Educ 2 Foundation of

Special & Inclusive

Education
Finals notes
 Week 1: types of disabilities
21 Disabilities as per Rights of
Person with Disabilities
(RPwD) Act 2016
Common Types of Disabilities:

➢ Blindness ➢ Mental illness

➢ Low-vision
➢ Leprosy cured persons
➢ Locomotor disability
➢ Dwarfism
➢ Intellectual disability
➢ Cerebral Palsy
➢ Specific learning disability
➢ Speech and language disability
➢ Hearing Impairment
➢ Autism spectrum disorder
Acid attack victim

Other not-so-common types of Disabilities: Acid Attacks: The Most Horrendous Crime

➢ Muscular dystrophy
➢ Acid attack victim
➢ Parkinson’s disease
➢ Multiple sclerosis
➢ Thalassemia
➢ Hemophilia o Acid attack’ or vitriol attack is defined as the act of throwing acid onto the body
➢ Sickle cell disease of a person “with the intention of injuring or disfiguring [them] out of jealousy
➢ Chronic neurological conditions or revenge”.
➢ Multiple disabilities including deaf blindness

❖ The not so common types of Disabilities. Some types can happen to anyone of us Parkinson’s disease
at an age or time that we least expect to hit us.
o Parkinson's disease is a brain
disorder that leads to shaking,
Muscular dystrophy stiffness, and difficulty with walking,
Muscular dystrophy is a group of over 30 conditions that lead to muscle weakness balance, and coordination.
and degeneration. As the condition progresses, it becomes harder to move. In some Parkinson's symptoms usually
cases, it can affect breathing and heart function, leading to life-threatening begin gradually and get worse over
complications. time. As the disease progresses,
people may have difficulty walking
o Muscular dystrophy is caused by mutations on the X chromosome. Each and talking.
version of muscular dystrophy is due to a different set of mutations, but all
prevent the body from producing dystrophin. Dystrophin is a protein essential People with PARKINSON’S DISEASE
for building and repairing muscles.
- Pope John Paul II & Us President
George W. Bush
 Multiple sclerosis Sickle cell disease
o SCD is a group of inherited red blood cell
o Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous disorders. Healthy red blood cells are
system (the brain and spinal cord). MS occurs when the immune system round, and they move through small blood
attacks nerve fibers and myelin sheathing (a fatty substance which vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the
surrounds/insulates healthy nerve fibers) in the brain and spinal cord. body. In someone who has SCD, the red
blood cells become hard and sticky and
Thalassemia look like a C-shaped farm tool called a
“sickle”.
o Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents to children through o This is common among those with African
genes) blood disorder caused when the body doesn't make enough of a protein descent.
called hemoglobin, an important part of red blood cells.
Autism spectrum disorder
o Autism spectrum disorder
Hemophilia (ASD) is a developmental
disability caused by
o Hemophilia is usually an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does differences in the brain.
not clot properly. This can lead to spontaneous bleeding as well as bleeding Some people with ASD
following injuries or surgery. Blood contains many proteins called clotting have a known difference,
factors that can help to stop bleeding. such as a genetic
o Also known as a Royal Disease (Queen Victoria had it.) condition. Other causes
are not yet known.
Scientists believe there
are multiple causes of
ASD that act together to
change the most common
ways people develop.

Chronic neurological conditions

o Neurological disorders are medically defined as disorders that affect the
brain as well as the nerves found throughout the human body and the spinal
cord. Structural, biochemical, or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal
cord, or other nerves can result in a range of symptoms.

o Includes Diseases: Epilepsy; Neuromuscular disease...

 Multiple disabilities including deaf blindness with FXS; other than that, there are also ADHD, seizure disorders, and large testes
o Multiple Disabilities (MD) means that a person has more than one disability. in adolescent males.
What caused the disabilities? Often, no one knows. For some children, we
Features of people with FXS are:
know the cause, while for others cause is not known.
• Long, narrow face
o When a person has several different disabilities we say, that he/she has • prominent jaw and forehead
multiple disabilities. For example, a person may have difficulties in learning, • large, sticking-out ears
along with controlling her movements and/or with hearing and vision. The
It may not be seen in infants but becomes obvious as the child gets older.
effect of multiple disabilities can be more than the combination of two
individual disabilities.

Multiple disabilities including deaf blindness 2. Down syndrome

Some examples of multiple disabilities are: o A condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are
small "packages" of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body
Deafblind (Visual Impairment + Hearing Impairment) forms and functions as it grows during pregnancy and after birth. Typically,
a baby is born with 46 chromosomes.
Visual Impairment + Hearing Impairment + Mental Retardation
o Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these
Visual Impairment + Mental Retardation chromosomes, chromosome 21.
o A medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is 'trisomy.'
Cerebral Palsy + Mental Retardation/ Hearing/ Speech/ Visual problems Down syndrome is also referred to as trisomy 21.
o This extra copy changes how the baby’s body and brain develop, which can
cause both mental and physical challenges for the baby.
WEEK 2: GROUP 1 (Green Team) o People with Down syndrome usually have an IQ in the mildly to
moderately low range and are slower to speak than other children.
A. Learners with Intellectual Disability
Some common physical features of Down syndrome include:
1. Fragile X syndrome (FXS)
➢ flattened face, especially the bridge of ➢ Small hands and feet
o It is a genetic disorder caused by changes in a gene called Fragile X the nose
Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1). People who have FXS do not ➢ almond-shaped eyes that slant up ➢ A single line across the palm of the
make this protein. Some who have FXS have developmental delays, e.g., hand (palmar crease)
not sitting, walking, or talking at the same time as other children the same ➢ A short neck ➢ Small pinky fingers that sometimes
curve toward the thumb
age; learning disabilities like trouble learning new skills; and social and
➢ Small ears ➢ Poor muscle tone or loose joints
behavioral problems (such as not making eye contact, anxiety, trouble
➢ A tongue that tends to stick out of the ➢ Shorter in height than children and
paying attention, hand flapping, acting and speaking without thinking, and mouth adults
being very active). ➢ Tiny white spots on the iris (colored
Males who have FXS, usually have some degree of intellectual disability that part) of the eye
can range from mild to severe.

Females with FXS can have normal intelligence or some degree of intellectual
disability. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) also occurs more frequently in people
3. Trisomy 21 5. Prader Willi syndrome

➢ While there are different types of Down syndrome, the most common form ➢ A complex genetic condition that affects many parts of the body. It is caused
is trisomy 21, which occurs when an individual has an extra copy of by some missing genetic material in a group of genes on chromosome 15.
chromosome 21 in all of their cells. This extra genetic material alters how This leads to a number of problems and is thought to affect a part of the
the body and brain develop, leading to certain physical and cognitive brain called the hypothalamus, which produces hormones and regulates
characteristics typical of Down syndrome. growth and appetite. This condition is characterized by weak muscle tone
(hypotonia), feeding difficulties, poor growth, and delayed development in
Some common features of Down syndrome:
infancy.
➢ include distinctive facial features
➢ developmental delays ➢ Beginning in childhood, affected individuals develop an extreme hunger
➢ intellectual disability that leads to chronic overeating (hyperphagia) and obesity. Some people
➢ increased risk of certain health problems, such as heart defects and with Prader-Willi syndrome, particularly those with obesity, also develop
respiratory infections. type 2 diabetes (the most common form of diabetes).
➢ People with Prader-Willi syndrome typically have mild to moderate
It is important to note that while Down syndrome is a genetic condition, it does not intellectual impairments and learning disabilities. Behavioral problems are
define an individual or determine their abilities or potential. People with Down common, including temper outbursts, stubbornness, and compulsive
syndrome can lead fulfilling lives, and with appropriate support and opportunities, behaviors such as picking at the skin. Sleep abnormalities can also occur.
they can achieve their goals and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.
Other features of Prader-Willi syndrome appear during early childhood and
remain throughout life, requiring careful management. These features may
4. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FASD) include:
➢ A group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol
➢ Food cravings and weight gain.
before birth. These effects can include physical problems and problems with
➢ Underdeveloped sexual organs A condition called hypogonadism occurs when
behavior and learning. Often, a person with FASD has a mix of these problems.
the sex organs (testes in men and ovaries in women) produce little or no sex
A person with an FASD might have the following symptoms: hormones.
➢ poor growth and physical development.
➢ Low body weight ➢ Speech and language delays ➢ Cognitive impairment. Mild to moderate intellectual disability, such as issues with
➢ Poor coordination ➢ Intellectual disability or low IQ thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving, is a common feature of the disorder.
➢ Delayed motor development
➢ Hyperactive behavior ➢ Poor reasoning and judgment skills
➢ Speech problems.
➢ Hyperactive behavior ➢ Sleep and sucking problems as a baby ➢ Behavioral problems.
➢ Sleep disorders.
➢ Difficulty with attention ➢ vision or hearing problems
➢ Other signs and symptoms These may include small hands and feet, curvature
➢ Poor memory ➢ Problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones of the spine (scoliosis), hip problems, reduced saliva flow, nearsightedness and
➢ Difficulty in school (especially with math) ➢ Shorter-than-average height other vision problems, problems regulating body temperature, a high pain
tolerance, or a lack of pigment (hypopigmentation) causing the hair, eyes, and
➢ Learning disabilities ➢ small head size
skin to be pale.
➢ Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between
the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum).
6. Cerebral Palsy
➢ Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone ➢ Difficulty reading, including reading ➢ Difficulty summarizing a story
or posture. It's caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing aloud
brain, most often before birth. ➢ Slow and labor-intensive reading and ➢ Trouble learning a foreign
writing language
Signs and symptoms appear during infancy or the preschool years. In general, ➢ Problems spelling ➢ Difficulty doing math word
cerebral palsy causes impaired movement associated with exaggerated reflexes, problems
floppiness or spasticity of the limbs and trunk, unusual posture, involuntary ➢ Avoiding activities that involve reading
movements, unsteady walking, or some combination of these. Others can have; ➢ mispronouncing names or words, or
problems retrieving words
• People with cerebral palsy can have problems in swallowing. ➢ Spending an unusually long-time
• commonly have eye muscle imbalance, in which the eyes don't focus on the completing tasks that involve reading
same object. or writing
• reduced range of motion at various joints of their bodies due to muscle
stiffness.

Some people with cerebral palsy can walk; others need assistance. Some people 2. DYSGRAPHIA
have intellectual disabilities, but others do not. Epilepsy, blindness, or deafness
also might be present. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong disorder. There is no cure, but ➢ dysgraphia, which is a neurological disorder characterized by writing
treatments can help improve function. disabilities. Specifically, the disorder causes a person’s writing to be
distorted or incorrect.

B. Learners with Learning Disability

3. Dyscalculia

1. DYSLEXIA
➢ Dyslexia, a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems
identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words
(decoding). Also called a reading disability, dyslexia is a result of individual
differences in areas of the brain that process language.
Dyslexia is caused by dysfunction within a neural circuit that supports reading. This
circuit involves regions in the temporal and frontal lobes in the left hemisphere of the
brain. These are the areas responsible for language comprehension and expression.
In addition to family history being a risk factor, there’s a greater risk for dyslexia in
individuals who were born prematurely or had a low birth weight. Being exposed to
alcohol, drugs, or infections while in the womb can also raise the risk.
➢ People who have dyscalculia struggle with numbers and math because their
brains don't process math-related concepts like the brains of people without
this disorder.
➢ People who have dyscalculia are neurodivergent. Neurodiversity is a term
that describes how no two people have the same brain and how everyone’s
brain forms and develops in a completely unique way. For people with
dyscalculia, that means their brain works differently from the brain of
someone who doesn’t have disorders or conditions that affect how their
brain works.
➢ find number-based information and math very difficult to understand

Dyslexia signs in teens and adults are a lot like those in children. Some common
dyslexia symptoms in teens and adults include:
several different skills and the areas of the brain that manage them to work
together to do it. Some of those include:
Visual processing: Your eyes see the entirety of the math problem and send the
components back to your brain for processing.
Short-term memory: You use your short-term memory to hold onto the specifics of
the math problem as you work on it. For example, the number amounts, the symbols,
and the order in which they appear all matter.
Language: You use this part of your brain to translate the symbols in the math
problem into what those symbols mean. That’s how you know what the plus sign,
equal sign, and question mark mean in this context.
Long-term memory: You access this kind of memory to remember the process of
how to solve a math problem. In this case, your brain identifies that this is an
addition problem based on the plus sign and the equals sign.
Understanding of quantities and amounts: Your brain translates the symbol "2"
into the understanding that it represents a specific amount or quantity. Children
usually learn this principle by being given examples like fruits or animals.
Calculation: This process unites all of the above, helping you solve that 2+2=4.
WEEK 3: GROUP 2 (Blue Team)
C. Learners with Physical Disabilities
1. Visual Impairment
➢ a general term used to describe people who cannot see even with corrections.
Visual Impairment is the decrease of the ability to see to a certain degree that
causes problems not fixable by usual means like glasses.
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
o visual impairment adversely affects an individual’s daily performance even
with corrections such as glasses or contacts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies visual impairment based on 2
factors:
1. Visual acuity: clarity of vision
2. Visual fields: the area from which you’re able to perceive visual information,
while your eyes are in a stationary position and you’re looking straight at an object
(in simple words, your peripheral view).
The Snellen Chart
Used to test visual acuity.
Visual acuity is calculated using two numbers.
#1 The distance between the person reading
the chart and the chart
#2 The distance that a person with normal
vision would have to stand from an object to
see what you did at 20 feet
A normal visual acuity is 20/20 and a normal visual field is about 160-170
degrees horizontally.
 There are different Classifications of Visual Impairment The person cannot read a book or any printed materials at a normal distance even
when using eyeglasses or contacts.
❖ LEGALLY BLIND
o Deaf-Blind
• Legally blind people haven’t lost their sight completely.
• They have minimal light or form perception which means they still have Have limited vision and hearing. Trained using braille and sign language.
forms of usable vision.
• Legal blindness either concerns the visual acuity of the central vision or the
visual fields. Other factors of visual impairment:
• Has 20/200 vision in the better eye. They need to stand 20 feet from an
o Eye diseases
object to see it as well as someone with perfect vision could from 200 feet
o Injuries
away.
o Neurological disorders
• Left: 20/20; Right: 20/200
• With legal blindness, you cannot see any better than that even if you have a Some babies have congenital blindness, which means they have been visually
pair of glasses or contacts. impaired since birth. It can be caused by:

Another type of legal blindness: o Genes inherited from the parents; or

o Infection during pregnancy (measles)
Side Vision
There are also conditions that may cause vision loss after birth.
➢ It has something to do with somebody’s side vision or the peripheral
1. Myopia (Nearsightedness)
view.
2. Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
❖ TOTALLY BLIND
3. Astigmatism (Blurred Vision)
• Completely lacks vision or totally without any sight
• It is a state of being unable to see 4. Amblyopia
• Defined as a visual acuity worse than 20/400 5. Cataracts
• Having a visual field of 10 degrees or less.
6. Diabetic retinopathy
Both legally blind and totally blind people depend on their tactile (sense of touch)
7.Retinitis Pigmentosa
and auditory senses as the channel of learning.
8.Retrolental Fibroplasia
o Partially sighted
9. Glaucoma
Have a limited perception with the environment
10. Macular degeneration
They use their sense of touch and hearing as a way to learn about their
environment 11.Usher syndrome

o Low vision 12.Trachoma

Still has a residual or remaining vision that can be used with the help of prescribed 13.Optic Nerve Atrophy
or non-prescribed devices.
14.Ocular Albinism
 Myopia - Nearsightedness,
- One can see clearly if the object is close.
Hyperopia - Farsightedness
- Opposite of Myopia
- One can see an object if it is far from him
Astigmatism - Blurred Vision
- One sees a blurry image of the things around due
to the curve cornea or lens. It can be corrected
through eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Amblyopia - It is reduced vision in an eye caused by lack of use
of that eye in early childhood.
- For example, one eye might focus better than the
other. This is also known as lazy eye.
- The brain favors the eye with a stronger vision and
ignores images from the weaker eye.
It is possible to correct amblyopia. Strategies such
as eye patching and wearing corrective lenses help
treat this condition.
Cataracts - Cloudy areas in part or all of the lens of the eye
caused by the breakdown of protein and fibers in the
lens.
- Cataracts prevent light from easily passing through
the lens which causes loss of vision.
- Cataracts often form slowly and usually affect
elderly people. However, there are babies who also
have congenital cataracts.
- Surgery can get rid of cataracts.
Diabetic retinopathy - Occurs when tiny blood vessels in the retina are
damaged due to diabetes.
- People having this condition might not have any
problems seeing at first but if the condition gets
worse, they can become blind.
To prevent retinopathy, people with diabetes should
also:
●Avoid smoking
●Keep their blood pressure under control
●Keep their blood sugar at an even level
There is no cure for this condition but there are
treatments that work to prevent, delay, or reduce
vision loss.
Retinitis Pigmentosa - The gradual degeneration of the retina.
- Can result in blindness, photophobia (light
sensitivity), and loss of macular vision.
- Inherited and cannot be treated.
Retrolental Fibroplasia - Typical to premature babies who are overexposed
to oxygen in the incubator.
Glaucoma - An increase in pressure inside the eye. The
increased pressure impairs vision by damaging the
optic nerve.
- It is mostly seen in older adults but again, there are
babies who were born with this condition. Children
and teens can also develop this as well.
- There’s no cure for glaucoma but early treatment
can often stop the damage and protect your
remaining vision.
Macular degeneration A gradual and progressive deterioration of the
macula (the most sensitive region of the retina).
This condition leads to progressive loss of central
vision.
Often age related but young people can also have
this condition.
Excessive exposure to sunlight and smoking can
increase the risk for age-related macular
degeneration.
The symptoms include:
●Increased difficulty in reading
●Distorted vision (straight lines appear wavy)
●Objects look smaller or larger than normal
There’s no treatment for this condition. To prevent
this from worsening, one must have regular eye
injections and a light treatment: photodynamic
therapy.
 Usher Syndrome - Deaf blind condition. ●At present, Braille became the number one source of literacy for the blind.
- Combination of congenital deafness and retinitis
●It has two grades. 1: introduces alphabet; 2: introduces contractions or 189-abbreviation
pigmentosa.
Trachoma - Occurs when a very contagious microorganism b) Brailler
called Chlamydia trachomatis causes inflammation • Like a typewriter and is often used by younger students to learn braille.
in the eye.
c) Slate and Stylus
Optic Nerve Atrophy - Damage of the optic nerve.
It is not a disease but instead a sign of a potentially ●Often used by older students.
more serious condition.
●Braille dots are punched by hand
Ocular Albinism - A genetic condition.
Reduces the coloring or the pigmentation of the iris, ●Tactile-experience book
the colored part of the eye.
●Embossed maps and diagrams

Three-dimensional models
People with visual impairment should have regular comprehensive eye exams by
eye care professionals. (The optometrists). d.) Orientation and Mobility Program
Special education teachers need intensive training in using Braille to teach e.) Cane
students with vision loss.
f.) Sight Guides
Best ways for teachers to help students with visual impairment:
g.) Guide Dogs
●Train the students to use their functional vision.

●Illuminate the classroom properly.

●Give a photocopy of the lecture notes and as much as possible, shorten the B. Manipulative
notes.
Cuisenaire Rods
●Verbalize the writings on the board.
o By touching the rod, one can determine the length and markings
●Avoid cluttering the board. associated with each rod.
Lost vision cannot be restored. However, it can be managed with the help of o This helps develop mathematical skills and concepts.
assistive devices, people with visual impairment can lead full and independent
lives. Cranmer Abacus

●Helpful in practicing number concepts such as counting and making calculations

by manipulating the beads.
A. Tactile Aids
a) Braille Talking calculator

●Derived from a student of the first school for the blind names, Louis Braille. He developed ●An electronic calculator that performs the operations of standard calculators but
his embossed dots as a communication system. it talks.
Optical devices TYPES OF HEARING LOSS

o Used to accommodate people with low vision. A hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear or auditory (hearing) system is
o Glasses not working in the usual way.
o Contact lenses Outer Ear
o Magnifier
The outer ear is made up of:
o Telescope
o Large print materials o The outer ear is made up of:
o The ear canals
Educators must develop non-verbal and verbal commands. o the eardrum, sometimes called the tympanic membrane, which separates the
Example: outer and middle a ear

Middle Ear
✓ Clapping, Tapping, and presenting different tones of voice so that children
will identify the different kinds of emotions. The middle ear is made up of:
✓ Make no changes in the furniture in the classroom so that they will not
o the eardrum
have any difficulty roaming around the classroom.
o three small bones called ossicles that send the movement of the eardrum to the
✓ Integrate physical activities. inner ear
✓ Develop the sense of hearing and touch through activities or some form
of play. Inner Ear
✓ Teach some basic chores so that they will feel included and give them a The inner ear is made up of:
sense of purpose.
o the snail-shaped organ for hearing known as the cochlea
2. HEARING IMPAIRMENT o the semicircular canals that help with balance
o the nerves that go to the brain
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, formerly the
Education of the Handicapped Act (P.L. 94-142), includes "hearing impairment"
and "deafness" as two of the categories under which children with disabilities • Auditory (ear) Nerve
may be eligible for special education and related service programming. While the
This nerve sends sound information from the ear to the brain.
term "hearing impairment" is often used generically to describe a wide range of
hearing losses including deafness, the regulations for IDEA define hearing loss • Auditory (ear) Nerve
and deafness separately. This nerve sends sound information from the ear to the brain.

Hearing impairment is defined by IDEA as "an impairment in hearing, whether

permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance."

Deafness is defined as "a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired
in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification."
Types of hearing loss:
Conductive Hearing Loss
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Mixed Hearing Loss
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum
Disorder
The degree of hearing loss can range from mild to profound:
Mild Hearing Loss
Moderate Hearing Loss
Severe Hearing Loss
Profound Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can also be described as:
Unilateral or Bilateral
Pre-lingual or Post-lingual
➢ Hearing loss caused by
something that stops sounds from
getting through the outer or
middle ear. This type of hearing
loss can often be treated with
medicine or surgery.
➢ Hearing loss that occurs when
there is a problem in the way the
inner ear or hearing nerve works.
➢ Hearing loss that includes both a
conductive and a sensorineural
hearing loss.
➢ Hearing loss occurs when sound
enters the ear normally, but
because of damage to the inner
ear or the hearing nerve, sound
isn’t organized in a way that the
brain can understand.
• A person with a mild hearing loss
may hear some speech sounds but
soft sounds are hard to hear.
• A person with moderate hearing
loss may hear almost no speech
when another person is talking at a
normal level.
• A person with severe hearing loss
will hear no speech when a person
is talking at a normal level and only
some loud sounds.
• A person with a profound hearing
loss will not hear any speech and
only very loud sounds.
o Hearing loss is in one ear
(unilateral) or both ears (bilateral).
o Hearing loss happened before a
person learned to talk (pre-lingual)
or after a person learned to talk
(post-lingual).
Symmetrical or Asymmetrical o Hearing loss is the same in both
ears (symmetrical) or is different in
each ear (asymmetrical).
Progressive or Sudden o Hearing loss worsens over time
(progressive) or happens quickly
(sudden).
Fluctuating or Stable o Hearing loss gets either better or
worse over time (fluctuating) or
stays the same over time (stable).
Congenital or Acquired/Delayed o Hearing loss is present at birth
Onset (congenital) or appears sometime
later in life (acquired or delayed
onset).
Hearing Loss Treatment and Intervention Services
Some of the treatment and intervention options include:
o Working with a professional (or team) who can help a child and family
learn to communicate.
o Getting a hearing device, such as a hearing aid.
o Joining support groups.
o Taking advantage of other resources available to children with hearing loss and
their families.
Early Intervention and Special Education
❖ Early Intervention (0-3 years)
Hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop speech, language, and social
skills. The earlier a child who is deaf or hard of hearing starts getting services, the more
likely the child’s speech, language, and social skills will reach their full potential.
Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn language
skills and other important skills. Research shows that early intervention services can greatly
improve a child’s development.
There are many services available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004).
❖ Services for children from birth through 36 months of age are called Early Intervention or
Part C services.
The IDEA 2004 says that children under the age of 3 years (36 months) who are at risk of
having developmental delays may be eligible for services. These services are provided
through an early intervention system in your state. Through this system, you can ask for an
evaluation.
Special Education (3-22 years)
Special education is instruction specifically designed to address the educational and
related developmental needs of older children with disabilities, or those who are
experiencing developmental delays. Services for these children are provided
through the public school system. These services are available through the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004), Part B.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program
➢ Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. EHDI works to
identify infants and children with hearing loss. EHDI also promotes timely
follow-up testing and services or interventions for any family whose child has
a hearing loss. If your child has a hearing loss or if you have any concerns
about your child’s hearing, call toll-free 1-800-CDC-INFO or contact your local
EHDI Program coordinator.
Technology
Many people who are deaf or hard of hearing have some hearing. The amount of
hearing a deaf or hard-of-hearing person has is called “residual hearing”.
Technology does not “cure” hearing loss, but may help a child with hearing loss to
make the most of their residual hearing. For those parents who choose to have their
child use technology, there are many options, including:
• Hearing aids
• Cochlear or brainstem implants
• Bone-anchored hearing aids
• Other assistive devices
Hearing Aids make sounds louder. They can be worn by people of any age, including
infants. Babies with hearing loss may understand sounds better using hearing aids.
This may give them the chance to learn speech skills at a young age.
There are many styles of hearing aids. They can help many types of hearing losses.
Cochlear and Auditory Brainstem Implants
➢ A cochlear implant may help many children with severe to profound hearing
loss — even very young children. It gives that child a way to hear when a
hearing aid is not enough.
➢ cochlear implants do not make sounds louder. A cochlear implant sends sound
signals directly to the hearing nerve.
Auditory brainstem implant
➢ An auditory brainstem implant directly stimulates the hearing pathways in
the brainstem, bypassing the inner ear and hearing nerve.
Both cochlear and brainstem implants have two main parts. There are the parts that
are placed inside the inner ear, the cochlea, or base of the brain, the brainstem
during surgery; and the parts outside the ear that send sounds to the parts inside
the ear.
Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids
➢ This type of hearing aid can be considered when a child has either a
conductive, mixed or unilateral hearing loss and is specifically suitable for
children who cannot otherwise wear ‘in the ear’ or ‘behind the ear’ hearing
aids.
Other Assistive Devices:
➢ FM System- An FM system is a kind of device that helps people with hearing
loss hear in background noise. FM stands for frequency modulation.
➢ Captioning- Many television programs, videos, and DVDs are captioned.
Television sets made after 1993 are made to show the captioning.
Other devices
There are many other devices available for children with hearing loss. Some of these
include:
Text messaging, Telephone amplifiers, Flashing and vibrating alarms, Audio loop
systems, Infrared listening devices, Portable sound amplifiers, TTY (Text Telephone
or teletypewriter).
Medical and Surgical
➢ Medications or surgery may also help make the most of a person’s hearing.
This is especially true for a conductive hearing loss, or one that involves a
part of the outer or middle ear that is not working in the usual way.
➢ One type of conductive hearing loss can be caused by a chronic ear
infection.
➢ A chronic ear infection is a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum in the middle
ear space. Most ear infections are managed with medication or careful
monitoring.
 Learning Language (For example: “We…uh…went to buy…um…orange juice”)

➢ children can then be at risk for other delays. Families who have children with - Elongating words
hearing loss often need to change their communication habits or learn
special skills (such as sign language) to help their children learn language. For example: Saying “orange joooose” instead of "orange juice")
These skills can be used together with hearing aids, cochlear or auditory - Replacing words
brainstem implants, and other devices that help children hear.
(For example: “What…Where is the orange juice?”)
Family Support Services
- Hesitating while speaking
➢ Parents of children with recently identified hearing loss can seek different
kinds of support. Support is anything that helps a family and may include (For example: A long pause while thinking)
advice, information, having the chance to get to know other parents that
- Pausing mid-speech
have a child with hearing loss, locating a deaf mentor, finding childcare or
transportation, giving parents time for personal relaxation or just a (For example: Stopping abruptly mid-speech, due to lack of airflow, causing no
supportive listener. sounds to come out, leading to a tense pause)
3. SPEECH IMPAIRMENT Symptoms while speaking:
Speech and language impairment is defined as a communication disorder that o Vocal tension and strain
adversely affects the child's ability to talk, understand, read, and write that adversely o Head jerking
affects a child's educational performance and making their speech difficult to o Eye blinking
understand. o Lip trembling
There are many different types of speech impediments, including: ❖ Articulation Errors

o Disfluency Articulation disorders occur when a person has trouble placing their tongue in the
o Articulation errors correct position to form certain speech sounds.
o Ankyloglossia Lisping is the most common type of articulation disorder.
o Dysarthria
o Apraxia
❖ Disfluency
Characteristics of articulation disorders:
➢ Speech impediments that break the flow of speech are known as
disfluencies. ➢ Lisping- refers specifically to difficulty with ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds.
EX. (For example: Saying “thugar” instead of “sugar” or producing a whistling
Stuttering is the most common form of disfluency, however there are other
sound while trying to pronounce these letters)
types as well.
➢ Omissions- certain sounds are omitted or deleted
Characteristics of disfluencies: EX. "cu" for "cup" and "poon" for "spoon".
➢ Substitutions- one or more sounds are substituted, which may result in
- Repeating certain phrases, words, or sounds after the age of 4 loss of phonemic contrast
(For example: “O…orange,” “I like…like orange juice,” “I want…I want orange EX. "thing" for "sing" and "wabbit" for "rabbit"
➢ Distorsions- sounds are altered or changed
juice”)
EX. “puhlay” for “play” and “thith” instead of “this”
- Adding in extra sounds or words into sentences
 ❖ Ankyloglossia ▪ Central dysarthria is caused by brain damage.
Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a condition where the person’s ▪ Peripheral dysarthria is caused by damage to the organs involved in
tongue is attached to the bottom of their mouth. This can restrict the tongue’s speech.
movement and make it hard for the person to move their tongue.
❖ Apraxia
Characteristics of Ankyloglossia: ▪ Apraxia, also known as dyspraxia, verbal apraxia, or apraxia of speech, is a
▪ difficulty pronouncing ‘d,’ ‘n,’ ‘s,’ ‘t,’ ‘th,’ and ‘z’ sounds neurological condition that can cause a person to have trouble moving the
muscles they need to create sounds or words.7 The person’s brain knows
Symptoms of Ankyloglossia: what they want to say, but is unable to plan and sequence the words
▪ Difficulty breastfeeding in newborns accordingly.
▪ Trouble swallowing Characteristics of Apraxia:
▪ Limited ability to move the tongue from side to side or stick it out
▪ Difficulty with activities like playing wind instruments, licking ice cream, or ➢ Distorting sounds: The person may have trouble pronouncing certain
kissing sounds, particularly vowels, because they may be unable to move their
▪ Mouth breathing tongue or jaw in the manner required to produce the right sound.
▪ Jaw pain ➢ Being inconsistent in their speech: For instance, the person may be able
to pronounce a word correctly once, but may not be able to repeat it.
Causes of Ankyloglossia: ➢ Grasping for words: The person may appear to be searching for the right
Ankyloglossia is a congenital condition, which means it is present from birth.9 A word or sound, or attempt the pronunciation several times before getting it
tissue known as the lingual frenulum attaches the tongue to the base of the mouth. right.
➢ Making errors with the rhythm or tone of speech: The person may
❖ Dysarthria struggle with using tone and inflection to communicate meaning.
Dysarthria is a condition where people slur their words because they cannot Causes of Apraxia:
control the muscles that are required for speech, due to brain, nerve, or organ
damage. Apraxia occurs when nerve pathways in the brain are interrupted, which can make
it difficult for the brain to send messages to the organs involved in speaking.
Characteristics of Dysarthria:

▪ Slurred, choppy, or robotic speech

▪ Rapid, slow, or soft speech The causes of these neurological disturbances can vary depending on the type of
▪ Breathy, hoarse, or nasal voice apraxia the person has:

Symptoms of Dysarthria Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS): This condition is present from birth and is
often hereditary. A person may be more likely to have it if a biological relative has
▪ difficulty swallowing a learning disability or communication disorder.
▪ inability to move their tongue, lips, or jaw easily.

Causes of Dysarthria
Acquired apraxia of speech (AOS): This condition can occur in adults, due to
brain damage as a result of a tumor, head injury, stroke, or other illness that
affects the parts of the brain involved in speech.
Dysarthria is caused by paralysis or weakness of the speech muscles. The causes
of the weakness can vary depending on the type of dysarthria the person has:
 ❖ FLUENCY DISORDERS
are difficulties with the rhythm and timing of speech characterized by hesitations,
repetitions, or prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases.
➢ Stuttering- is a speech disorder that involves frequent and significant
problems with normal fluency and flow of speech.
People who stutter know what they want to say, but have difficulty saying it.
➢ Cluterring- another fluency disorder, is characterized by a perceived rapid
and/or irregular speech rate, atypical pauses, maze behaviors, pragmatic
issues.
➢ Cluttering is the term used to describe a speech pattern that is perceived
as being too fast, too irregular or jerky, or both, and is accompanied by
excessive repetition of whole words or phrases so that conversation
becomes hard to follow.
EXAMPLE: pause awkwardly between words. This is known as stuttering. You
may speak fast and jam words together, or say "uh" often. This is called cluttering.
SYMPTOMS:
o Pauses in speech.
o Longer sounds than what’s considered normal.
o Repetitions of sound, syllables or words.
o Unusual rate or rhythm of talking.
VOICE DISORDERS- are problems with the quality or use of one's voice resulting
from disorders in the larynx. Voice disorders are characterized by abnormal
production or absences of vocal quality, pitch, loudness, resonance and/or
duration.
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
✓ Encourage and accept all forms of communication
✓ Be conscious of your own communication style
✓ Teach active listening skills
✓ Give time to think and respond to questions
✓ Use sound discrimination exercises
✓ Help with sequencing and word order
✓ Build vocabulary
✓ Help build self-esteem
Speech fluency is defined as the speed, eloquence, continuity, and required effort
of speech. Speech disfluency is any interruption in spoken fluency.
4. MULTIPLE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
➢ Multiple physical impairment (MPI) is a condition characterized by the
presence of two or more physical disabilities that affect an individual's daily
living activities. This condition can have a significant impact on a person's
quality of life, including their ability to move, communicate, and perform
everyday tasks.
• Having multiple disabilities means that a person has more than one physical
disabilities.
• Persons with multiple disabilities have a combination of two or more serious
disabilities (e.g., cognitive, movement, sensory), such as mental retardation with
cerebral palsy.
In 1996 Fred Orelove and Dick Sobsey defined this group as individuals with mental
retardation who require extensive or pervasive support and who also possess one
or more significant motor or sensory impairments and/or special health care needs.
These physical and medical problems result in the presence of two or more of the
following characteristics:
▪ Restriction of movement
▪ skeletal deformities
▪ seizure disorders
▪ lung and breathing control; or
▪ sensory disorders
▪ other medical problems related to these characteristics, such as skin
breakdown or bladder infections.
Causes:
In nearly half of the children born with multiple disabilities there is no identifiable
cause. In the rest of the known causes there are:
o Chromosomal abnormalities.
o Developmental disorders of the brain
o Metabolic disorders; and
o Negative prenatal environmental influences
Primary Measures Used to Diagnose 2. Make Modifications

Individual intelligence tests & Tests of adaptive behavior ➢ Students with multiple disabilities often need substantial modifications and
accommodations in the classroom.
Early assessment of:
3. Allow partial participation
• movement limitations
• breathing control ➢ Partial participation means that students with multiple disabilities aren't
• muscle tone and flexibility sucking and swallowing excluded from activities because they might not be able to complete a task
• seizure activity fully or independently.
4. Consider Assistive Technology
• vision and hearing and
➢ Assistive Technology is appropriate, even essential, for many students
• genetic makeup are also, and prenatal assessment of genetic material or with multiple disabilities.
physical identification of deformities via sonograms may be conducted.
5. Practice and Reinforce
CHARACTERISTICS
➢ Teachers should be concrete in anything, giving lots of hands-on
People with multiple disabilities have a combination of various disabilities that may opportunities for learning practice.
include:

• Speech 6. Support related services in the classroom

• Visual
• Physical mobility ➢ Depending on the students' disabilities, children may need, related
• Hearing to benefit special education.
• Learning
• Mental retardation ACTIVITY THAT CAN HELP MULTIPLE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT;
• Brain injury, and possibly others.
The types of activities that can help individuals with multiple physical
They may also have sensory losses and behavior and/or social problems.
impairments will depend on their specific impairments and abilities.
Perhaps the most significant characteristic of many people with multiple disabilities However, some activities that may be helpful include:
is deficits in the area of communication, making it difficult for them to
communicate their wants, needs, and pains to those around them. ▪ Physical therapy
▪ Occupational therapy
▪ Aquatic therapy
TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH MULTIPLE PHYSICAL ▪ Adaptive sports
IMPAIRMENT ▪ Yoga or tai chi:
▪ Assistive technology
1. Know the needs, play to the strengths
➢ Each student with multiple disabilities will have his or her own set of skills,
strengths and learning needs.
➢ Learning more about each disability of the students will be helpful in
addressing those learning needs.
D. Learners who are Gifted and Talented

PERFORMING ARTS

The performing arts is an umbrella term which covers many disciplines including
music, dance and drama, all performed to an live audience.

Here we will outline the main disciplines which fall under performing arts and what
they involve.

Dance

✓ Dance is a popular performance art. It involves moving the body in a

rhythmic or purposeful way to music within space, in order to express an
idea, emotion or just for the enjoyment of movement.

Music
✓ Perhaps the most universal of all performing arts is music as it is
found in every society. It’s found in many contexts, classical or
popular, sacred or profane. Common elements of music include
rhythm, pitch, dynamics, timbre and texture.
Theatre
✓ Theatre is a branch which is concerned with acting out stories in
front of an audience. The performer can use speech, gestures,
music, dance or sound to achieve this.