Cerebral Palsy

But his ability to think and reason is tip-top - above average, in fact.

“He gets straight As,” said Lynda Horney, an occupational therapist for the school system.

“And that’s not a gimme.

Those are real grades that he has worked very hard for.” The school system has helped Bryan by providing technology that makes learning and studying easier.

It has also provided him with a one-on-one assistant, who sits with him in class, takes notes and reviews homework.

David Roscana has been Bryan’s one-on-one since fourth grade.

Roscana said they are a great match except that Bryan, a Duke fan, has been known to needle Roscana, who backs North Carolina.

(Roscana noted that the needling seemed to end this year.) Students with all sorts of physical and mental disabilities have benefited from advances in technology, Horney said.

When she hears of a new piece of technology that she thinks might help students with motor-control issues such as Bryan has, she asks him to try it out.

“He has been wonderful about taking time to explain both the good things and bad things about various types of technology he has tried,” Horney said.

“We can get very honest feedback from him.” Some of the technology Bryan has tested included a c...

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