MODULE 6 LEARNERS WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES

Introduction
One significant factor that highlight individual differences and diversity in learning is the presence of exceptionalities.
We commonly refer to learners with exceptionalities as persons who are different in some way from the “normal” or
“average”. The term “exceptional learners” include those with special needs related to cognitive abilities, behavior, social
functioning, physical and sensory impairments, emotional disturbances, and giftedness.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISABILITY AND HANDICAP

Disability
It is a measurable impairment or limitations that “interferes with a person’s ability, for example, to walk, lift, hear,
learn. It may refer to a physical, sensory, or mental condition (Schiefelbusch Institute,1996). The world disability has
become the more accepted term, having replaced the world handicap in federal laws in the US, one of which is the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the law that provides comprehensive service and support
Article XIV, Sec 2, uses the word “disabled” in paragraph (5) “provide adult citizens, the disabled, and out of school youth
with training.
Handicap
It is a disadvantage that occurs as a result of the Disability or impairment. The degree of disadvantage (or the extent of
the handicap) is often dependent on the adjustment made by both the person and his environment. Therefore, the extent to
which a disability handicaps an individual can vary greatly. Two persons may have the same disability but not the same
degree of being handicapped. For Example, they both have a hearing impairment, one knows sign language and can reap
lips while the other cannot. The first individual would not have as much handicap as a second one.

CATEGORIES OF EXCEPTIONALITIES
There are different ways of presenting categories of Exceptionalities. Special education practitioners would have varying
terms and categories. For the short introduction of categories, we are basing it on the categories found in Omrod’s
Educational Psychology (2002).
1. SPECIFIC COGNITIVE OR ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES
-Learning Disabilities
It involves difficulties in specific cognitive processes like perception, language, memory or metacognition that are
not due to other disabilities like mental retardation, emotional or behavioral disorders, or sensory impairments.
Examples of learning disabilities include dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (number operation) and dysgraphia (writing).
-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
It is manifested in either or both of these (1) difficulty in focusing and maintaining attention and (2) recurrent
hyperactive and impulsive behavior.
- Speech and Communication Disorder
There is difficulty in spoken language including voice disorders, inability to produce the sounds correctly, stuttering,
difficulty in spoken language comprehension that significantly hamper classroom performance.

2. SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES

-Autism
It is a condition manifested by different levels of impaired social interaction and communication, repetitive
behaviors and limited interests. Individuals with autism usually have an intense need for routine and a predictable
environment.
 -Mental Retardation
It refers to significant sub-average intelligence and deficits in adaptive behavior. There is difficulty in managing
activities of daily living and in conducting themselves appropriately in social situations.
- Emotional/Conduct Disorders
It involves the presence of emotional states like depression and aggression over a considerable amount of time that
they notably disturb learning and performance in school.
3. PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS
-Physical and Health Impairments
It involves physical or medical conditions (usually long-term) including one or more of these: (1) limited energy
and strength, (2) reduced mental alertness, and/or (3) little muscle control.
-Severe and Multiple Disabilities
It refers to the presence of two or more different types of disability, at times at a profound level. The combination
of disabilities makes it necessary to make specific adaptations and have more specialized educational programs.
4. SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS
-Visual Impairments
There are conditions when there is malfunction of the eyes or optic nerves that prevent normal vision even with
corrective lenses.
-Hearing Impairments
These involve malfunction of the ear or auditory nerves that hinders perception of sounds within the frequency
range of normal speech.
5. Giftedness
This involves a significantly high level of cognitive development. There is unusually high ability or aptitude in one
or more of these aspects: intellectual ability, aptitude in academic subjects, creativity, visual or performing arts or
leadership.
PEOPLE FIRST LANGUAGE
What is People First Language? this language trend involves putting the person first, not the disability (a person with a
disability, not a disabled person). Thus, People First Language tells us what conditions people have, not what they are
(Schiefelbusch Institute, 1996). This is similar to saying “person with AIDS, rather than “AIDS victim”.
People-first language, also called person-first language, is a type of linguistic prescription. Using People First Language
and applying the guidelines above will remind you to have more respectful and accepting attitude toward learners with
exceptionalities. This presence of impairments requires them to exert more effort to do things that others like us find quite
easy to do. They are learners who may turn to you for assistance. Beginning with the right attitude, one of compassion (not
of pity nor ridicule) will make you more effective teacher, one with the hand and the heart who can facilitate their learning
and adjustment.
Other referring to those with disabilities
• Avoiding generic labels (people with mental retardation is preferable to mentally retarded).
• Emphasizing abilities, not limitations (for instance, uses a wheelchair is preferable to confined to a wheelchair).
• Avoiding Euphemisms (such as physically challenge) which are regarded as condescending and avoid the real issues that
result from a disability.
• Avoiding Implying illness or suffering (had a polio is preferable to a polio victim, and has multiple sclerosis is preferable
to suffer from multiple sclerosis) from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,2000; Schiefelbusch
Institute,1996.