Miss Ballard’s

Disability
Handbook

Updated December 2020

Table of Contents

Speech/Language Impairments………………………………….3
Specific Learning Disabilities………………………………………..5
Emotional Behavior Disorders………………………………………7
Intellectual Disabilities/Mental Retardation…………….9
Traumatic Brain Injury……………………………………………….11
Other Health Impairments/ADHD…………………………13
Multiple Disabilities………………………………………………………15
Visual Impairments……………………………………………………17
Hearing Impairments………………………………………………….19
Developmental Delays/Early Childhood
Special Education……………………………………………………….....21
Physical Disabilities……………………………………………………23
Gifted and Talented……………………………………………………25
Autism…………………………………………………………………………28
Frequent Sources…………………………………………………………30
Clipart Credits ……………………………………………………………..31
 Speech/Language
Impairments

Definition: difficulty
with communication
that interferes with
general education

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
o Attention Concerns
▪ Distractibility
▪ Difficulty listening/understanding verbal
information
▪ Poor attention to detail
▪ Need for repetition of information
o Social Concerns
▪ Poor social interactions
▪ Interrupts or intrudes with others
o Academic Concerns
▪ Difficulty following verbal instruction
▪ Poor receptive and expressive language skills
▪ Deficit sin reading, writing, or comprehension
▪ Decreased performance in loud environments
3
Strategies/Interventions:
- Clarify vocabulary and symbols (2.1)
- Promote understanding across languages
(2.4)
- Use multiple media for communication (5.1)

Continuum of Service: Students with

speech and language impairments can by
provided with aids and services to help
them in the general education classroom.
If the student still faces issues with
progress, they can be placed in a
separate classroom, like a special
education classroom.

Resources:

1. Special Education in North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/ND
SLP-FINAL09-19.pdf
2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/
3. Center for Parent Information and Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/speechlanguage/
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/language-disorders.html
4
 Specific Learning
Disabilities
Characteristics/Warning Signs:
Deficit in one or more of the following:
Definition:
- Oral expression Complexities
o Vocab, grammar, conversations
- Listening comprehension
of brain
o Understanding the meanings of structure
words and function
- Written expression
o Basic writing skills Compositions
skills
▪ Capitalization
▪ Punctuation
▪ Construction
- Basic reading skills
o Critical reading components
▪ Phonemic awareness
▪ Individual sounds
o Identifying letters
- Reading fluency skills
o Ability to read words with
appropriate speed and patterns
- Reading comprehension
o Ability to understand text
- Mathematics calculation
o Application of procedures
- Mathematics problem solving
o Computation skills, language,
reasoning, reading, and visual-
5 spatial skills
 Strategies/Interventions:
- Offer ways of
customizing the display
of information (1.1)
- Highlight patterns,
critical features, big
ideas, and relationships
(3.2)

Continuum of Service: Special education should not be

considered a place, but more so services and an environment
that allows for students learn and progress in general
education. A least restrictive environment cannot be based
on things such as the type of learning disability, available
space and services, or administrative convenience. Instead,
factors such as if the student can be successful in the
general education classroom with special aid, the benefits
of being in a general education classroom and in a special
education classroom, potential harmful outcomes of a being
in a special education classroom need to be considered.

Resources:

1. Special Education in North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/
Guidelines%20with%20RTI.2.pdf
2. SLD Read https://www.sldread.org/resources/
3. SLD Inclusion https://www.sldinclusion.com/specific-learning-disabilities
4. Learning Disabilities Association of America
https://ldaamerica.org/educators/?audience=Educators
6
 Emotional Behavior
Disorders
Definition: serious
emotional
disturbances and/or
atypical behavior

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- One or more of the following over a long
period of time
o Inability to learn that cannot be
explained by intellectual, sensory, or
health factors
o Inability to build or maintain
satisfactory interpersonal
relationships with peers and teachers
o Inappropriate types of behavior or
feelings under normal circumstances
o General, pervasive mood of
unhappiness or depression
o Tendency to develop physical
symptoms or fears associated with
personal or school problems
7
Strategies/Interventions: Continuum of
Service: Students
- Facilitate personal with emotional
coping skills and behavior disorders
strategies (9.2) are generally
- Minimize threats and included in general
distractions (7.3) education
- Optimize relevance, classrooms. There
value, and authenticity are instances, in
(7.2) severe cases, that
require students to
be in a special
education
classroom, a special
education program,
or a separate
school.

Resources:

1. Special Education in North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/20
16%20Revised%20ED%20guidelines%20Formatted.pdf
2. Education Corner https://www.educationcorner.com/behavioral-disorders-
in-the-classroom.html
3. Center for Parent Information and Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/emotionaldisturbance/
4. Children’s Mental Health and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Project
https://www.pacer.org/cmh/
8
 Intellectual Disabilities/
Mental Retardation
Definition: significantly sub-
average general intellectual
functioning; deficits in
adaptive behavior that Strategies/
affects educational Interventions:
performance; manifested - Maximize
during the developmental transfer and
period generalization
Characteristics/Warning Signs:
(3.4)
- Build fluencies
- Developmental delays
with
o Sit up, crawl, or walk
later than other children
graduated
o Learn to talk later/have levels of
trouble speaking support for
- Social skills practice and
o Trouble understanding performance
social rules (5.3)
o Trouble seeing - Vary the
consequences of actions
methods for
- Intellectual Delays
o Hard to remember things
response and
o Trouble problem solving navigation
9 o Trouble thinking logically (4.1)
 Continuum of Services: Students
should be included in the general
education classroom until certain
factors come into play: environment,
services, and programs.
Environmental factors include
general education classrooms, special
education classrooms, special schools,
home education, and hospital
institutions. Service factors include
access to nondisabled peers, access
to extracurricular activities,
assistive technology, supplementary
aids, and accommodations and
modifications. Program factors
include skills (academic,
developmental, functional, job, social,
and life), on going assessments,
leisure and recreation,
communication, and employment.
Resources:

1. Special Education in North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/ID
GuidelinesFinalVersionPosted.pdf
2. The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Delays
https://www.aaidd.org/
3. National Association of Councils on Developmental Delays
https://www.nacdd.org/
4. Center for Parent Information and Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/intellectual/ 10
 Traumatic Brain Injury
Definition: injury to the brain caused by external physical
force or an object that penetrates brain tissue; results
in total or partial functional disability from bruising,
torn tissues, bleeding, or other physical damage

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
General Symptoms
- Change in eating habits
- Easily irritable
- Change in sleep habits
- Depressive mood
- Loss of interest
Severe Symptoms
- Loss of consciousness
- Persistent or worsening headaches
- Vomiting or nausea
- Seizures or convulsions
- Clear fluid draining from nose or ears
- Weakness/numbness in fingers or toes
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Coma
11
 Strategies/Interventions:
- Illustrate through
multiple media (2.5)
- Guide information
processing and
visualization (3.3)

Continuum of Services: Students with traumatic

brain injury should receive aids and services while in a
general education classroom. They can also get
additional support for more specific, unique needs or if
they response differently to general education. They
can qualify for a specific learning disability, other
health impairment, and/or emotional distances

Resources:
1. Colorado Department of Education https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-tbi
( I didn’t find anything in the Special Education in North Dakota website)
2. Disability Law Center of Alaska
https://www.dlcak.org/files/6115/7515/4958/EducatingStudentswtihTBI.pdf
( I didn’t find anything in the Special Education in North Dakota website)
3. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-
injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20378557
4. James Newman https://www.jamesnewmanlaw.com/blog/returning-to-school-
after-a-traumatic-brain-injury-what-parents-in-nyc-need-to-know/

12
 Other Health
Impairments/ADHD
Definition: interference of
Strategies/
development or daily functions;
Interventions:
persistent pattern of
inattention/hyperactivity - Minimize
impulsivity threats
and
Characteristics/Warning Signs: distractions
- Defensive
(7.3)
- Mood swings - Guide
- Sleep disorder appropriate
- Social conflicts goal
- Easily frustrated setting
- Low self esteem (6.1)
- Immaturity
- Impulsive
- Often loses things
- Engagement in dangerous
activates
- Interrupt or drift in
conversations
- Anxiety
- Hyperactivity or fatigue
13
Continuum of Services: Placement for a student
with other health impairments (specifically
ADHD) in a least restrictive environment
depends on the needs of the students. First,
there will be a starting placement decided, like
the general education classroom, where the
student will start. If they start losing focus or
become irritable, they can be placed in a secondary
placement, like a special education classroom.

Resources:
1. Center for Parent Information
and Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.o
rg/ohi/
2. National Association of Special
Education Teachers
https://www.naset.org/index.ph
p?id=adhd3 and
https://www.naset.org/index.ph
p?id=otherimpairments2
3. American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/
Families_and_Youth/Resource_C
enters/ADHD_Resource_Center/
Home.aspx
4. Washington Developmental and
Behavioral Pediatrics
https://depts.washington.edu/d
bpeds/19EducationalRightsChild.
pdf
14
 Multiple Disabilities

Definition: the combination of two or more

significant impairments or disabilities, including
an intellectual disability, that interferes with
learning or developmental delays

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- Difficulties with efficient and
effect communication
- Changes in way of showing
abilities
- Changes in learning patterns
o Cognition
o Communication
o Socialization
o Self help
- Difficultly learning new tasks
and maintaining new skills
- Difficultly with problem
solving when need skills or
information is introduced
15
Strategies/Interventions:
- Heighten salience of goals and
objectives (8.1)
- Promote expectations and beliefs that
optimize motivation (9.1)
- Optimize access to tools and assistive
technologies (4.2)
Continuum of Service: Students with
speech and language impairments can by
provided with aids and services to help
them in the general education classroom.
If the student still faces issues with
progress, they can be placed in a
separate classroom, like a special
education classroom.

Resources:

1. Center for Parent Information and Resources

https://www.parentcenterhub.org/multiple/
2. Colorado Department of Education
https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-multiple ( I didn’t find
anything in the Special Education in North Dakota website)
3. Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
https://arksped.k12.ar.us/rules_regs_08/3.%20SPED%20ELIGIBI
LITY%20CRITERIA%20AND%20PROGRAM%20GUIDELINES%
20FOR%20CHILDREN/PART%20I%20ELIGIBILITY%20CRIT
ERIA%20AGES%205-
21/F.%20MULTIPLE%20DISABILITIES.pdf

4. American Academy of Special Education Professionals

http://aasep.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Protected_Directory/BCSE_Cour
se_Files/Course_5/Chapter-9-Special_Education_Eligibility.pdf 16
 Visual Impairments
Definition: visual impairment, including blindness,
that affects educational performance, even with
correction
- Low Vision
o Mild to moderate impairment
o Vision can be used for learning but impacts
daily activities
- Legally Blind
o Unreliable vision (needed to rely primarily on
other senses)
o Completely without sight (needed to rely only
on other senses)

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- Blank facial expressions
- Lack of visual communication skills
- Limited visual attention
- Not able to identify distant objects
- Closes eyes while listening
- Uses touch to identify objects
- Difficulties with depth perception and spatial
interpretation
17
Strategies/Interventions:
- Offer alternative for visual information (1.3)
- Offer ways of customizing the display of
information (1.1)
- Optimize access to tools and assistive
technologies (4.2)

Continuum of Services: For students that are

visually impaired, there are options that include
and combine general education classrooms, special
education classrooms, home instruction, and
instruction in hospitals or institutions. The
decision must be based on needs of the student,
considering how to best help the student learn.

Resources:
1. North Dakota Department of Public
Instruction
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/file
s/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/VIpolicy
_.pdf
2. National Association of Special
Education Teachers
https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=vi
sualimpairments2
3. Center for Parent Information and
Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/dea
fblindness/
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/visu
alimpairment/
4. Project Ideal
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/vis
ual-impairments/ 18
 Hearing Impairments
Definition: Hearing Impairment
o A permanent or fluctuating hearing impairment
that affects educational performance
- Deafness
o A hearing impairment that affects the
processing of linguistic information through
hearing (with or without amplification)

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- Does not respond to sounds
- Asks for things to be repeated
- Delays in speech
development/has unclear speech
- Turns up volumes

Strategies/Interventions:
- Offer alternatives for auditory
information (1.2)
- Offer ways of customizing the
display of information (1.1)
- Optimize access to tools and
assistive technologies (4.2)
19
Continuum of Services: There are a lot of factors to
considered when placing a child with a hearing
impairment into a least restrictive environment:
parents and student preference, availability of
communication access, availability of interpreters,
available technology for student use, and access and
availability of extracurricular options. These factors
will help determine what will be the best way for
the student to learn and succeed.

Resources:
1. North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/He
aring%20Impaired%20Accessible%20Info%20Paper.pdf
2. Center for Parent Information and Resources
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/deafblindness/
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/hearingloss/
3. National Association of Special Education Teachers
https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=hearingimpairments2
4. Teachers’ Gateway to Special Education
https://www.teachspeced.ca/hearing-impairment 20
 Developmental Delays

Definition: slow
to meet or not
reaching
milestones in at
least one area of
development

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
Milestones not being met:
- Social and Emotional
o Development and maintain interpersonal relationships
- Communication
o Use and understand age-appropriate language
o Vocabulary, grammar, speech sounds
- Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem solving)
o Comprehend, remember, and make sense of
experiences
o Ability to think (intelligence)
- Physical/Motor
o Fine and gross motor skills
o Standing, walking, balancing, climbing
- Adaptive
o Develop and use self-help skills
o Independent feeding, personal hygiene, dressing self
21
 Strategies/Interventions:
- Vary the methods for response and
navigation (4.1)
- Use multiple media for communication
(5.1)
- Guide information processing and
visualization (3.3)

Continuum of Services: Alternative placement for early

childhood special education includes numerous different
factors. Instruction placement involves general
education classrooms, special education classrooms and
classes, special schools, home instruction, and hospital
or institution instruction. It also depends on the
quality of services available and potential harmful
effects on the student.
Resources:

1. North Dakota Department of Public

Instruction
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/docu
ments/SpeEd/Early%20Childhood/ECSEServic
esQuestionsandAnswers.pdf
2. Contemporary Practices in Early Intervention
https://www.teachingei.org/disabilities/prime
rs/Developmental_Delay.pdf
3. Special Education Support Center
https://specialeducationsupportcenter.org/dis
ability-categories/developmental-delay/
4. National Association of Special Education
Teachers
https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=earlyinte
rvention2 22
 Physical Disabilities
Definition: medically diagnosed chronic, physical
impairment that affects physical and/or academic
functioning; can be caused by an abnormality (e.g.,
missing limbs), disease (e.g., bone tuberculosis,
poliomyelitis), or other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy,
fractures, burns, amputations)

Characteristics/Warning
Signs:
o Spastic (tight
muscles)
o Athetoid Strategies/
(contorted or Interventions:
abnormal
movements) - Vary methods
o Ataxic (poor for response and
balance and navigation (4.1)
uncoordinated - Use multiple
voluntary tools for
movement) construction and
composition
(5.2)
23
Continuum of Services: Occupational Therapy
and Physical Therapy can be used for students
with physical disabilities for creating the least
restrictive environment. Some things that
factor into their therapy are space or
equipment required and the location of the
therapy. It is preferred to use a push in
method, which means the therapists work in
the school. This way students are not being
pull from school in order to go to therapy, the
pull-out services.

Resources:
1. Special Education in North
Dakota
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sit
es/www/files/documents/Sp
eEd/Guidelines/NDOTPTGui
delinesFinal09-19.pdf
2. Area Special Education
Cooperative
http://www.asec.net/tses/
Disability%20Criteria/physi
mpair.htm
3. National Association of
Special Education Teachers
https://www.naset.org/inde
x.php?id=2278
4. Project Ideal
http://www.projectidealonlin
e.org/v/orthopedic-
impairments/

24
 Gifted and Talented

Definition: students who have evidence of high

achievement capability, intellectually, creatively,
artistically, in leadership roles, or academically in
specific fields

Types:
- Successful
o High achievers
- Challenging
o High levels of curiosity
o Do not conform to the system
- Underground
o Deny their giftedness or talents
o Insecure and anxious
- Dropouts
o Angry and frustrated and feel rejected
o Depressed and withdrawn
- Double Labeled
o Physically or emotionally impaired or have
a learning disability
o Impatient and low self esteem
- Autonomous Learner
o Successful with leadership skills

25
 Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- Variety of interest
- Excellent memory
- Long attention span
- Unusual curiosity
- Persistence in attacking difficult mental
tasks
- Creative ability
- Problem solving and reasoning skills
- Rapid learning ability
- High degree of energy
- Above average language development
- Early/avid reader
- Heightened sensitivity
- Vivid imagination
- Perfectionism

Strategies/Interventions:
- Guide appropriate goal-setting (6.1)
- Promote expectations and beliefs that
optimize motivation (9.1)
- Develop self-assessment and reflection (9.3)
- Facilitate managing information and resources
(6.3) 26
 Continuum of Services: A least
restrictive environment for a
gifted/talented student can include
standalone programs, acceleration,
ability grouping, mentorships,
independent study, and online
options.

Resources:
1. Global Gifted and Talented Chat
https://globalgtchatpoweredbytagt.wordpress.com
/2016/10/27/least-restrictive-environment-for-
gifted-
students/#:~:text=Least%20Restrictive%20Envir
onment%20(LRE)%20is,environment%3B%20th
e%20general%20education%20classroom.
2. Up Coaching https://upcoaching.nl/6-types-
giftedness/
3. Brainy Child http://www.brainy-
child.com/expert/gifted-characteristic.shtml
4. National Association for Gifted Children
https://www.nagc.org/resources-
publications/resources/frequently-asked-questions-
about-gifted-education

27
 Autism

Definition: a developmental
disability significantly
affecting verbal and non-
verbal communication and
social interaction; generally
evident before 3 years old

Characteristics/Warning Signs:
- Language delays/deficits
- Abnormal ways of relating to
people, objects, or events
- Uneven developmental
abilities
- Scattered strengths and
weaknesses
- Avoid eye contact
- Repeat or echo words phases
- Trouble expressing needs
- Trouble adapting to change

28
 Strategies/Interventions:
- Minimize threat and distractions (7.3)
- Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas,
and relationships (3.2)

Continuum of Services: Students can be in

general education classes until their
needs are no longer met, even when they
have support services available. Some
beneficial placements include special
education classrooms and classes, special
school, or home instruction.

Resources:
1. Special Education in North Dakota
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SpeEd/Guidelines/ND
%20Guidelines%20for%20Serving%20Students%20with%20ASD%
20FINAL%209-14.pdf
2. National Association of Special Education Teachers
https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=autism2
3. Autism Society https://www.autism-society.org/
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html

29
Frequent Sources
1. UDL Guidelines
http://udlguidelines.cast.org/binaries/content/assets
/udlguidelines/udlg-v2-2/udlg_graphicorganizer_v2-
2_numbers-yes.pdf
2. North Dakota Department of Public Education
https://www.nd.gov/dpi/education-programs/special-
education
3. NASET https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=naset

30
 Credits

Clipart-

Rulers

Kids
Freshly Messy

31