategies which work and allow us to be consistent in the management of students, consistent with how teachers work with them. (Company Operations Manager) A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

5 If you re not sure, ask. If you are sure, let others know Students need to know that the behaviour you expect from them is the same behaviour their teachers and others expect. If you re not sure how to deal with a student with a special need, ask someone. Ask someone from the school to assist you. Ask parents what they do. Seek those strategies that work with the student which might help you. Whilst it may take a little of your time to ask, in the long term you will be better able to deal with issues which may arise with the student. You will also develop a broader picture of the student s disability or special need. View parents and schools as partners in providing safe and enjoyable travel in your vehicle. Let them know: when students have been positive about worrying behaviour as soon as concerns arise don t wait until the issue is so large that no one knows how to resolve it. Students respond well to people in responsible positions (for example, drivers and teachers) who: respect and like students provide clear boundaries and set realistic expectations give praise and are positive explain things to them answer the whys? they feel safe with see fun as important show them ways in which to manage their behaviour and meet their needs provide options. I really enjoy the kids I transport and I ve never had a problem with them. In fact it s the best part of my day. Talk with them, treat them with respect, and they ll talk to you, and respect you. (Taxi driver) Management strategies for students with special needs (from notes written by Beenleigh Special School for their bus and taxi drivers) It is important that you try to prevent issues relating to behaviour, rather than waiting to react to them. Try to: be consistent with expectations and language show personal and social respect to all students be positive about their abilities (what they can do, not what they can t do) encourage independence allow them to do as much as they can before physically assisting them treat them in a manner suitable for their age focus on the behaviour, not the person focus on the good behaviour, not the inappropriate behaviour reward good behaviour. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

6 When communicating with students try to: be consistent and positive use simple language suitable for their age keep instructions short and clear break tasks down into very small, simple steps always allow wait time for students to process what is being asked have clear expectations and tell the student what you expect. Remember! If you need to know more about how to manage a student with special needs then consult the school and the parents/carers. They will be only too happy to provide you with relevant information and strategies, and they will be grateful that you care about their student/child. The following information is intended to help you to understand the needs of some of the students with special needs you may carry in your vehicles. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Adapted from What does the term ASD mean? by Natalie Swayn (2004) from Education Queensland s Disability Services Support Unit and from Winter, M. (2003). Asperger Syndrome What teachers need to know. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London) What is ASD? Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong, developmental disorder which affects the way students process the information they receive through their senses. For example, vision, hearing, smell, etc. In the Department of Education and Training, ASD is a term that describes a number of clinically similar medical diagnoses, such as: autistic disorder Asperger s disorder. How it affects students Students with autism have behavioural features which mean they can have difficulty with: attention to more than one person recognition of social cues from others eye contact any form of change (reacts to any change such as a new/relief driver, when asked to sit in a different seat, new students, different routes) interpreting language literally, for example Pull your socks up! is actually performed by the student instead of interpreted as a comment on their behaviour turn taking noticing or copying movements of others warmth and empathy to others. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

7 Strategies you can use In communicating with students with ASD it is important to: be consistent be positive use clear, simple and short language have clear expectations ( rules can structure these) prepare the students for any change For example, a new student/driver/supervisor or a route change keep the routine the same tell the student what to do rather than not what to do keep in mind the literal interpretation. Physical impairment (adapted from What is physical impairment? A physical impairment affects the ability to move or coordinate and control movement when performing tasks. A student with physical impairment may also experience the inability to use or feel certain parts of their body. There is a wide range of conditions that may result in a physical impairment such as: cerebral palsy spina bifida muscular dystrophy arthritis congenital malformation of the limbs some acquired brain injury. A physical impairment may be present from birth or acquired later (through an accident or illness). How it affects students A physical impairment may affect learning styles and the way students: solve problems process information learn skills/rules view themselves remember information pay attention. Some of these students may also have an intellectual impairment or learning difficulties. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

8 Strategies you can use How you communicate with these students can be critical and you need to: seek assistance from parents, carers and teachers on how you can best meet a student s specific needs be positive, use clear and short instructions make sure they have clear access to a seat so they can get to it easily monitor their comfort during the trip to school and allow them to change position in their seat if they need to, or move to another seat allow more time for them to get in and out of your vehicle. Intellectual impairment (Adapted from notes written by Beenleigh Special School for their bus and taxi drivers) What is intellectual impairment? Intellectual impairment refers to substantial limitations in intellectual functioning, existing with related limitations in two or more of the following skill areas: communication social/interpersonal self care health and safety leisure academic functioning. Intellectual impairment manifests itself before age 18. How it affects students A student with intellectual impairment may mean they will be slower to learn because they have difficulties with: attention focusing on an activity, maintaining attention perception ability to register information and make sense of it thought processing making connections between and organising bits of information memory retaining and recalling information generalisation ability to use a learned skill in one situation and using it in another. Strategies you can use provide short, clear, stepped-out instructions set reasonable expectations allow wait time for each student to process information use visual/pictorial supports check for student understanding provide one-on-one instruction/guidance be consistent in the language you use and your behaviour strategies. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

9 Vision impairment (Adapted from: taidevi.pdf) What is vision impairment? A vision impairment in educational terms is any diagnosed condition of the eye or visual system which results in a reduced visual functioning for learning. Disease, damage or injury causing a vision impairment can occur in any part of the visual system. A vision impairment can: be present at birth occur at any time from disease or accident be part of a medical condition or syndrome. How it affects students Depending on the type of visual impairment, it may affect a student s ability to function in the environment. For example, they may: be unable to see fine detail have reduced ability to see clearly at a distance not be able to see interactions between others have no vision be unable to move around their environment if their peripheral vision is affected. Strategies you can use ensure that their passage to their seats is clear provide instructions, rules and so on verbally to the student one-on-one if handing out a note to students (for example, rules when travelling) make sure the print is large enough so that they can read it set up a buddy system it may be helpful to have a responsible peer sit with/close by to the vision impaired student so that they can fill the student in on what instruction/direction they may have missed if the student did not understand, try saying the same thing another way you may need to do some basic signing or use visual clues for them to get the message encourage the student to say when they don t understand, as they may be reluctant to do so. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

10 Hearing impairment What is hearing impairment? The terms hard of hearing, deaf and hearing impaired cover a wide range of conditions which affect a student s listening ability and often their educational and social development. How it affects students The degree of hearing loss and amount of distortion affects each student in a different way. Student can miss hearing sounds or words. Student may not have the same background knowledge and experience as other students. Students may experience difficulties with spoken and written English. Strategies you can use The following may assist in overcoming some of the difficulties hearing impaired students typically experience when in your vehicle. Seating Have the student close to you, but allow them to sit where they can best hear you. Check that the student does in fact hear you from where they sit. Visual supplements Try to remain in one spot when talking to the student. Don t talk while your back is turned. Attention Speak clearly but naturally exaggeration of speech or shouting can make it more difficult for students to understand your speech. Make sure the hearing impaired student is understanding (not just listening) when you provide information/ directions to students or when you ask a question. Feedback Check that students have understood instructions. For example, get them to repeat what you have said. Buddy system It may be helpful to have a responsible peer sit with/close by the hearing impaired student so that they can fill the student in on what instruction/direction they may have missed. Rephrasing If the student did not understand, try saying the same thing another way. You may need to do some basic signing or using visual clue for them to get the message. Encourage the student to say when they don t understand, as they may be reluctant to do so. Inattention Don t expect continuous attention on the hearing impaired student s part. Remember, they have to work harder to listen and take in a range of cues and such concentration can be tiring. Socialisation Observe how they socialise with other students and you may need to encourage a positive acceptance of the student by other students. It is important to note that the above mentioned points can equally apply to all students you may deal with. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

11 Challenging behaviour category One of the most common categories of challenging behaviour occurs in those children referred to as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a controversial syndrome. Debate has occurred in Australia and other countries over the condition itself, its prevalence, and in particular, over the use of medication to treat ADHD. Medication is only part of the equation in dealing with students with ADHD. It is critical that behaviour management plans be put in place for them and these need to include strategies which support them in their travel to and from school. If you are not sure how to handle these students, seek some assistance from their school. The uncertainty surrounding ADHD is increased by the recognition that it may not occur alone. It is frequently associated with learning disabilities and social skills deficits. Likewise, children with Asperger s syndrome and autism will often display ADHD-like behaviour. In some cases, the only condition being treated is ADHD, with the other conditions being ignored and left untreated. NB. For bus drivers students diagnosed with ADHD are not exempt from the Code of Conduct for Schools Students Travelling on Buses procedures and processes. Children diagnosed as ADHD are confused by complexity. You can make your job as a driver easier and create a good environment in your vehicle for these students by following a few simple guidelines (which in most cases apply equally to all students): Find out from the student s parents/carers and/or teacher/s information about what works best for them in handling the child s behaviour. Listen to and talk with the student to unearth their interests. Talk about these with genuine interest. Be short and clear: keep rules to a bare minimum keep explanation of rules short don t try to present all the rules at once ask the student to repeat a rule after you have stated it this reinforces the learning process. Make eye contact before you deliver any directions, you need to make sure the student s attention is on you and what you are saying. Be specific don t give several directions at once. For example, if you want the student to sit down and fasten their seat belt (if there is one): first instruct the student to sit down when the student is seated, instruct them to fasten their seat belt. Maintain a calm atmosphere shouting angry demands at a student will not accomplish anything: be quiet and calm sometimes a touch on the student s shoulder will get their attention, however with some students physical contact will make them more agitated get to know your students. Be positive, not negative using positive words with these students works much better. For example: instead of saying Take your feet off the back of the seat, it may be best to say Please put your feet on the floor, thank you. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

12 instead of saying Don t run onto the bus/don t jump into the taxi, it s best to say Please walk onto the bus/please enter the taxi calmly. negative commands focus on them as a person rather than on their behaviour. This can be destructive for a student s self image. Words of praise help everyone. Let students know you are pleased about their good behaviour. For example, You were wonderful today on the way home. That s great! Don t threaten what you can t follow up on students are pretty smart and recognise idle threats and ignore them. Make sure consequences for breaking rules are carried out promptly and are within the guidelines of your company s rules or the Code of Conduct of School Students Travelling on Buses. Students need to know the consequences for breaking the rules. Be consistent: don t keep changing the rules, this only leads to confusion and unnecessary disruption if rules need to be repeated, restate them when necessary and repeat them the same way each time follow a consistent pattern of enforcement (for example, for bus drivers, refer to the Code of Conduct of School Students Travelling on Buses for suitable processes) treat everyone the same and avoid playing favourites. Using the above will enable you to better deal with the problems students identified as ADHD have and make your job less stressful. You can then make the ride a positive and helpful experience for these students, other students in your vehicle, and yourself. What is important for you to remember is to maintain a consistent approach with the students, enjoy them and above all else, keep your sense of humour. General strategies to use with students with special needs Warn about changes Provide children with as much warning about any changes which may take place. For example, a relief driver, a new student, a new route to school and so on. Give a simple reason for the change and tell students what will be required. Choose seating carefully The most important consideration when choosing where to seat a child is to do with their sensory sensitivities. For example, they may be sensitive to certain smells, sounds or lights. For some children this may not be a consideration, but seeking such advice and assistance from parents and teachers would be advisable. Some children may need to be seated where they don t face another child or sit next to another child. Others may need to be close to the driver (or supervisor/carer if one is on board) if at times they require assistance. Use students special interests The child s special interest is a huge source of motivation for a child. There are a number of ways you can use this to your advantage, including: asking them questions to better inform you of their interest A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

13 listening to them talk about their interests and showing visible interest (even when you may not quite understand what they are saying seek clarification) sharing information about the interest area taking some time to find a book/flyer on the interest area to give the student showing them you are genuinely interested in finding out about their interest/s. Repeating instructions Have students repeat back the instruction/direction you have given. Have them repeat back to you before taking their seat, or before you drive off. You may need to follow up with another question to ensure understanding and that the child is not just parroting information. Home and bus communication Keep the flow between home and the driver/company open. However, it is not the responsibility of the driver to communicate messages from home to school. Maybe have a communication booklet which has notes about the day s journey. Many schools already have such a booklet through which parents and schools have ongoing communication. You may be able to tap into this as a resource for you to communicate to parents and/or school about the students travel to and from school/home the positive as well as any area of concern. For example, you noticed the student was quite unsettled, or restless, or agitated, or unusually anxious. Divert attention If a child starts to get stressed and begins repeating things or gets stuck getting to their seat, gently divert their attention to help them save face. Avoid being drawn into answering repeated questions over and over. Think prevention Too often our focus on behaviour management falls into the disciplinary area, and is reactive, rather than proactive. When reactive, a student s behaviour changes appropriately in the short term but fails to last the long term. A more constructive approach is to focus on preventing the occurrence of problematic behaviour and creating a positive environment for students to gain socially acceptable patterns of behaviour. For example, you may have a new student who reacts aggressively on entering your vehicle with other students because they have difficulty with noisy groups. Perhaps in this case, negotiation with the school/parents may result in the student entering earlier or later than other students. Over time, the student may learn to negotiate entering your vehicle with others as they become accustomed to the situation. Key questions to ask in addressing these sorts of issues are: What can be done to eliminate the problem situation? What can be done to modify the situation if the situation cannot be eliminated? Will the strategy need to be permanent, or is it a temporary fix which allows the student (with support from school/parent) to increase skills needed to manage the situation in the future? A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

14 Social stories (Adapted from: Social stories are a very useful way to teach appropriate social behaviour as they provide students with a story about events that are going to happen or should happen. They are short, easy to remember, can be told many times, and enable the student to internalise what s expected about doing the good things. The following is an example: James is a good bus/taxi rider When James gets ready for school in the morning, he has his jacket and bag ready before the school bus/taxi arrives. When the bus/taxi comes, he says goodbye to his mum and gets in the bus/taxi straight away. James sits in the seat right behind the driver as soon as he gets in the bus/taxi. He puts his bag under the seat and sits up straight. Sometimes James talks to his friends in the bus/taxi. They talk quietly. Sometimes James draws pictures or looks at a book while he is in the bus/taxi. He makes sure he puts these away in his bag when the bus/taxi gets to school. If someone annoys James he can ask the bus/taxi driver to help. When the bus/taxi gets to school James is the first to get out and he walks calmly to his class. Please remember confidentiality All information given to the driver is strictly confidential Drivers need to know certain things about the students as they drive, including: What is the student s disability? Are there medical issues/special equipment needs I need to be aware of? What are some of the behaviour characteristics? What strategies do I use? Who do I contact if the student or I need urgent help? For example, emergency numbers. If a parent is not available, who else can collect the student? A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

15 For bus operators: The Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses Before students with a disability (special needs) travel on buses, liaison between bus operators, schools and parents/carers should occur on an individual case management basis for these students. This liaison should result in bus operators having the appropriate support and information from parents and the school to understand the disability/needs and behaviour of the student, and the appropriate travel strategies in place for them. Whilst students with a disability (special needs) are covered under the Code of Conduct, it is important to recognise that the behaviour of these students may in fact be their way of communicating a need, and not one of misbehaviour. Bus operators need to take this into account when applying the Code to these students. What you need to do if you have to deal with an emergency situation with a student In an accident or emergency you will need to assess the situation and if necessary call 000. You should try and tell the emergency operator the following information: The location of the emergency including nearby landmarks. What has happened. How many people require assistance. Condition and health of the people involved. What assistance is being given. Advise the operator that students with special needs are involved. Any other information requested. You should also contact your company and provide details of the situation. It is also important to: take necessary care of any injured or distressed students reassure other students maintain calm supervise students until assistance arrives. For further information You should contact the school the special needs student attends for relevant information. If you have any questions about the Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses, contact your local Department of Transport and Main Roads office. You can also questions about the management of student behaviour to ptschool@tmr.qld.gov.au. A guide for bus and taxi drivers of students with special needs, Department of Transport and Main Roads Department of Education and Training September

16 State of Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, printed July 2011