Intellectual Disability

Description: Is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning

(reasoning, learning problem solving) and in adaptive behavior, which covers a range of everyday social
and practical skills.

Classification: 2. Moderate Intellectual Disability

1. Mild Intellectual Disability
IQ 50 to 70
Slower than typical in all developmental
areas
Able to learn practical life skills
Attains reading and writing
Functions in daily life
IQ 35 to 49
Noticeable developmental delays (i.e.
speech, motor skills)
Can communicate in basic, simple ways
Able to learn basic health and safety skills
Can complete safe care activities

3. Severe Intellectual Disability 4. Profound Intellectual Disability

IQ 20 to 34
Consider delays in development
Understand speech, but little ability to
communicate
Able to learn daily routines
Needs direct supervision in social situations
IQ less than 20
Significant developmental delays in all areas
Obvious physical and congenital
abnormalities
Requires close supervision
Not capable of independent living

Characteristics:

- General Cognition - Learning and Memory - Adaptive Skills

- Self-Regulation Attention - Speech and Language
- Motivation - Academic Achievement Motivation

Classroom Adaptation

1. Use baby steps – Start by breaking each lesson down into its simplest, most vital components. This is teaching
a wider class to ensure they can keep up and develop the same understanding as their peers, to reduce frustration
and encourage participation.

2. Incorporate more physical learning experience – Whether it’s using physical items to support learning in
sciences or math’s or simply offering a direct way for students to connect their learning to the real world.

3. Start a feedback book or chart – This can create a record of the feedback, allowing the student to look back and
see their development in black and white.

4. Encourage music in the classroom – Using music alongside concepts or lessons can help them retain
information and offer greater engagement of the subject at hand.

5. Provide visual stimulus - ID students find it easier to focus when they are visually involved in the learning
process.
Visual Impairment

Description: Conditions of the eye or visual system that result in less than normal vision. Such impairments
can include reduced visual acuity, obstructed or narrowed field of vision, or failure of visual stimuli to be
sent to or processed by the brain.

Classification: 2. Functional Blindness- Students in this

category generally read and write using
1. Low Vision- Able to learn using their
Braille. Some functionally blind individuals
visual sense; however, they may need to
have enough vision to allow them to move
have print magnified, contrast enhanced, or
around the classroom safely. Others,
type font or size changed. They work more
however, may require considerable
slowly and had trouble working with details.
accommodations to do so.

3. Near Blindness- Occurs when visual 4. Total Blindness – Receive no stimuli

acuity is reduced so greatly that learning from their visual channel. They depend
takes place using data from other senses entirely on input from other senses.
most of the time.

Characteristics:

- Need for light - Difficulties with complexity:

- Color Preference
- Need for light
visual, auditory, facial
- Difficulty with distance
recognition, complexity of
viewing Absence of visually
array, object complexity.
guided reach

Classroom Adaptation

1.The classroom teacher should encourage independence as often as possible to avoid the trap of “learned
helplessness.”

2. Encourage the student to move independently through the classroom and organize your classroom
accordingly.

3. Materials, desks, and other objects in the classroom should be maintained in consistent locations.

4. The student’s orientation and mobility specialist and teacher of students with visual impairments can
assist with room arrangements and room familiarization.

5. Use verbal cues with those students who cannot see body movements or physical cues.
Emotional and Behavioral Disturbance
Description: Is an emotional disability characterized by the following: (i) An inability to build or maintain
satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and/or teachers. (ii) An inability to learn which cannot be
adequately explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors. (iii) A consistent or chronic inappropriate
type of behavior or feelings under normal conditions. (iv) A displayed pervasive mood of unhappiness or
depression. (v) A displayed tendency to develop physical symptoms, pains or unreasonable fears associated
with personal or school problems.

Classification: 3. Anxiety – withdrawal - It involves over

anxiety, social withdrawal, reclusiveness,
1. Conduct disorders- involve such
shyness, sensitivity, and other behaviors that
characteristics as overt aggression, both
imply a retreat from the environment rather
verbal and physical; disruptiveness;
than a hostile response to it.
negativism; irresponsibility; and defiance of
authority. 4. Psychotic behavior -is characterized by
expressing far-fetched ideas, repetitive
2. Motor excess- when the child is typically
speech, and all kinds of bizarre behaviors
restless, unable to sit still, tense, unable to
relax, and over talkative.

5. Attention problems – immaturity - 6. Socialized aggression- typically involves

characteristically involves preoccupation, gang activities, cooperative stealing,
short attention span, passivity, daydreaming, truancy, and other manifestations of
sluggishness, and other behaviors not participation in a delinquent subculture.
consistent with developmental expectations.

Characteristics:

Aggression or self-injurious Withdrawal (not interacting

Hyperactivity (short
behavior (acting out,
attention span, fighting)
impulsiveness) Learning difficulties
(academically performing
below grade level)
socially with others, excessive
fear or anxiety)
Immaturity (inappropriate
crying, temper tantrums, poor
coping skills)
Classroom Adaptation

1. Keep class rules/activities simple and clear

Try to keep your classroom guidelines broad and simple—no more than 3 to 5 main rules. Let students know
about them on the first day of class and post them in the classroom as well. There should be simple and clear
teaching activities that allow students with EBD to follow along and interact with the rest of the class.

2. Reward positive behaviors- Try to celebrate the successes of these students more than you reprimand or
punish their mistakes. When they receive positive feedback and rewards, they start to see that there is a
positive benefit to good behavior. They will then start to see you as more of an ally than an adversary, and this
will in turn motivate them to want to behave and do well in your classroom.

3. Allow for mini-breaks- A lot of EBD kids lack the emotional balance and maturity needed to remain
focused and on-task for long periods. Take time to periodically stop teaching and allow students to catch up if
need be. This will allow them to burn off any excess energy that might have built up from sitting still for a
long period of time.

4. Fair treatment for all- They often don’t respond very well to situations that appear unfair to them. This can
trigger a cascade of negative emotions and acting-out behavior. To ensure that you are treating all of your
students in a consistently fair manner, don’t bend your established rules for any student.

5. Use motivational strategies- Offer them incentives for academic successes, large and small. Celebrate their
hard work and praise their good efforts consistently. This can go a long way in giving these students the
motivation to excel in your class.
 Learning Disability
Description: Learning disabilities are neurologically-based processing problems. These processing problems can
interfere with learning basic skills such as reading, writing and/or math. They can also interfere with higher level
skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory and attention.

Classification: Dysgraphia- A specific learning disability

that affects a person’s handwriting ability
Dyscalculia- A specific learning disability
and fine motor skills. Problems may include
that affects a person’s ability to understand
illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing,
numbers and learn math facts, poor
poor spatial planning on paper, poor
comprehension of math symbols, may
spelling, and difficulty composing writing as
struggle with memorizing and organizing
well as thinking and writing at the same
numbers, have difficulty telling time, or
time.
have trouble with counting.

Dyslexia- A specific learning disability that Language Processing Disorder- There is

affects reading and related language-based difficulty attaching meaning to sound
processing skills. The severity can differ in groups that form words, sentences and
each individual but can affect reading stories.
fluency, decoding, reading comprehension,
recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes
speech and can exist along with other
related disorders.

Characteristics:

- appear unmotivated - have difficulty in reading - have difficulty studying for

- process information at a
slower rate (auditory
and/or visual)
comprehension (some are
better at inferential
comprehension than they
are at literal comprehension)
or they may understand
details but be unable to
relate them to the "big
picture"
exams ... they may tend to
study everything or not enough
- have difficulty monitoring
their own understanding (have
poor metacognitive skills)

Classroom Adaptation

1. break learning into small steps

2. supply regular, quality feedback

3. use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment what they say in words

4. engage students in process type questions like “How is the strategy working? Where else might you apply
it?”

5. model instructional practices that they want students to follow

Speech and Language Impairment
Description: A Speech Impairment is characterized by difficulty in articulation of words. Examples include
stuttering or problems producing sounds. Articulation refers to the sounds, syllables, and phonology
produced by the individual. Voice, however, may refer to the characteristics of the sounds produced
specifically, the pitch, quality, and intensity of the sound. Often, fluency will also be considered a category
under speech, encompassing the characteristics of rhythm, rate, and emphasis of the sound produced.

A Language Impairment is a specific impairment in understanding and sharing thoughts and ideas, i.e. a
disorder that involves the processing of linguistic information. Problems that may be experienced can
involve the form of language, including grammar, morphology, syntax; and the functional aspects of
language, including semantics and pragmatics
 Orthopedic Disability
Description: Orthopedic impairment is defined as a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's
educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g., clubfoot, absence
of some member, etc.), impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc.), and
impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

Classification: Degenerative diseases are composed of various

Spina bifida is a developmental defect of the
spinal column. Spina bifida is characterized
by an abnormal opening in the spinal column
and frequently involves some paralysis of
various portions of the body. It may or may
not affect intellectual functioning. Spina
bifida is usually classified as either spina
bifida occulta or spina bifida cystica. Spina
bifida occulta is a mild condition while spina
bifida cystica is more serious.
Musculoskeletal disorders are composed of
various conditions that can result in various
levels of physical limitations. Two examples
of musculoskeletal disorders include
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and limb
deficiency.
diseases that affect motor development. The
most common degenerative disease found in the
school population is muscular dystrophy.
Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited
diseases characterized by progressive muscle
weakness from degeneration of muscle fibers.
Cerebral palsy refers to several nonprogressive
disorders of voluntary movement or posture that
are caused by malfunction of or damage to the
developing brain that occurs before or during
birth or within the first few years of life.
- Spastic - Athetoid
- Ataxic - Mixed

Characteristics:

Classroom Adaptation

1. When you are expecting to have a child with orthopedic impairment in the class, consider the accessibility
of the classroom. If the child is in a wheelchair, the class should be accessible by wheelchair. Check if the
flooring is adequate for the child’s needs. Also check door width, stairs or thresholds and the door knobs.

2. Elaborates on effective strategies. It describes various adaptations teachers can accomplish in the
classroom to help a child with an orthopedic impairment to learn and participate in the class.
 Gifted and Talented
Description: “Gifted and talented children” means those persons between the ages of four and twenty-one
whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced
that they require special provisions to meet their educational programing needs. Children under five who are
gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services.

Classification:

Many people have varying views on what classifies a student as gifted and talented.

According to the Office of Gifted and Talented, six qualities determine giftedness.

These qualities are intellectual ability as well as talent, scoring in the 97th percentile and above on
aptitude tests, creative thinking, leadership ability, talents in the fine arts, and psychomotor abilities.

Characteristics:

- Learned or read very

early, often before school - Has great intellectual - Very good powers of
age curiosity reasoning and problem solving
- Read widely and rapidly - Have intense interest

Classroom Adaptation

1. Providing alternative activities that are cognitively challenging. Gifted children seem to love puzzles and brain
teaser type activities, providing those is great as well. (e.g. crossword puzzle books, cryptogram)

2. Supply quality books on their level.

- provide science books/magazines with vivid pictures and fun fact and trivia.

Surely, they will like it.

3. Look for competitions or opportunities for them to showcase their creativity.

- look out for poetry contests, writing contest etc. you can look for other things like science fair or spelling bees.
 Hearing Impairment
Description: Hearing loss, also known as hearing impairment, is a partial or total inability to hear. A deaf
person has little to no hearing. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can
affect the ability to learn spoken language and in adults, it can create difficulties with social interaction and at
work. Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent.

Classification: 3. Moderate hearing loss-Child just barely

1. Normal hearing-Child can hear sounds hear speech at a conversational level in a
and speech even if they are very soft. quiet environment and may or may not be
able to understand what is being said. The
2. Mild hearing loss-Child will consistently child's speech and language will likely be
miss some speech sounds. This will be even affected. Hearing aids are required.
more noticeable when there is background
noise or when the child is not standing close
to the person speaking. Speech and language
development may be affected. Hearing aids
will likely be beneficial.

4. Severe hearing loss- Child may detect
loud sounds in the environment but will not
hear normal conversational speech. Child
requires hearing aids in order to learn to
speak. Sign language could be an option.
5. Profound hearing loss- child likely
responds more to vibrations than to sounds.
Child may or may not receive benefit from
traditional hearing aids. Cochlear
implantation or the use of sign language are
two options available that could benefit this
type of loss.

Characteristics:

- Difficulty following verbal Some difficulties with - Often follows and rarely leads
directions social/emotional or
Will usually exhibit some form of
interpersonal skills
Difficulty with oral articulation difficulty
expression Will often have a degree of
language delay

Classroom Adaptation

1. Use captions - To cater for these students, it is important to use only captioned multimedia such as TV, online video and
DVDs. Captions provide vital access to multimedia content.
2. Make use of available technology - Many classrooms are now equipped with technologies such as interactive whiteboards
(IWBs) and sound field amplification systems. If you have access to these technologies or anything similar, ensure that you’ve
been briefed on how to best use them to complement your teaching.
3. Use visual stimulus - Students who have a hearing impairment require visual cues/ support in their learning Teachers can use
visual stimuli such as providing lesson outlines, main points and any directions on IWB or display boards to help these students.
5. Consider classroom arrangement - Ensure that these students are in a position where your face (and ideally the faces of other
students if they are participating in class discussion) are clearly visible, and where the sound of your voice is least obstructed.