syndromes, disabilities & disorders...instructional strategies and classroom accommodations •...

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: An Educator’s Guide to IDEA’s 13 Qualifying Disabilities

Butte County SELPA 1859 Bird Street Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 532-5621 http://www.bcoe.org/selpa/

How does IDEA define the 13 disability categories? 1. Autism…

…means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three that adversely affects educational performance. Characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to changes in daily routines or the environment, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has emotional disturbance, as defined in #4 below.

2. Deaf-blindness… …means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

3. Deafness… ...means a hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

4. Emotional Disturbance… …means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance: (a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. (b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. (c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. (d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. (e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.

5. Hearing Impairment… …means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but is not included under the definition of “deafness.”



6. Intellectual Disability (formerly known as Mental Retardation)… …...means significantly sub average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

7. Multiple Disabilities… ...means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.

8. Orthopedic Impairment… ...means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a 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).

9. Other Health Impairment… ...means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that— (a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia; and (b) adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

10. Specific Learning Disability… ...means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of mental retardation; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

11. Speech or Language Impairment… ...means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.



12. Traumatic Brain Injury… ...means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not include brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

13. Visual Impairment Including Blindness… ...means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

These federal definitions guide how states define who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under IDEA.

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Angelman Syndrome


Symptoms or Behaviors

• Delayed developmental milestones without loss of skills • Notable developmental delays by six months to twelve months of age • Minimal speech or no speech, receptive language skills and nonverbal communication skills are

higher than Expressive language • May laugh or smile for no reason, very happy, social, excitable • May have issues with movement, walking, sitting • Slow head growth • Poor sleeping habits • Attracted to water • Arms are up when walking • Sucking, or swallowing issues, excessive chewing, mouthing, drooling • Seizures • Hyperactivity is a very common behavior in AS and it is best described as hypermotoric

Instructional Strategies and Classroom Accommodations

Hyperactivity

In extreme cases, the constant movement can cause accidental bruises and abrasions. Grabbing, pinching and biting in older children have also been noted and may be heightened by the hypermotoric activity. Persistent and consistent behavior modification helps decrease or eliminates these unwanted behaviors the attention span can be short and social interaction is hindered because the AS child cannot seemingly attend to facial and other social cues.

Giggling, chortling and constant smiling soon develop and appear to represent normal reflexive laughter but cooing and babbling are delayed or reduced.. A few have pronounced laughing that is truly paroxysmal or contagious and “bursts of laughter”. More often, happy grimacing and a happy disposition are the predominant behaviors. In rare cases, the apparent happy disposition is fleeting as irritability and hyperactivity are the prevailing personality traits; crying, shrieking, screaming or short guttural sounds may then be the predominant behaviors.

Laughter and Happiness

Attention deficits, hyperactivity and lack of speech and motor control. Developmental delay is still consistently in the functionally severe range and formal psychometric testing seems to indicate a ceiling for developmental achievement at around the 24-30 month range. In general, Angelman

Mental Deficiency and Developmental Testing



Syndrome individuals have relative strengths in nonverbal reasoning skills and with social interactions that are based on non-verbal events.

Repetitive behaviors (e.g. using objects or toys inappropriately), sensory interests (licking/mouthing, sniffing objects), and stereotypic motor movements (rocking, hand-flapping) are common to all individuals with AS

Autism and Related Traits

Some AS children seem to have enough comprehension to be able to speak, but in even the highest functioning, conversational speech does not develop. The nonverbal language skills of AS children vary greatly, with the most advanced children able to learn some sign language and to use such aids as picture-based communication boards.

Speech and Language

Still all individuals with AS demonstrate communication difficulties to some extent. Problems in this area have implications for most aspects of education and daily living and should thus be a focal point in all instructional programs. Communication skills are critical in order for children to access the general education and special education curriculums and participate actively throughout the day. Whether we are referring to physical education, reading, writing (e.g. with line drawings), art, music, lunch, or science, all of these events have corresponding communication demands that must be met for students to be full participants. It is thus essential that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are available to other educators to problem solve communication strategies needed for children to be included throughout the day.

Communication

Educational Implications

It is essential for speech-language pathologists, parents, teachers, peers, employers and others collaborate to maximize individuals’ abilities to communicate functionally and thus participate actively in their communities. Children need multiple means of communication and knowledge of when to use one method vs. another depending on particular situations. Educators must understand that communication instruction must not be reserved for therapy rooms but should instead be targeted throughout the day. Themes such as membership, participation, and inclusion should be pervasive in all attempts to foster communication skills. It is through communication that children will establish and maintain friendships and networks of support that will be available throughout their lives.



Resources

The Angelman Syndrome Foundation's mission is to advance the awareness and treatment of Angelman Syndrome through education and information, research, and support for individuals with Angelman Syndrome, their families and other concerned parties. http://www.angelman.org/about-us/ The Arc of the United States 1010 Wayne Avenue Suite 650 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Tel: 301-565-3842 Fax: 301-565-3843 or -5342 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.thearc.org March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 Tel: (914)428-7100 Fax: (914)997-4763 Tel: (888)663-4637 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Anxiety Disorders


Five Major Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) • Panic Disorder • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder)


• Frequent absences • Refusal to join in social activities • Isolating behavior • Many physical complaints • Excessive worry about homework or grades • Falling grades • Frequent bouts of tears • Frustration • Fear of new situations • Drug or alcohol abuse


• Allow students to contract a flexible deadline for worrisome assignments. • Have the student check with the teacher or have the teacher check with the student to make sure that

assignments have been written down correctly. Many teachers will choose to initial an assignment notebook to indicate that information is correct.

• Consider modifying or adapting the curriculum to better suit the student’s learning style—this may lessen his/her anxiety.

• Post the daily schedule where it can be seen easily so students know what to expect. • Encourage follow-through on assignments or tasks, yet be flexible on deadlines. • Reduce school work load when necessary. • Reduce homework when possible. • Keep as much of the child’s regular schedule as possible. • Encourage school attendance—to prevent absences, modify the child’s class schedule or reduce the time

spent at school.

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Anxiety Disorders


• Ask parents what works at home. • Consider the use of technology. Many students will benefit from easy access to appropriate technology,

which may include applications that can engage student interest and increase motivation (e.g., computer- assisted instruction programs, CD-ROM demonstrations, videotape presentations).


Because students with anxiety disorders are easily frustrated, they may have difficulty completing their work. They may worry so much about getting everything right that they take much longer to finish than other students. Or they may simply refuse to begin out of fear that they won’t be able to do anything right. Their fears of being embarrassed, humiliated, or failing may result in school avoidance. Getting behind in their work due to numerous absences often creates a cycle of fear of failure, increased anxiety, and avoidance, which leads to more absences. Furthermore, children are not likely to identify anxious feelings, which may make it difficult for educators to fully understand the reason behind poor school performance.

Resources

Attention Deficit Information Network 58 Prince Street, Needham, MA 02492 781-455-9895

Support, information, community resources www.addinfonetwork.org

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150, Landover, MD 20785 301-306-7070 • 800-233-4050

Support, information, resource center www.chadd.org

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Asperger’s Syndrome



• Adult-like pattern of intellectual functioning and interests, combined with social and communication deficits

• Isolated from their peers • Other students consider them odd • Rote memory is usually quite good; they may excel at math and science • Clumsy or awkward gait • Difficulty with physical activities and sports • Repetitive pattern of behavior • Preoccupations with 1 or 2 subjects or activities • Under or over sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, light, or unexpected touch • Victims of teasing and bullying


• Create a structured, predictable, and calming environment. Consult an occupational therapist for suggestions on handling sensory needs for your students.

• Foster a climate of tolerance and understanding in the classroom. Consider assigning a peer helper to assist the student in joining group activities and socializing. Make it clear to the class that teasing and harassment of any student is not allowed.

• Enjoy and make use of your student’s verbal and intellectual skills. Fixations can be used by making the chosen subject the center of teaching and using the student’s expertise to raise peer interest and respect (i.e., have him give a report or make a model of his favorite subject to share with the class).

• Use direct teaching to increase socially acceptable behaviors, expected greetings and responses, and group interaction skills. Demonstrate the impact of words and actions on other people during real-life interactions and increase awareness of emotions, body language, and other social cues.

• Create a standard way of presenting change in advance of the event. A key phrase like “Today will be different” may be helpful if used consistently. You may also want to mention changes—for example, “tomorrow we’ll have a substitute teacher”—both privately to the student and to the class as a whole. • Learn the usual triggers and the warning signs of a rage attack or “meltdown” and intervene before control is lost. Help your student learn self-calming and self-management skills. Remain calm and non-judgmental to reduce stress—remind yourself that your student “can’t” rather than “won’t” react as others do.

• Provide whatever support and information you can to the parents. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome often have sleep disorders, and the family may be sleep-deprived. Other parents show frustration due to the long search for a diagnosis and services. They may also face disbelieving professionals or family members who erroneously blame poor parenting for the behaviors they see.

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Asperger’s Syndrome



Many children with Asperger’s have difficulty understanding social interactions, including nonverbal gestures. They may fail to develop age-appropriate peer relationships or be unable to share interests or show empathy. When confronted by changes in school routine, they may show visible anxiety, withdraw into silence, or burst into a fit of rage. Although students with Asperger’s may often appear to have a large vocabulary, sometimes sounding like “little professors,” they can be very literal and have great difficulty using language in a social context. They may like school, but wish the other children weren’t there.

Resources

Autism Society of America 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD, 20814 301-657-0881 • 1-800-3AUTISM www.autism-society.org Advocacy, educational information, referrals The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding 4123 Embassy Drive SE Kentwood, MI 49546 616-954-9747

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder


The U.S Department of Health and Human Services lists 2 forms of AD/HD, each with different symptoms. Children with inattentive disorder may:

• Have short attention spans • Have problems with organization • Fail to pay attention to details • Be unable to maintain attention • Be easily distracted • Have trouble listening even when spoken to directly • Fail to finish their work • Make lots of mistakes • Be forgetful Children with hyperactive-impulsive disorder tend to:

• Fidget and squirm • Have difficulty staying seated • Run around and climbs on things excessively • Have trouble playing quietly • Be “on the go” as if “driven by a motor” • Talk too much • Blurt out an answer before a question is completed • Have trouble taking turns in games or activities • Interrupt or intrude on others Children with combined attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder show symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity or impulsivity.


• Have the student check with the teacher or have the teacher check with the student to make sure that assignments have been written down correctly. Many teachers will choose to initial an assignment notebook to indicate that information is correct.

• Consider a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA). Understanding the purpose or function of the student’s behaviors will help you respond with effective interventions.



• Once you have a better understanding of a student’s behaviors and learning style, consider modifying or adapting the curriculum and environment.

• Provide consistent structure and clearly define your expectations. • When giving instructions or tasks, it’s helpful to break them into numerous steps. Give the student

1 or 2 steps at a time.

• Allow the student to turn in late work for full credit. • Allow the student to redo assignments to improve score or final grade. • Allow the student to move about within reason. For example, give them tasks that require them to

get out of their seat, such as passing out papers, or give them short breaks to exercise or stretch.

• Catch your student being good. Look for positive behaviors to reward and reinforce. Many students with AD/HD receive constant criticism for their behavior, which creates a cycle of negative behavior, poor self-esteem, and attention seeking.

• Have a secret code to help the child recognize that he/she has gotten off task and must refocus. This helps the student stay on task without embarrassment.

• Allow a child to use tables or formulas—memorization may be very difficult. • Allow the child to answer directly in a booklet. This reduces the amount of movement and

distraction during an assignment.

• Reduce stress and pressure whenever possible. Children with ADD or AD/HD are easily frustrated. Stress and pressure can break down a student’s self-control and lead to inappropriate behaviors.

• Ask parents what works at home.


Children with ADD or AD/HD may have trouble staying on task or finishing assignments. They may lose books, supplies, and homework. Students may blurt out answers before teachers can finish asking the question. They may be irritable, impatient, and hard to discipline, clumsy, reckless, and accident-prone. Other children may dislike them. They may come to see themselves as bad and lazy, and powerless to do any better. This “chain of failure” can lead to depression, low self-esteem, behavior problems, and, unfortunately, school failure.



Resources

Attention Deficit Information Network 58 Prince Street, Needham, MA 02492 781-455-9895 www.addinfonetwork.org Support, information, community resources Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) 8181 Professional Place, Suite 150, Landover, MD 20785 301-306-7070 • 800-233-4050 www.chadd.org Support, information, resource center

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Autism


Autism is diagnosed by a medical doctor rather than through educational testing. The term is used to categorize severe communication/language and interpersonal skill deficits. As a group, students with autism may display a wide range of intensity in some of the following areas: speech and communication disabilities, sensory deficits, tantrums, self-stimulation, inappropriate social behavior, inappropriate play or unconventional use of toys, and inappropriate emotions.

Symptoms and Behaviors

Some students with autism may not be able to:

• Establish or maintain relationships with peers and teachers • Show appropriate behavior under normal circumstances Some students with autism may:

• Relate to people, object, or events very poorly • Lack communication skills • Prefer an unchanging environment • Demonstrate repetitive movement or sounds • Show slow development or lack physical, social, language, or learning skills • Have an inability to learn that can’t be explained by intellectual or health reasons.


• Provide structure in routine and classroom environment • Break instruction down into small steps • Change instructional materials. Change seating to continue with an activity. • Try to distract or stop self-stimulating behavior if it is interfering with learning; otherwise, ignore

it.

• Describe concrete actions, because feelings and verbal descriptions may not be understood • Try reinforcing positive behaviors. • Teach appropriate social skills • Improve communication skills (verbally or with the use of assistive devices or a computer). This list of instructional strategies is rather general and short. The reality is that each student’s case is unique; thus, it’s hard to describe general procedures. The best advice is to ask for direction from the



team, find out what has worked in the past and what hasn’t worked. Ask for suggestions on what to try, and document the child’s response to those tries. Since these students like structure, give an intervention or suggestion enough time. Once will not be enough! Ask the parents what works. Also, make sure you aware of the educational goals and objective for this student.


Core Content Area Spared Impaired Reading • Phonics & Decoding • Comprehension

Language Arts • Phonology & Syntax • Pragmatics Math • Calculation • Concepts

Attending • Focused/Sustained • Divided/Shifting Social/Play • Object play • Social Referencing

• Spontaneous Play with Toys • Advanced Pretend Play • Entering Group Play

Resources

http://www.autismspeaks.org/whattodo/index.php http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/autism/autism.htm http://www.autismweb.com/sensory.htm A Parents' Guide to Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) http://autismneighborhood.org/ Welcome to AUTISM NEIGHBORHOOD We are committed to increasing public awareness regarding autism and its effects through a series of candid and compelling interviews with experts and professionals in the field as well as those individuals and families with autism. http://www.asquarterly.com/about.html Autism Spectrum Quarterly (ASQ) is a Magajournal® that combines the best of a high-quality magazine with the substance and depth of a professional journal. Its mission is to serve as an information leader for, and bridge between the research and general autism communities.

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http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer ASA, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism/complete-publication.shtml

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Bipolar Disorder: Manic-Depressive Illness



According to the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, symptoms may include:

• An expansive or irritable mood • Depression • Rapidly changing moods lasting a few hours to a few days • Explosive, lengthy, and often destructive rages • Separation anxiety • Defiance of authority • Hyperactivity, agitation, and distractibility • Strong and frequent cravings, often for carbohydrates and sweets • Excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities • Impaired judgment, impulsivity, racing thoughts, and pressure to keep talking • Dare-devil behaviors • Inappropriate or precocious sexual behavior • Delusions and hallucinations • Grandiose belief in own abilities that defy the laws of logic (become a rock star overnight, for

example)


• Provide the student with recorded books as an alternative to self-reading when the student’s concentration is low.

• Break assigned reading into manageable segments and monitor the student’s progress, checking comprehension periodically.

• Devise a flexible curriculum that accommodates the sometimes rapid changes in the student’s ability to perform consistently in school.

• When energy is low, reduce academic demands; when energy is high, increase opportunities for achievement.

• Identify a place where the student can go for privacy until he or she regains self-control. —These suggestions are from the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation. For more suggestions, consult the Foundation web site at www.bpkids.org. This site is a rich resource for teachers.

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Students may experience fluctuations in mood, energy, and motivation. These fluctuations may occur hourly, daily, in specific cycles, or seasonally. As a result, a student with bipolar disorder may have difficulty concentrating and remembering assignments, understanding assignments with complex directions, or reading and comprehending long, written passages of text. Students may experience episodes of overwhelming emotion such as sadness, embarrassment, or rage. They may also have poor social skills and have difficulty getting along with their peers.

Resources

Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) 1000 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 425, Wilmette, IL 60091 847-256-8525 www.bpkids.org Educates families, professionals, and the public about early-onset bipolar disorders Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) 730 North Franklin Street, Suite 501, Chicago, IL 60610 312-642-0049 • 800-826-3632 www.dbsalliance.org Support groups, patient support, patient assistance programs, advocacy, publications, referrals, book catalog NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Colonial Place Three 2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201 800-950-6264 www.nami.org Medical and legal information, helpline, research, publications

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Office of Communications 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 866-615-6464 www.nimh.nih.gov Free educational materials for professionals and the public SAMHSA’S National Mental Health Information Center—Center for Mental Health Services PO Box 42557, Washington, DC 20015 800-789-2647 www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Cerebral Palsy



There are three main types of cerebral palsy: spastic-stiff and difficult movement; athetoid-involuntary and uncontrolled movement; and ataxic-disturbed sense of balance and depth perception. Individuals may also have a combination of these three types. Cerebral palsy is characterized by an inability to fully control motor function. Depending on which part of the brain has been damaged and the degree of involvement of the central nervous system, one or more of the following may occur: spasms; involuntary movement; disturbance in gait and mobility; seizures; and abnormal sensation and perception. The primary effects of cerebral palsy range from mild impairment of movement of one part of the body to severe impairment of most gross motor skills and fine motor skills functions. CP can also cause sight and hearing impairments, problems with depth perception and balance, learning disabilities, and mental retardation. Motor problems associated with CP often impair a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, breathe, speak, and control bladder functions, and he or she must receive significant support to perform the daily functions of living.


• Meet with the parents and the child as early as possible in the school year to determine individual needs. Student records should reveal special programming in previous years/placements.

• Work with other professionals as a team to help the student lead a productive life. Include parents, health-care professionals, occupational and physical therapists, speech, sight and hearing specialists and para-professionals.

• Determine specific learning requirements on the basis of an up-to-date educational assessment. • Develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) if necessary to meet the child's needs. • Encourage the student to complete assignments, even if extra time is necessary. A feeling of

accomplishment will do much to enhance self-esteem.

• Be familiar with specialized equipment, such as adapted typewriters, pencil holders, book holders, page turners, word boards or special desks.

• Remind the student to take any prescribed medication. Arrange for any required assistance.



• Talk to students about cerebral palsy, and if the child is comfortable with the situation, have the child or parent explain any adaptive needs. Encourage other students to find out how they can assist and when they should assist.

• Expect acceptable and appropriate behavior. Students with disabilities are accountable for their behaviors in the classroom.

• If necessary, schedule bathroom breaks for the child who needs assistance (from a para-professional) just before class breaks.

• For special activities scheduled outside the school, ensure that appropriate arrangements are made so the student can participate.

• Orient the child to the school, especially ramps, bathrooms with modifications and access to elevators.

• Assist the student to form and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships. A sense of acceptance is important to all students of all ages.

• Talk about and assist with the development of social skills. • Encourage communication to prevent isolation. This may mean early recognition of alternative

means of communication if the child has a speech or hearing loss. Patience and understanding in listening will help build communication skills.

• Encourage the student to participate in as many classroom activities as possible, depending on the extent of the cerebral palsy. Some students will need a modified form of the curriculum in some or all subject areas.

.


Some important beginning objectives for teachers with students having cerebral palsy are: 1. to modify the classroom environment to accommodate the student's movement, and 2. to become familiar with the student's primary and preferred methods of communication. The quadriplegic student in particular may use a combination of augmentative devices, including a communication board with symbols, words, and letters on it, a computerized communication device with a keyboard, digital display, and/or voice simulator, and a unicorn stick (strapped to the head) or other pointing device. Communication may be awkward at first, but given a supportive environment the teacher and other students will gradually learn the language of gesture, eye movements, and sound that many students with CP use to communicate.



Resources

United Cerebral Palsy Association 1660 L Street, N.W., Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-5602 (202) 776-0406; (202) 973-7197 (TT); (800) 872-5827 (Voice/TT) e-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.ucpa.org National Easter Seal Society 230 West Monroe Street, Suite 1800 Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 726-6200; (312) 726-4258 (TT); (800) 221-6827 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.seals.com National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 935 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3319 (301) 588-9284 (Voice/TT); (800) 346-2742 Web site: http://www.naric.com/naric

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Conduct Disorder



•Bullying or threatening classmates and other students •Poor attendance record or chronic truancy •History of frequent suspension •Little empathy for others and a lack of appropriate feelings of guilt and remorse •Low self-esteem masked by bravado •Lying to peers or teachers •Stealing from peers or the school •Frequent physical fights; use of a weapon •Destruction of property


• Make sure curriculum is at an appropriate level. When work is too hard, students become frustrated. When it is too easy, they become bored. Both reactions lead to problems in the classroom.

• Avoid “infantile” materials to teach basic skills. Materials should be age-appropriate, positive, and relevant to students’ lives.

• Remember that praise is important but needs to be sincere. • Consider the use of technology. Students with conduct disorder tend to work well on computers

with active programs.

• Students with conduct disorder often do well in programs that allow them to work outside the school setting.

• Be aware that adults can unconsciously form and behaviorally express negative impressions of low-performing, uncooperative students. Try to monitor your impressions, keep them as neutral as possible, communicate a positive regard for the students, and give them the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.

• Remember that children with conduct disorder like to argue. Maintain calm, respect, and detachment. Avoid power struggles and don’t argue.

• Give the student options. Stay away from direct demands or statements such as: “You need to...” or “you must....”

• Avoid escalating prompts such as shouting, touching, nagging, or cornering the student. • Establish clear classroom rules. Rules should be few, fair, clear, displayed, taught, and consistently

enforced. Be clear about what is nonnegotiable.



• Have your students participate in the establishment of rules, routines, schedules, and expectations.

• Systematically teach social skills including anger management, conflict resolution strategies, and how to be assertive in an appropriate manner. For example, discuss strategies that the students may use to calm themselves when they feel their anger escalating. Do this when the students are calm.

• Maximize the performance of low-performing students through the use of individualized instruction, cues, prompting, the breaking down of academic tasks, and debriefing, coaching, and providing positive incentives.

• Structure activities so the student with conduct disorder is not always left out or the last one picked.


Students with conduct disorder like to engage in power struggles. They often react badly to direct demands or statements such as: “You need to...” or “You must...” They may consistently challenge class rules, refuse to do assignments, and argue or fight with other students. This behavior can cause significant impairment in both social and academic functioning. They also work best in environments with high staff/student ratios, 1-to-1 situations, or self-contained programs when there is plenty of structure and clearly defined guidelines. Their frequent absences and their refusal to do assignments often leads to academic failure.

Resources

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 3615 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016-3007 800-333-7636 www.aacap.org American Academy of Family Physicians PO Box 11210, Shawnee Mission, KS 66207 800-274-2237 www.aafp.org

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The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201 703-620-3660 www.cec.sped.org National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Office of Communications 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 866-615-6464 www.nimh.nih.gov Free educational materials for professionals and the public

http://www.cec.sped.org/�http://www.nimh.nih.gov/�

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Depression



The most common symptoms of depression in children and teens are:

• Sadness that won’t go away • Hopelessness • Irritability • School avoidance • Changes in eating and sleeping patterns • Frequent complaints of aches and pains • Thoughts of death or suicide • Self-deprecating remarks • Persistent boredom, low energy, or poor concentration • Increased activity • Sleeping in class • Defiant or disruptive • Refusal to participate in school activities • Excessive tardiness • Not turning in homework assignments, failing tests • Fidgety or restless, distracting other students • Isolating, quiet • Frequent absences • Failing grades • Refusal to do school work and general non-compliance with rules • Talks about dying or suicide


• Reduce some classroom pressures. • Break tasks into smaller parts. • Reassure students that they can catch up. Show them the steps they need to take and be flexible

and realistic about your expectations. (School failures and unmet expectations can exacerbate the depression.)



• Help students use realistic and positive statements about their performance and outlook for the future.

• Help students recognize and acknowledge positive contributions and performance. • Depressed students may see issues in black and white terms— all bad or all good. It may help to

keep a record of their accomplishments that you can show to them occasionally.

• Encourage gradual social interaction (i.e. small group work). • Ask parents what would be helpful in the classroom to reduce pressure or motivate the child.


Students experiencing depression may display a marked change in their interest in schoolwork and activities. Their grades may drop significantly due to lack of interest, loss of motivation, or excessive absences. They may withdraw and refuse to socialize with peers or participate in group projects.

Resources

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201 703-620-3660 www.cec.sped.org National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Office of Communications 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 866-615-6454 www.nimh.nih.gov Free educational materials for professionals and the public SAMHSA’S National Mental Health Information Center—Center for Mental Health Services PO Box 42557, Washington, DC 20015 800-789-2647 www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov

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SA/VE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) 9001 East Bloomington Freeway, Suite 150 Bloomington, MN 55420 952-946-7998 www.save.org

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Eating Disorders


About the Disorder

Nearly all of us worry about our weight at some time in our lives. However, some individuals become so obsessed with their weight and the need to be thin that they develop an eating disorder. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Once seen mostly in teens and young adults, these disorders are increasingly seen in younger children as well. Children as young as 4 and 5 years of age are expressing the need to diet, and it’s estimated that 40 percent of 9 year-olds have already dieted. Eating disorders are not limited to girls and young women—between 10 and 20 percent of adolescents with eating disorders are boys. Individuals with anorexia fail to maintain a minimally normal body weight. They engage in abnormal eating behavior and have excessive concerns about food. They are intensely afraid of even the slightest weight gain, and their perception of their body shape and size is significantly distorted. Many individuals with anorexia are compulsive and excessive about exercise.


• Perfectionistic attitude • Impaired concentration • Withdrawn • All or nothing thinking • Depressed mood or mood swings • Self-deprecating statements • Irritability • Lethargy • Anxiety • Fainting spells and dizziness • Headaches • Hiding food • Avoiding snacks or activities that include food • Frequent trips to the bathroom




• Stress acceptance in your classroom; successful people come in all sizes and shapes. • Watch what you say. Comments like “You look terrible,” “What have you eaten today?” or “I wish

I had that problem” are often hurtful and discouraging.

• Stress progress, not perfection. • Avoid pushing students to excel beyond their capabilities. • Avoid high levels of competition. • Reduce stress


Students with eating disorders may look like model students, often leading the class and being very self-demanding. Others may show poor academic performance. When students with eating disorders are preoccupied with body image and controlling their food intake, they may have short attention spans and poor concentration. These symptoms may also be due to a lack of nutrients from fasting and vomiting. These students often lack the energy and drive necessary to complete assignments or homework.

Resources

Eating Disorders Resources/Gürze Books PO Box 2238 Carlsbad, CA 92018 760-434-7553 • 800-756-7533 www.gurze.net National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders PO Box 7 Highland Park, IL 60035 847-831-3438 www.anad.org Hotline counseling, referrals, information, and advocacy

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National Eating Disorders Association 603 Stewart Street, Suite 803 Seattle, WA 98101 206-382-3587 www.nationaleatingdisorders.org Educational resources on prevention for schools, health professionals, and individuals

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Emotional Disturbance



A student identified as having a Behavior Disorder or Emotional Disturbance will demonstrate some type of behavior that interferes with his or her ability to learn and achieve in the classroom without intervention. These types of behaviors may include:

• Social maladjustment (has poor attendance, displays jealousy, is not accepted by others, is indifferent or inattentive, etc)

• Withdrawal (is unhappy and worried, has difficulty in expressing thoughts and emotions, has poor relationships with others, daydreams, etc.)

• Aggression (looks for trouble, is defensive, disrupts class routine, resents authority, etc) • Excessive extroversion (is a nonconformist or overly aggressive, rebels when suppressed,

interrupts, etc.)

• Volatility (is easily upset, has a chip – on- the –shoulder or negative attitude, is insecure, etc.) • Excessive shyness or timidity (has nervous habits, soft voice, few friends; avoids contact with

people; tires without reason, etc.) In order for the student to qualify for special education services in the area of Behavior Disorder or Emotional Disturbance and identified as a problem in many different settings and to a degree that has created problems for the student. All students who receive the BD or ED label are identified by the frequency and the intensity of their problem behaviors.


• Use clear, directed behavior management plan that has been developed by the student’s team. Make sure you understand the expectations and the consequences for ht student if there are infractions.

• Make sure you know what to do if unacceptable behavior occurs. You are not responsible for the student’s behavior, but you are responsible for your reactions to the student’s behavior.

• Help the student develop some self-monitoring techniques for his or her own behaviors. • If it is appropriate, work toward improving the child’s self-esteem and confidence • Write and use behavior contracts. • Develop a system of cueing with the student. Cueing is a subtle, nonverbal way to telling kids their

behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable.

• Pinpoint academic levels and areas affected by the problem. To be identified and, thus, qualify the student for special educational services, behaviors must interfere with learning. Many of these students have missed instruction because of their behaviors and may be below grade level in one or more areas. It is a myth that all students with a behavior disorder are gifted.

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Emotional Disturbance



• Try to determine if there are “triggers” to certain behaviors. These triggers could involve seating arrangements, classroom demands, classroom routines, instructional methods, another student, occurrences prior to coming to class or school, specific foods, etc. One a trigger is identified (or suspected), the team should problem solve and suggest changes.

• Consider modifications in assignments or alternative assignments. • Use humor to defuse or divert student problems • Try not to hold a grudge; start each day with a “clean slate”.

Resources

NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Colonial Place Three 2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300 Arlington, VA 22201 703-524-7600 • 800-950-6264 www.nami.org National Mental Health Association 2001 North Beauregard Street, 12th Floor Alexandria, VA 22311 800-969-6642 • www.nmha.org Fact sheets, news updates, referrals, support groups

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)



Early Childhood (1-5 yrs)

• Speech or gross motor delays • Extreme tactile sensitivity or insensitivity • Erratic sleeping and/or eating habits • Poor habituation • Lack of stranger anxiety • Rage • Poor or limited abstracting ability (action/consequence connection, judgment & reasoning skills,

sequential learning)

Elementary years

• Normal, borderline, or high IQ, but immature • Blames others for all problems • Volatile and impulsive, impaired reasoning • School becomes increasingly difficult • Socially isolated and emotionally disconnected • High need for stimulation • Vivid fantasies and perseveration problems • Possible fascination with knives and/or fire Adolescent years (13-18 yrs)

• No personal or property boundaries • Naïve, suggestible, a follower, a victim, vulnerable to peers • Poor judgment, reasoning, and memory • Isolated, sometimes depressed and/or suicidal • Poor social skills • Doesn’t learn from mistakes




• Be as consistent as possible. The way something is learned the first time will have the most lasting effect. Re-learning is very difficult and therefore any change is difficult.

• Use a lot of repetition. These students need more time and more repetition than average to learn and retain information. Try using mnemonics like silly rhymes and songs. Also have them repeatedly practice basic actions and social skills like walking quietly down the hall or when to say “thank you.” Be positive, supportive, and sympathetic during crises; these are children who “can’t” rather than “won’t.”

• Use multi-sensory instruction (visual, olfactory, kinesthetic, tactile, and auditory). More senses used in learning means more possible neurological connections to aid in memory retrieval.

• Be specific, yet brief. These students have difficulty “filling in the blanks.” Tell them step-by-step, but not all at once. Use short sentences, simple words, and be concrete. Avoid asking “why” questions. Instead, ask concrete who, what, where, and when questions.

• Increase supervision—it should be as constant as possible, with an emphasis on positive reinforcement of appropriate behavior so it becomes habit. Do not rely on the student’s ability to “recite” the rules or steps.

• Model appropriate behavior. Students with FASD often copycat behavior, so always try to be respectful, patient, and kind.

• Avoid long periods of deskwork (these children must move). To avoid the problem of a student becoming overloaded from mental exhaustion and/or trying to sit still, create a self-calming and respite plan.

• Post all rules and schedules. Use pictures, drawings, symbols, charts, or whatever seems to be effective at conveying the message. Repeatedly go over the rules and their meanings aloud at least once a day. Rules should be the same for all students, but you may need to alter the consequences for a child with FASD.

• Use immediate discipline. If discipline is delayed, the student with FASD will not understand why it’s happening. Even if the student is told immediately that a consequence will happen the next day, he or she will likely not make the connection the next day. Never take away recess as a consequence—children with FASD need that break to move around.

• Ensure the student’s attention. When talking directly to the student, be sure to say his or her name and make eye contact. Always have the student paraphrase any directions to check for understanding.

• Encourage use of positive self-talk. Recognize partially correct responses and offer positive incentives for finishing work. Try to set them up for success, and recognize successes every day! (or even every hour).




Children with FASD need more intense supervision and structure than other children. They often lack a sense of boundaries for people and objects. For instance, they don’t “steal” things, they “find” them; an object “belongs” to a person only if it is in that person’s hand. They are impulsive, uninhibited, and over-reactive. Social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and cooperating in general are usually not understood, and these children tend to play alongside others but not with them. In addition, sensory integration problems are common, and may lead to the tendency to be high strung, sound-sensitive, and easily over-stimulated. Although they can focus their attention on the task at hand, they have multiple obstacles to learning. Since they don’t understand ideas, concepts, or abstract thought, they may have verbal ability without actual understanding. Even simple tasks require intense mental effort because of their cognitive impairment. This can result in mental exhaustion, which adds to behavior problems. In addition, since their threshold for frustration is low, they may fly into rages and temper tantrums. A common impairment is with short-term memory, and in an effort to please, students often will make up an answer when they don’t remember one. This practice can apply to anything, including schoolwork or behaviors. These are not intentional “lies,” they just honestly don’t remember the truth and want to have an answer. Since they live in the moment and don’t connect their actions with consequences, they don’t learn from experience that making up answers is not appropriate.

Resources

ARC Northland 201 Ordean Building, 424 West Superior Duluth, MN 55802 218-726-4725 • 800-317-6475 • [email protected] Information, fact sheets Fetal Alcohol Diagnostic Program (FADP) 400 Ordean Building, 424 West Superior Duluth, MN 55802 218-726-4858 • [email protected] FASD evaluations based on University of Washington’s 4-digit diagnostic method; trainings on learning to diagnose FASD



FAS Community Resource Center (FAS-CRC) 7725 East 33rd Street Tucson, AZ 85710• www.come-over.to/FASCRC Lots of useful, supportive information

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Fragile X Syndrome



• Mental retardation • Hyperactivity • Short attention span • Tactilely defensive • Hand-flapping • Hand-biting • Poor eye contact • Perseverative speech • Sensitivity to loud noises • Inability to control anger • Overemotional • Impulsiveness • Severe temper tantrums • Depression • Very slurred or broken speech


• To the degree possible, provide a calm, quiet classroom environment, with breaks in a “safe” refuge away from distractions.

• Seat student as near to front and side as possible to reduce distractive stimuli. • Use small-group or one-to-one instruction when teaching novel tasks. • Explore use of calming strategies in concert with an occupational therapist trained in sensory

integration.

• Give ample time for processing and alternative methods of responding. • Simplify visually presented materials to eliminate a cluttered or excessively stimulating format. • Use technological adaptations, such as the computer, for writing assignments. • Provide a visual schedule to prompt transitions. • Use manipulatives, visual material, videos, and models. • Provide social skills lessons and have typical peers model appropriate behaviors. • Provide completion or closure for activities and lessons. • Capitalize on strengths in modeling, memory, simultaneous learning and associative learning.

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Fragile X Syndrome


• Use indirect questioning rather than direct, e.g., fill in the blank/cloze technique. • Utilize “cloze” techniques (fill-in blanks) to help facilitate executive function skills. • Use backward chaining—ask the student to finish up a task after you begin it. • Provide visual cues—such as color coding, numbering, and arrows—to help organize tasks. • Use reinforcement such as “high fives” rather than hugs or pats on the back (close physical contact

tends to over-stimulate children with FXS).


With persons who have fragile X syndrome, sensory processing, behavioral characteristics, cognitive levels, and speech-language skills all seem to interact and affect each other. Many persons with fragile X syndrome have some cognitive weaknesses. Their overall potential may be lower than that of their peers and siblings. They still have patterns of strengths and weaknesses in their development and may do very well with certain types of learning. Children with fragile X syndrome often have many positive behavioral characteristics. They are described as sweet and loving, with a strong desire for social interactions. Children with fragile X often have good senses of humor and enjoy jokes and humorous situations. Children with fragile X also often have a variety of behavioral challenges. Behavioral challenges are one of the main areas listed on checklists for the identification of persons with fragile X syndrome. Anxiety in both boys and girls manifests itself in various ways. Some persons with fragile X become very worried about changes in routine or upcoming stressful events (e.g., fire drills, assemblies). This is often referred to as "hypervigilance". Parents often report that their children stiffen up when angry or upset, becoming rigid and very tense. Sometimes, they simply tighten up their hands. Tantrums may be a result of anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Crowds and new situations may cause boys to whine, cry, or misbehave, in attempts to get out of the overwhelming settings.

Resources

Braden, Marcia, et. al. Lesson Planning Guide for Students with Fragile X Syndrome: A Practical Approach for the Classroom. NFXF, 2007. See: http://www.fragilex.org/html/lessonplanningguide.htm http://www.fragilex.org/html/resources2.htm http://www.fraxa.org/

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Health Impairments



A Child with a Health Impairment may experience permanent, temporary, or occasional problems. Most students who are served by special education for health problems usually have those problems over long periods of time and don’t tend to get better. Some of the most common health impairments include the following: • Epilepsy (Seizure Disorders). A student with epilepsy experiences seizures. During a seizure, the

brains nerve cells are charged with extra amounts of electricity, causing loss of functions, such as attention, feeling, comprehension, and muscle control.

• Allergies. A student with an allergy shows a strong reaction or intolerance to a substance that doesn’t cause problems for most people. The reactions may include sneezing, watering eyes, running nose, tiredness, itching, or a rash. Avoiding the substance and/or taking medication will help the student. Fatigue and absenteeism may cause problems cause problems in the student’s academic program, and modifications or accommodations may be necessary,.

• Asthma. Asthma is usually a result of an allergic reaction that causes the bronchial tubes or lungs (or both) to be blocked by excessive mucus. The student may struggle to breathe, then wheeze, turn pale, and perspire. You may want to check the student’s “riggers” to items in the classroom or school—a class pet, food served at lunch, treats at a party, or levels of physical activity.

• Diabetes. A diabetics’ body is not able to use and properly store sugar because the body is not able to produce enough of the hormone insulin. If the proper treatment is not followed, serious problems can result. Some potential problems include insulin reaction (or insulin shock), caused by anything that increases the metabolic rate. This could be too much exercise or insulin, too little food, or too much nervous tension. Usually, fruit juice, candy, a soft drink, or a sugar cube can help. A diabetic coma, on the other hand, can occur if the student has had too much sugar. This requires rest and an injection of insulin.

There are many more health impairments that pose problems for students and their education: cancer, HIV, hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and others.




• Removal or accommodate barriers. These barriers might include room arrangement, method of expression, time limits, personal needs, the need to be absent frequently, and lack of stamina. Something as simple as rearranging the classroom might make all the difference. Other suggestions include using assistive technology (computers, communication devices, and adapted switches, knobs, and buttons), allowing extra time for movement and transitions, giving instruction and practice in self-care, modifying the length of assignments, shortening instructional times, and planning frequent breaks.

• Compensate for frequent absences. Some physical impairments will mean frequent absences, long periods of absences or both for the student. Sending assignments home, allowing the student to keep an extra set of books at home, arranging for home and hospital instruction, shortening assignments, and allowing a student to take oral test instead of written test are a few common accommodations. Many difficult questions may arise if a child’s impairment is severe or terminal. Decisions about a student’s program should be made my the IEP team. Don’t let sympathy for a student’s condition or future cause you to “shortchange” that student while he or she is still able to participate and learn.


Provide assistance and support. If you have students with physical disabilities in your class, your job may include several physical and manual requirements, such as lifting a student from a wheelchair, setting up computer equipment, emptying urine bag, administering medication, or/and feeding.

Resources

Diabetes American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/main/application/commercewf Heart Condition American Heart Association http://www.americanheart.org/children/ Asthma American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology http://www.aaaai.org/

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.cs.unc.edu/~kupstas/FAQ.html Sickle Cell Anemia American Sickle Cell Anemia Association http://www.ascaa.org/ Hemophilia National Hemophilia Association http://www.hemophilia.org/home.htm Leukemia The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society http://www.leukemia.org/hm_lls Epilepsy Epilepsy Foundation of America 4351 Garden City Dr. Landover, MD 20785 (800) 332-1000 http://www.efa.org/

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Hearing Impairments



The area of Hearing Impairments covers a wide range of student of student disability. In this case, it is related to the lack of ability to hear sounds and discern clarity, ranging from a slight hearing loss to deafness. Hearing impairments usually result in communication problems.

• For a student with a conductive hearing loss (a problem with the volume), hearing aids can help the student hear more, but do not necessarily give the student normal hearing

• Depending on the onset and the severity of the hearing impairment, the student’s language and speech may be negatively affected.

• A student with a hearing impairment may use sign language or rely on speech reading (understanding another person by watching the lips and face) to communicate with others.

• Reading and writing skills may be below expected ability. Sentence structure and word order (syntax) are difficult to master for students with hearing impairments

• Because of communication difficulties, social interaction with peers may be an area of concern • Some students with hearing impairments talk too loudly or too softly, often interrupt others, or

make unintentional noises.


• Allow preferential seating • Try to reduce background noises • If a hearing aid has been prescribed, the student should wear it all times, unless you are told

otherwise

• Help the student learn to care for specialized equipment, such as hearing aids and auditory trainers (teacher/para wears a portable microphone which transmits what is said directly to the student’s hearing aid).

• Provide previews of vocabulary words or concepts that will be presented during class instruction. • Get the student’s attention before talking or giving instructions. • Be sure to face the student when talking or instructing. Don’t move around when talking or

instructing, and don’t stand in front of a light or window.

• Facial obstructions such as fancy hair styles, facial hair, coffee cups, books and lots of jewelry are distracting to a student trying to speech read. Keep your face free of obstructions.

• Don’t exaggerate lip movements or slow down or speed up your speech rate. Use complete sentences when you talk.

• Provide visual aids whenever possible

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Hearing Impairments



• Use other students to take notes, pass along directions, and clarify ideas. If you always do these tasks yourself, the opportunity for more peer interaction is reduced.

• Make accommodations for oral instruction-present information in written form to the student, demonstrate or give hands-on – instruction, provide visual representations, etc.

• Encourage and facilitate interaction between the student with a hearing impairment and his or her classmates

• Provide feedback to the student on inappropriate noises or voice volume, interrupting, etc.

Resources

Sarkees-Wircenski, M., and Scott, J. L. (1995). Vocational special needs. Homewood, IL: American Technical Publishers, Inc. American Hearing Research Foundation 55 E. Washington St., Suite 2022 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 726-9670 National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders http://www.nidcd.nih.gov Specialist Library for ENT and Audiology High quality research and patient information on audiology and hearing impairment American Academy of Audiology (AAA) http://www.audiology.org National Association of the Deaf. The NAD protects deaf and hard of hearing civil rights. Hard of Hearing Advocates Non-profit foundation dedicated to helping those with hearing loss

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Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Intellectual Disabilities



A child with an Intellectual Disability has an IQ below 70 (100 is normal) as well as problems in personal independence and social functioning (adaptive behavior). This intellectual delay has levels-mild, moderate and severe/profound. These levels may provide an idea of the types of instruction and support that will be needed. A student with an Intellectual Disability may:

• Require more time to learn a task • Show lower academic achievement than peers in all academic areas • Mature more slowly • Behave less maturely than his or her peers


• Make instruction and practice more concrete and personally relevant by relating them to tasks and experiences the child understands

• Provide additional or another type of practice on skills • Repeat instructions or activity descriptions; keep directions simple. • Allow longer time for a response from the student. • For a student with more mild Intellectual Disabilities, provide more curricular type of

modifications or adaptations, such as reducing number of lesson or activity goals/objectives and using parallel materials (materials on the same topic, but at lower reading levels).

• Break tasks into smaller parts; teach in smaller steps. • Show the student how to do something—don’t just tell. • If classroom duties and responsibilities are rotated among all the students (delivering lunch count,

erasing the chalkboard, etc), do not rotate them for this student.

• For a student with more moderate to severe Intellectual Disabilities, provide a great number of modifications and even alternative goals and activities when the regular classroom instruction is not appropriate.

• Incorporate IEP goals • Be clear on classroom rules and expectations, and repeat them often. • Use a good bit of drill and practice. • Offer instruction and support in the area of social skills and peer interaction. Manu of these

students will not automatically pick up on nonverbal cues and will need appropriate actions and reactions modeled or directly instructed. An example might be that playfully hitting a classmate is



not the best way to show friendship, whereas waiting in line to use the slide is the right way to do it.

• Basically, remember that below-age or poor social skills are a part of the disability, so instead of entertaining negative thoughts, offer support and instruction.

• Finally, provide support only when the student needs it! Encourage the student to be as independent as possible.


• Use other students to take notes, pass along directions, and clarify ideas. If you always do these tasks yourself, the opportunity for more peer interaction is reduced.

• Make accommodations for oral instruction-present information in written form to the student, demonstrate or give hands-on – instruction, provide visual representations, etc.

• Encourage and facilitate interaction between the student with a hearing impairment and his or her classmates

• Provide feedback to the student on inappropriate noises or voice volume, interrupting, etc.

Resources

National Association for Down's Syndrome P.O. Box 4542 Oak Brook, IL 60522 (630) 325-9112 http://www.nads.org/ The Arc (a national organization on Intellectual Disability) http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=183&srcid=-2 National Information Center on Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) NICHCY provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, teachers, and other professionals. NICHCY has a fact sheet about Intellectual Disability that includes general information on topics such as diagnosis and causes as well as tips for parents and teachers. NICHCY staff will also give information and referrals over the phone (800-695-0285) or by email ([email protected]). [In English: General Information about Intellectual Disability[En Español:

] El Retraso Mental

]

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MEDLINEplus: Developmental Disabilities MEDLINEplus is an online service of the National Library of Medicine. MEDLINEplus is designed to link you to information on specific health topics, including developmental disabilities. Information about Intellectual Disability is included on the Developmental Disabilities page. MEDLINEplus brings together information from many sources and is updated every day. This page includes information on the latest news, general overviews, clinical trials, coping, diagnosis and symptoms, research, specific conditions, law and policy, organizations, children, seniors. Some materials are in Spanish. [In English: MEDLINEplus Health Information: Developmental Disabilities[En Español:

] MEDLINEplus Información de Salud: Discapacidad de Desarrollo

]

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) Publications NCBDDD staff have written many scientific articles on Intellectual Disability. These articles examine such topics as how common Intellectual Disability is, and factors such as low birth weight or smoking during pregnancy that increase the risk that a child will have Intellectual Disability. You can see a list of these papers (starting in 1990) by using the keyword search on the NCBDDD publications Web page. Choose "Intellectual Disability" in the keyword box on the search page. You can choose whether you want the list to be sorted by author or by date. You can also choose to have the list appear with or without graphics. Click on the Submit button. You will see a list of papers that are about Intellectual Disability. The list will include the complete reference for each paper and a link to an abstract of the paper or to the full text, when available. [Go to NCBDDD publications keyword search page]

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Multiple Sclerosis



Symptoms can change from week to week, so watch your child carefully. Here's what to look for:

• Vision: Blurry or double vision may impact reading, writing or attention. • Learning and memory: Because MS can affect brain function, a child's attention span and thinking

abilities — such as the ability to reason and process and remember information — may be impacted. This is particularly true for younger children who develop active MS before they master educational building blocks, such as mathematics and grammar. These children may be at risk for performing poorly compared with kids who master these subjects before they develop active MS.

• Writing: Acute attacks or lingering symptoms can cause numbness, weakness, fatigue, poor posture or coordination difficulties, all of which can affect handwriting.

• Socialization: Learning social skills is a critical part of development, and school is where most of this development happens. MS can make socializing at school more difficult: Children with MS may withdraw from peers because they feel different from their schoolmates, depressed or embarrassed, or because of physical symptoms such as fatigue. In general, children with more obvious physical symptoms are more likely to have trouble with socialization.


• A multiple-choice test if your child has trouble recalling information • Bathroom pass if your child has bladder control problems • Frequent breaks if your child has fatigue or difficulty concentrating • Preferential class seating arrangement if your child has visual problems or attention deficit • Reduction in homework if your child has extreme fatigue or problems with writing • Aid for students with visual impairments (for instance, a reader) • Computer for taking notes and tests • Equipment modifications • Extended test-taking time • Physical and occupational therapy • Psychological services • Relocation of classrooms for children with fatigue or physical disabilities that affect gross motor

skills

• School health services • Speech and language therapy • Medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes only • Mobility services

Disabilities, Disorders & Syndromes: Multiple Sclerosis


• Occupational therapy for students with fine motor or visual needs • Parent counseling and training • Physical therapy • Psychological services • School health services by a school nurse or other qualified personnel • Social work services • Speech/language therapy and audiology services • Therapeutic recreation or adaptive physical education A number of strategies at school can help address some MS symptoms. For cognitive problems, cognitive intervention can be done with a specialist to develop areas of strength – which in turn will help improve memory and compensate for any deficits. Sitting closer to the front of the class can assist with listening and following instructions. Increased time for testing can help as well. Fatigue and weakness issues can be helped through fewer assignments, reduced distances to walk, and fewer classes during times of greater fatigue (maybe in the afternoon). Visual evaluation and tracking strategies can help with visual problems, and some students may have a scribe to take notes. An occupational therapist is able to prescribe and fit adaptive equipment to minimize the effects of certain physical symptoms, which may affect writing, walking, etc.


Many symptoms can negatively imp

syndromes, disabilities & disorders...instructional strategies and classroom accommodations •...

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