Category: For Special Needs Students

Guidelines for Transportation of Students with Special Needs

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

The school administration systems have to ensure that children with special needs are transported in a safe manner in the approved transportation of the school, which, in many cases, is the school bus.

The school transportation should be planned and organized in such a manner that it provides proper and adequate support to children with special needs.

This article puts down some guidelines that need to be followed for students with special needs.

It is to be noted that the staff has to be trained appropriately, aides and nurses have to be provided as per the requirement, there has to be a written emergency evacuation plan, and there should exist a detailed infection control package.

Students with Special Needs and Their Transportation

A student’s individual needs form the main consideration in deciding whether the student can use the same transportation provided to those students without disabilities. 

For children to receive special education services, it is important to have a transportation representative who would provide the following recommendations as regards the bus transportation facilities of the school:

  • The type of the vehicle that the student can ride
  • The length of the ride, pick-up and drop-off times
  • Temperature conditions during cold weather
  • An emergency communication system to be present in the bus if required
  • Training and skills to be provided to the driver and bus attendant

Wheelchairs for Children with Special Needs

Wheelchairs are frequently used as the mode of transport on the school bus for children with different special needs. However, it is important that certified transit wheelchair has to be used for the purpose.

This is the type of wheelchair that meets the design and performance requirements. Such wheelchairs can also be used by the occupants while travelling in a motor vehicle. The school administration can seek help from rehabilitation therapists to identify certified transit wheelchairs.

Recommendations for occupant securement on a school bus:

  1. Any child with a special need that can be moved from a special seating device should be transferred to a child restraint system (compliant with standards) for transportation.

     

     

    The seat should be facing forward and occupant restraints should be dynamically tested for such a seat at the manufacturer’s end.

    In case the seat is unoccupied, it should be carefully fastened so that it does not become a projectile in the wake of a sudden stop or crash and cause danger to the occupants.
     

  2. Passenger seats with a restraint system should be fitted with a frame that conforms to laid-out standards. The school administration should consult these points with the bus manufacturer when the order is placed for the school bus or when it is retrofitted at a later point in time.
     
  3. Children weighing less than 50 pounds should be secured in an appropriate safety vest or child restraint system that conforms to the laid-out standards.
     
  4. A safety vest or a child restraint system should be installed only according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Such a system should not be placed on a seat next to the emergency exit on a school bus.
     
  5. Seats that are used to transport children that are less than one year old or weighing less than 20 pounds should be attached to the seat only in a rear-facing manner.

     

     

    If a child weighs 20 pounds before 1 year of age, rear-facing restraints meant for greater weights should be considered.
     

  6. Cart-type units, stroller devices, three-wheeled devices, etc., cannot be used as occupied transport in a school bus. In case such a device is approved by a manufacturer after specific impact tests, they have to be installed only according to the specifications laid out by the manufacturer. 
     
  7. Wheelchairs should be secured to the floor of the bus with specific fastening devices.  The fasteners are approved only after dynamic testing is done on them with the help of dummies and must have the capability of restraining the wheelchair. The occupant is restrained to the wheelchair using another separate device.
     
  8. Any plastic or metal trays that are attached to the wheelchair should be unfastened before loading the wheelchair and should be separately secured during the transport.
     
  9. For every wheelchair-borne passenger, the occupant restraint system used should be tested for specified force conditions separately for upper and lower torsos.
     
  10. If liquid oxygen is to be transported on the school bus, care should be taken to mount the cylinder securely and fastened in a manner such that it prevents damage and exposure to high heat. An appropriate sign should also be placed on the bus.

Additional Recommendations

#1: When children with tracheotomies travel on the bus, a nurse or aide with sufficient medical training should be on board the bus to provide medical assistance in case of emergencies.

#2: The school transport representative should also take part in the medical procedures training required for students with special needs. They should be adequately trained with the latest programs which will ensure that they provide the latest as far as the care is concerned.

#3: The guardian of the ward with special needs should be kept informed of all the transportation needs and specifications.

#4: Both the guardian of the child with special needs and the bus driver should be kept informed of all the specific needs during the transportation of the child.

#5: For every student with special needs, a copy of the emergency medical card should be present on the bus.

#6: There should be enough stocks of supplies that ensure precaution and spread of infections in the bus.

#7: There should be a written plan for emergency evacuation plans and the staff should be adequately trained for the same through dummy evacuation drills.

To conclude, it is the responsibility of the school administration system to obtain periodically updated information on restraint systems for children with special needs from the relevant authorities and implement the same.

 

How TrackSchoolBus System Allocates School Bus Routes

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

It will not be an overstatement to quote that technology has become a torchbearer offering a host of convenient features, simplifying the lives of its users. A couple of such technological innovations that deserve a special mention are the school bus tracking system offered by TrackSchoolBus.

Aiming to not only offer transparency with every school bus ride, this system and the tracking apps integrated with it bestow a great deal of convenience to all the stakeholders; school bus drivers, school van operators and parents included.

It is through these tracking apps helps school administrators to ensure that they are plying their vehicles according to the desired capacity levels for every bus route.

This blog sheds light on numerous ways in which TrackSchoolBus System helps in auto allocating school bus routes.

  1. The Smart Allocation Algorithm of TrackSchoolBus Tracking System

If you look into all the ways in which the TrackSchoolBus System lends a helping hand to school bus operators, you will be convinced that it is indeed a smart means to operate school buses and routes in complete control.

If you are a trasnport manager, then you can rely on this facility to plan school bus routes within minutes, in line with the number of pick-up points and their respective densities. That means, every school bus route is allotted in line with the capacity and pick-up point requirements.

  1. Historical Data – The Primary Source of Information

Looking into the parents’ registration forms, school bus operators, with the help of Parent App integrated with TrackSchoolBus System will be in a strong position to assign pick-up according to the residential addresses of respective students.

Allowing you to conduct the auto routing procedures, it helps you to alter route in the event of a sudden relocation.

You will be able to take the help of Google Maps to identify the exact pick-up location of every student; residential address of the student.

6 School Bus Auto Routing Features from TrackSchoolBus
  1. Unleash the Power of Control Through Automation

The power of automation can never be undermined, especially concerning the matters of control and efficiency. This is a fact that goes well with the TrackSchoolBus System that it automatically assists you to create vehicle assignments and school bus routes.

Banking on the trip and address details of every student, the TrackSchoolBus System handholds all school transport managers to exercise complete control over every school bus route. In the event of a sudden relocation, the system through its smart notifications via app shows the changed pick-up points.

The app comes with a printout facility that can provide pertinent handouts. These printouts can be used as reference points for the existing school bus transportation system.

What’s In Store for You?

You can avail free auto allocation trails that can be availed by schools which have subscribed or are planning to subscribe to the TrackSchoolBus System.

Tagged is a centralized and user-friendly interface, the TrackSchoolBus System is independent of any sort of hardware specifications. Offering you a host of unique value-added features, it is through this system that you can enjoy the flexibility of quoting for the facilities according to your needs.

To top it all, you have the additional benefit coming in the form of affordability. That means, with the reasonably-priced TrackSchoolBus System you will be in a position to operate your school bus fleet in the most efficient manner.

And once you become a TrackSchoolBus System subscriber, you can make the most of the advanced auto allocation feature and more.

How to Secure Wheelchair-Bound Students in a School Bus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

When it comes to transporting disabled students, school bus driver has an important role to play. As some students are wheelchair bound, they need proper secure to and from schools. 

But there is always a question on how to handle these students in a proper way without causing any kind to harm to them.

School employees are equally responsible for the safety of wheelchair-bound students from entering their school to reaching their home.

Driver

Usually, school bus drivers have the responsibility of transporting students with special needs to and from school via school bus. Some schools employ a bus attendant or a monitor to help students with disability to board and de-board the school buses.

Both these people should ensure that they know precisely how to do this securely and in a well manner.

Parent

While waiting for the school bus, parents of the wheelchair-bound students are supposed to ensure that their disabled kids are at the curb punctually with the suitable equipment.

They have to oversee the student until the arrival of their school bus. And also parents should be present at the pickup points earlier to the arrival of school bus.

Parents may need to help the kid with boarding them onto the school bus, fasten the wheelchair or seat belt.

It is still the liability of the driver of the school bus to verify and ensure the student, as well as the wheelchair, is secured well prior to moving the bus.

Teacher

The responsibilities of teachers in securing the wheelchair-bound students are same as those of the parents.

They are responsible to meet the students upon arrival at their school and to get them at the pick-up place promptly and oversee the students until the departure of the school bus.

Bus attendant

Bus attendants are also equally responsible for the safest transportation of wheelchair-bound students. 

In the bus, the attendant is allotted to help all students. While on the school bus, the attendant is generally under the control of school bus driver.

Loading and Unloading of Wheelchair-Bound Students

General guidelines

When the student is in the wheelchair, he or she should face away from the bus at all times. The brakes, as well as the roll stops of wheelchair should be in locked condition.

Loading process

First, the lift door should be opened and secured. The wheelchair can be unfolded by using a hand-held control. Now the platform should be lowered pending it rests completely on the ground.

Now the student can be gently positioned on the wheelchair by unfolding the outboard roll stop and fastening the seat belt of wheelchair around the student. Ensure that the student faces away from the bus.

Securing in the bus

Once the student is safely secured in the school bus, check once again if the brakes and the roll stops of the device are in locked position. Now, turn off the power of device and if possible, have the wheelchair student cling to the handrails.

Help the student to keep his or her legs and arms within the lift quarter and ahead of the moving parts.

Now, activate the lift controls and stand beside the platform at the corner in the front. Continue to keep one hand on the device while it is lifting and then activate the controls of wheelchair through other hand.

Once the platform attains the floor level, hang up or set down the controls. Now, release the brakes of the wheelchair and gently push it into the school bus. Now, by setting brakes of device, fold the lift into journey position.

Position the wheelchair student consistent with the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Move the student to a usual forward facing the bus seat by using appropriate lifting methods and make student as well as wheelchair safe.

Unloading of the wheelchair student

While unloading a wheelchair student with a power-driven wheelchair, it should be ensured that the student is not supposed to drive onto the platform, except cleared to perform so by the whole IEP team. Now, switch off the motor and push the wheelchair manually onto the platform.

During the loading and unloading process, do not forget to inform the wheelchair student about what you are going to do, prior to doing it.

Securing the wheelchair-bound students

It is always safe for the wheelchair bound students to use a three-point system while boarding school bus. While the wheelchair-bound students are boarding the school bus, it is always safe by using a three-point system.

The restraint system of the occupants is separate from the secure system of the wheelchair. The three-point system protects the torso as well as the pelvis of the disabled students.

While attaching the restraint system, it can be joined to the anchorage points of the school bus. The system can also be attached to the securement system of  device, device itself, or by following the instructions of the of wheelchair manufacturers.

Above all, the school bus driver is supposed to consider the appropriate place to stop the bus to load and unload the wheelchair-bound students easily and safely.

Two Factor Attendence is a feature in TrackSchoolBus app provides confirmation to parents and schools whether students arrived to / from school on time. 

Finally

Wheelchair students are needed to be transported in a school bus only in the forward-facing direction. They should be appropriately secured with the three-point pelvic and shoulder as well as with the four-point dock restraint system. 

Several school buses come attached with a frame, as well, for attaching the tie-down straps. School management should make sure that their buses are properly prepared to transport wheelchair-bound kids to and from school in a safe and comfortable way.

The school management should also pay attention to consider adding extra safety measures into their school buses to transport these disabled students.

Secured School Bus Seating – Future of School Bus Safety

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

If you have wondered about your child’s safety when travelling on the school bus, it is true that school buses are designed to be the safest vehicles to ply on the roads. They are designed with a view to provide secure seating for the children that they are supposed to carry. This article discusses the safety aspects of school bus seats and improved design considerations for the future.

Bus Seats – Compartmentalization Design

School buses are designed in accordance with a unique design aspect called ‘compartmentalization’. It is intended to protect the passive occupants of the bus. The seats of the bus are constructed with impact-absorbing steel and have high and padded seats (on the front and back). These are firmly secured to the floor of the bus.

Must Read

School Bus Seat Belts – Are They Compulsory?

Are Seat Belts Essential for a School Bus?

In case a collision does occur, this compartmental design absorbs the impact and disperses throughout the occupant’s body instead of head and neck alone.  You would have seen eggs placed in a carton and this is much like it.

Use of CSRS (Child Safety Restraint Systems)

The safety restraint is brought into effect with the use of lap belts, harness straps and chest clips. Whereas lap belts are more suited for older children that do not fit into the CSRS category, it is important for you to remember the fact that these belts do not provide any protection to the upper body parts such as the head, neck and spine.

For CSRS to be properly used on school bus seats, the size and spacing of  seats  are important considerations. Commonly, a seat with a width of 39 inches or greater can accommodate either two CSRSs or one CSRS together with an older child that does not need CSRS. Any seat with a less width can safely accommodate  a single CSRS.

Another point in consideration is the seat spacing. The potential for injury on collision is reduced when the seat spacing is a maximum. When seats are narrowly spaced, you may not be able to secure the CSRSs appropriately. This factor, however, affects the seating capacity of the vehicle.

CSRSs are compulsory under the following conditions:

•    Students younger than five years old (Rear-facing CSRS for children less than 2 years old)

•    Students weighing less than 50 pounds

•    Students that have special needs

General Considerations

Every aspect of the school bus design is towards protecting the passengers on board from the impact of a collision. Some seat design considerations that support this requirement are as follows:

•    Bus seats are placed on the floor at a level above the impact zone where any automobile would hit the school bus.

•    There are no sharp edges in the bus interiors close to the seats; they are all rounded and smooth

Future of Secured School Bus Seating

With increased traffic and incidences of bus crashes, you may often wonder if school bus seating can get any safer. A lot of research is taking place in this area and it is believed that the new technologies can actually alleviate this worry.

Airbags: Placing airbags both in the front and on the sides of seats so that the interior can inflate itself is a good idea. This will prevent the occupants from slamming into the sides or front seats of the bus in case of a collision. Researchers are finding out ways to make them more affordable for school buses.

Smart Seats: These seats, in addition to reducing head and neck trauma, will have built-in indicators that tell the observer that they are too old to be reliable in a collision. Only such seats need to be replaced from time to time.

Wider Aisles: For the future, schools may consider seats with two different widths: one side can be sized big enough to accommodate 2 child-safe seats, and the other side with 30-inch wide seats to accommodate 1 child-safe seat. This also will make way for a wider aisle.

Conclusion

With school bus owners of today striving to make seating in school buses more secure, there always seems to be a trade-off when the costs loom large. Newer technologies in the form of airbags and smart seats seem to tilt the debate in favour of safety with every attempt being made to manufacture them with less cost.

How to Transport Special Needs Students on School Bus

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

Students with special needs often become side-lined in measures to ensure child safety in schools, mainly in school bus transportation.

While the safety measures tend to generalize the needs of all the students under one umbrella and when efforts on safety compliance are implemented, these children receive the last loaf.

Some might be wondering if there is any justifiable need to differentiate the safety measure efforts adopted in the majority of the children and those geared for specially-challenged children.

Of course, there are!

Here are some key points that school authorities, transport managers, school bus drivers, school bus attendants must know.

1. Normally, giving special provisions can isolate the special needs children from other children. However, if the situation warrants the need for one, like the use of a wheelchair for the physically challenged children, then it might be wise to accommodate the use of one.

Support from the staff and other kids can help them to build their confidence even though they are treated differently.

2. Teach safety rules on school bus transportation but it requires a little effort and concern from the teachers and parents alike. Game videos and mock traffic parks might not always work for them.

Teachers can instead opt to teach them simple rules customised for their learning styles and patterns. Peer learning is another tried and tested method which has proved successful in many instances.

3. A simple change in approach of the staff can formulate better school bus transportation for these kids. With the help of appropriate training, communication method of school bus staff can be altered to suit the needs and connect better with them.

It would be ideal for school authorities to incorporate lessons on transportation safety for children with special needs. And these lessons can also be included in the general training of drivers and support staff on traffic rules and regulations.

4. Making use of postural supports while travelling in a school bus should be encouraged, especially if they improve the child’s seated posture, as this will also perk up the fit and effectiveness of seat belts.

5. Special needs children face various upsetting situations. However, the general approach of the society towards these kids is accommodating and appreciative. It would be wiser to train the staff on providing special care for such children.

Apart from the school bus staff, other students should also be taught to respect and treat these children with empathy. Keeping an eye contact with such kids make communication easier.

Simply kneel down when needed to maintain eye contact and you can witness the difference.

6. If any liquid oxygen is being transported in the school bus then it should be safely mounted to avoid damage and excessive heat.

7. Children with special needs tend to be confident when they do their chores independently. However, things differ while on a school bus. Consider, for instance, a physically challenged student need assistance of the driver while on the school bus.

It might be impossible for them to approach the driver or supporting staff on a moving vehicle. In such cases, having a personal aide to these children in school transportation is advisable. Peer support and buddies can also be utilized to overcome such situations.

8. Plastic or metal trays and lapboard which are attached to the wheelchair ought to be removed before loading the child and need to be held separately for safe transportation.

9. Communication is an important factor while transporting children with special needs. The tone, language and the mannerism all need to be adjusted to accommodate the physical and emotional needs of such children.

For example, children with vision, hearing or cognitive difficulties might need special assistance to have the instructions clear.

Talking to such children will not help in any way. The support staff should be able to connect with these children with their tone, language and behaviour.

Instructions on school bus safety rules should be conveyed to these children in a simple and easy manner so that they can understand it easily.  Step by step instructions will prove helpful. You can also use images and gestures to teach them for faster communication.

“Disability need not be an Obstacle to Success.”

                                                                              -Stephen Hawking

 

Is Bus Route Optimization the Perfect Solution to Save Money

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

For years, school authorities delved for a solution to save money on their transportation expenses. Nevertheless, it was found that bus route optimization is the excellent solution to curtail expenses in relation to school transportation. And the real question is how to perform bus route optimization?

Lets' have a glimpse of it….

What is bus route optimization?

Actually, what is bus route optimization? Bus route optimization is the technique by which we find the most appropriate route on the basis of school assignments, current bus stops, timing, and bus loads. Consequently, route optimization helps to enhance the school bus fleet efficiency.

Due to its cost saving benefits, several schools are seriously considering route optimization. However, by effective arrangement of school bus routes, you will be able to lessen fuel costs, idling hours, and staffing by taking into consideration of safety concerns, school transportation policies, and road related disasters.

Incidentally, earlier route optimization was performed with the outdated wall maps, but the innovative modern technologies has made the task simple. Moreover, schools are utilizing the school bus routing software for optimizing their routes.

What is a bus routing software?

A school bus routing software consists of tools that assists you automatically generate ideal routes for your trip, on the basis of the users' criteria. Hereafter, these routes are interpreted against the current route for figuring out whether further logical alternatives exist or not.

Meanwhile, the routing software considers the school bus turns, stop locations,   height and weight limitations based on the administered right sided pick-ups, and vehicle size.  In addition, there are software that determines the most appropriate stop location for each student as per the boundary details, walk-to-stop distances, and enrollment details.

Why is bus route optimization essential?

The prime goal of bus route optimization is to lower the number of drivers and school buses running on a particular route. Moreover, you can save money by controlling the fuel and staffing expenses as minimal as possible.

Another significant benefit associated with a bus routing software is that it ensures student safety. How? Of course, the routing software is an advanced measure towards student security, by considering stop location, avoiding the areas resided by criminals, and  danger zones.

Here's a video on how automatic route optimization works for school bus tracking:

 

Key areas the bus routing software address to:

  • Recruit a transportation coordinator

A transportation coordinator is a person, who is bestowed with the responsibility to handle school transportation related needs. Usually, office staffs in a school handle the issues related to school bus transportation.

Ironically, by appointing a transportation coordinator, issues of several office staffs will be resolved (as handling the school transportation issues involves more risk than one imagine). Moreover, this is indeed the benefit of a bus routing software as single user is able to control the whole operations of school  transportation.

  • Review and validate student data

This is indeed a crucial element in a routing software as the student data you enter should be exact, otherwise the software may provide wrong pick up and drop point of a school bus student. Hence, it is wise to check out whether the current address and contact information of a student is correctly updated or not (be extra vigilant in case of special needs transportation).

  • Ensure the maps are up-to-date

As roads are changing constantly, mapping software systems have a fairly long delay for new map releases. Therefore, it is necessary to update the map every six months for enhancing the routing efficiency.

  • Generate a report

Generating a report with a synopsis of the current transportation and student expenses provide you a perfect standard for apprehending future improvements and budget savings. Based on these improvements, you will be able to manifest the Return on Investment (ROI) of your routing software and thereby, devise a new strategy for future upgrades.

  • Planning for the future

No doubt, routes will change in the future. And hence, considering these changes is vital as the bus routing software will be able to avoid hazardous areas, or the areas planning for expansion. Consequently, the modern software considers these hypothetical scenarios and thus perform route planning.

Beneficial features of school bus routing software

Ordinarily, schools install software only when they possess a thorough understanding of its features. Here follows certain features that actually enhance the school transportation:

  • Add and modify bus stops, travel constraints, and new roads
  • Assign school bus stops automatically on the basis of the user specified walk-to-stop distance
  • Allot right-sided pickup points for students
  • Scheduling alternative pick-up point and drop point
  • Bus pass creation
  • Calendar storage
  • Obtain historical data regarding student and bus routing for reporting
  • Locate areas of criminals or sex offenders
  • Customization options

As a matter of fact, utilizing the modern school bus routing software enables the school transportation authorities to ensure superior student safety.   In addition, you will be able to save money and boost the efficiency of a school bus. Therefore, installing the software is the excellent solution for accomplishing the goals of school bus transportation.

6 Q&A on Transporting Students with Special Needs

Posted on by Trackschoolbus SEO

 

Students with special needs often become side-lined in measures to ensure child safety in schools, particularly in school bus transportation. While the safety measures tend to generalize the needs of all the students under one umbrella and when efforts on safety compliance are implemented, these children receive the last loaf.

Some might be wondering if there is any justifiable need to differentiate the safety measure efforts adopted in the majority of the children and those geared for specially-challenged children.

Of course, there are several such reasons and it would be better to know a few of them in particular.

1. Do they require special provisions in the school bus?

Normally, giving special provisions can isolate  the special needs children. However, if the situation warrants the need for one, like the use of a wheel chair for the physically challenged children, then it might be wise to accommodate the use of one. Support from the staff and other kids can help them to build their confidence even though they are treated differently. 

2. How to teach them safety rules and regulations?

Teaching safety rules on school bus transportation requires a little effort and concern from the teachers and parents alike. Game videos and mock traffic parks might not always work for them. Teachers can instead opt to teach them simple rules customised for their learning styles and patterns. Peer learning is another tried and tested method which has proved successful in many instances.

3. How to communicate with them efficiently?

Communication is an important factor while transporting children with special needs. The tone, language and the mannerism all need to be adjusted to accommodate the physical and emotional needs of such children. For example, children with vision, hearing or cognitive difficulties might need special assistance to have the instructions clear. Talking to such children will not help in any way. The support staff should be able to connect with these children with their tone, language and behaviour. Instructions on school bus safety rules should be conveyed to these children in a simple and easy manner.  Step by step instructions will prove helpful. Use images and gestures to teach and have them displayed on buses for faster communication.

4. Should staff be educated on their condition?

A simple change in approach of the staff can formulate better school bus transportation for these kids. With the help of appropriate training, communication method of school bus staff can be altered to suit the needs and connect better with them. It would be ideal for school authorities to incorporate lessons on transportation safety for children with special needs. And these lessons can also be included in the general training of drivers and support staff on traffic rules and regulations. 

5. Does it require any behavioural changes from staff and other students in school bus?

Special needs children face various upsetting situations. However, the general approach of the society towards these kids is  accommodating and appreciative. It would be wiser to train the staff on providing special care for such children. Apart from the school bus staff, other students should also be taught to respect and treat these children with empathy. A sympathetic or bullying attitude can disrupt their confidence levels to lead a normal life. 

Maintaining eye contact with such kids make communication easier. Simply kneel down when needed to maintain eye contact and you can witness the difference. Taking a bossy attitude and having such non-verbal body cues doesn’t help you to create a satisfactory rapport with them. 

6. Will it be beneficial for them to have a personal aide or help while on the ride?

Children with special needs tend to be confident when they do their chores independently. However, things differ while on a school bus. Consider, for instance, a physically challenged student seeking assistance of the driver while on the school bus. It might be nearly impossible for them to approach the driver or supporting staff on a moving vehicle. Having a personal aide in special needs school transportation is advisable in such cases. Peer support and buddies can also be utilized to overcome such situations. 

How to Handle Students with Autism in a School Bus?

Posted on by Trackschoolbus SEO

 

While arranging transport services for children with special needs you need to initiate an extra precaution, provide ample care and consideration to  students, especially for those with autism. Parents rely on school bus authorities for providing an emotionally and physically safe environment for their adorable kids.

Even a little support and compassion from your side can create wonders in special need students. When adults understand, the nature of disability and mindset of a kid, it will be easier to teach them about the importance of school bus transportation.

The kids with autism will be easily agitated, and confused during the school bus trip. Due to this fear and confusion, it may result in troublesome and challenging behavior. For this reason, you can execute certain strategies that will be helpful for addressing the issues ofstudents with special needs.

What is the nature of autism?

Children with autism face difficulty in accepting and constituting social relationships. Too much sensory input and communication will be difficult for children suffering from autism. Furthermore, kids with autism act in a socially inappropriate, bizarre, or immature manner. Often, you may have heard people say, “He/she has no social skills”, “He/she is strange and “he/she done it purposely”, etc. Actually, the truth is that the child has autism. 

How to teach them  proper behavior?

Autistic kids may not possess pertinent skills that assist them to be successful in the society. Of course, a school bus and schools are indeed a part of society. Sometimes, your indifferent attitude to them can create uneasiness and depression in them. They may at times have certain perplexing questions in their mind such as “Why should I travel today also?”(as they board the school bus again), “What will happen if the driver lost the way?”, etc.

All you need is a little patience to teach them on a repertory of social skills and behaviors. You can teach them about how to establish a positive relationship with their fellow beings, how to avoid misconduct in a school bus, etc.

The following is a list of tips that can be useful for you in teaching autistic students:

  • Teach the student on observing the peer's or teacher's non-verbal behavior, what it indicates, and respond to it accordingly
  • Autistic students should compulsorily be taught about commencing a conversation with others, effectively develop the conversation (give and take), and how to politely wind up the conversation
  • You can inculcate in them the quality of social cognition, how to accept other's perception and recognise it properly. Tell them it may be challenging for you if you are not attempting to grasp others' perspective, and the world out there
  • Teach them about the “hidden curriculum” such how to handle an unfriendly situation, how to safely exit the bus, how to control their excitement while talking about their favourite subjects, or how to be flexible with the sudden route change or schedule changes
  • You should teach them about the usage of coarse idioms and metaphors. For example, if your colleague says, “See you later punk”, the child should understand that “punk” is an unpleasant word
  • Teach the appropriate bus riding skills: how to patiently wait in the queue, board the school bus, and apply the seat belts. Guide them how to appear an evacuation drill, the relevance of organizing it, wheelchairs on the school bus are acceptable, etc.

Academic and social skills: Know the difference between them

Suppose, a child has brilliant academic records (high scores in exams, competitions, extracurricular activities, etc.) but at the same time, they may lack social skills. This is the scenario of a child suffering from Asperger's syndrome or higher functioning autism. They may not have an awareness on providing privacy to others, bullying attitude of others, the other person dislikes you, etc. Meanwhile, even simple affairs such as building a positive relationship, understanding the complicated situations, etc. may be a difficult   case for them.

Teachings based on the child's social failure

Observe them closely and recognise the social behavior that they are actually lacking from others. Sometimes the child may not have an understanding “my space” and “your space”, you can provide an awareness of it to the kid with sufficient patience, care and consideration. Sure, they will try to understand it.

In addition, teach them the difference between jokes and cruel taunts. Consequently, ask them to report to school authorities whenever they fall victim to any sort of teasing. And, ensure that they have an understanding of the disparity between general school bus safety rules and the rules in times of emergencies.

As a matter of fact, autistic students are never rude or ill-mannered, they are just special. Provide them a little concern and consideration, then surely, they can come out of their shell and become one of you. After all, they too deserve to travel along with you, sit beside you, and worthy of interaction.

7 School Bus Transportation Facilities for Special Need Students

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

“Once you accept that your child will be different, not better or worse- just different, that is the first step.” -Anonymous

Little Diya is eagerly waiting to start her school expeditions. But her parents are worried because she is suffering from partial blindness. Her parents are baffled by many questions when they think of Diya’s school bus journeys. 

Diya is just a representative of an immense number of special needs students

Many schools have taken necessary steps to accommodate such students with special needs .They need special attention  not only in school premises, but also in school bus transportation too.

So, what are the facilities that  we can provide for such students?

1. Accept Them

School  are the second home of every child.  Accepting them is an extraordinary way of caring  students especially those with special needs. So the first step should be accepting them as different. 

Accepting them as different doesn’t mean that making them aware of their inabilities. Instead, cultivate confidence in them to confront the world without any fear.

2. Trained Crew

Schools can provide trained crew to take care of special need students. Only dedicated and trained professionals can handle such students with enough care and patience.

Schools can also conduct training classes for the school bus crew. Training will make them aware of special need students and teach them how to take care of such students. 

3. Emergency number

What will you do if a  child with special needs suddenly starts behaving abnormally?  Anybody other than his/her parent may not know to handle such situations.  So it is wise to keep the contact details of  such students.

4. Seating Arrangement

Special needs children may not be comfortable on a compact aisle seat. So give them a comfortable window seat instead of the aisle seat. Secure them with a seat belt. Make sure that you have fastened their seat belt properly. 

Some school vans have seats in both directions. This may create uneasiness for the special needs students. So their seat should be facing forward only. Also make sure that the allotted seat is not near the emergency exit.

5. Moderate Speed 

School bus drivers should take good care in the school bus transportation of special need students. Moderate speed is advisable while driving.  

6. Install Camera

Cameras can absorb every single moment with clarity. This helps in spotting kids who show uneasiness and tiredness while on the bus. And this will decrease the chances of issues such as bullying. 

7. Wheelchair and Braces

You might have seen kids with wheelchair or leg braces. These people might need ramps to get into the bus.  Setting ramps in school buses will be very much helpful for students with special needs. 

Let us spread love among those children who need special care. And make them smile innocently without any fear of falling down. Offer them a hand and hold them up to face the challenges of the world. And let us together create a better world for them.

Govt Grants Approval for Special-Needs Children’s School Bus Safety Rules

Posted on by TSB Super Admin

 

The parents of a special needs student, Hun JoonLee, who died after being left alone on a school bus thanked California Governor, Jerry Brown, for signing off a legislation in relation to equipping alarm system on school buses, that ensures passengers are not forgotten.

 Hun Joon Lee's mother considers it as a blessing for the Governor to sign the bill that enables children who ride school buses to reach their destination safely. 

Read Also: 

Ridiculous: 700 School Buses for 2500 Schools in Amritsar!

Armando Abel Ramirez, Lee's school bus driver, failed to check the bus after dropping off students in the morning and locked it in the bus yard exposed to summer heat. He was charged for this serious crime.

According to the bill, proposed by Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), all school buses in California should be equipped with child safety alarms. When the bus is turned off, alarm system generates a noise and driver needs to put off the system which ensures that the vehicle is being checked.

The Bill also requires drivers to receive training in carrying out child-safety check procedures.

Mendoza assures that “The Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” protect every child to and from school everyday thereby putting an end to parent's misery regarding safety of their children.

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