# data[].attributes.body
Intellectual disability means significantly subaverage
general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with
deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the
developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s
educational performance. (Federal definition)

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Determine an individual's cognitive ability: IQ scores (controversial);
1- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children;
2 - WISC-V;

Evaluate individual's adaptive behavior
- observations;
- structured interviews;
- standardized scales.
DABS is a standardized measure of adaptive behavior

Classification:
Mild disability / IQ 55-70 / SD 2 to 3
Moderate disability / IQ 40-55 / SD 3 to 4
Severe disability / IQ 25-40 / SD 4 to 5
Profund disability / IQ under 25 / SD more than 5

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They may vary from group to group;
Interindividual differences are considerable;
Impaired cognitive functioning;
Lower IQ impact the ability to learn, acquire concepts, process information, and apply knowledge;
Attention deficits;
Memory deficit is increased by the severity of the cognitive impairment;
Reading appears to be the weakest area;
Deficiency is seen across all subject areas;
Lack of motivation;
External locus of control;
Lack of persistence at tasks;
Tendency to expect failure;
Difficulty to transfer or generalizing knowledge;
Speech and language difficulties;
Poor interpersonal and social skills;

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Teaching students:

INCLUDE

Identify classroom demands;

Note student learning strengths and needs;

Check for potential areas of student success;

Look for potential problem areas;

Use the information to brainstorm ways to differentiate instruction;

Differentiate instruction;

Evaluate student progress;

- Use prompt systems (video, audio, picture);

- ensure attention to relevant task demand;

- Teach ways to learn content while teaching content itself;

- Focus on meaningful content;

- Provide training for multiple learning and environmental contexts;

- Offer opportunities for active involvement.

Task analysis:

functional or life skills curriculum;

broke down a large task into small components;

explain it partly as an individual task itself.

Cooperative learning:

encourage students with various strengths and abilities to work together toward a common goal (opposite to a competition).

Scaffolding:

for inactive or passive learners;

to help them become independent, problem solvers.

teacher support students as they engage in learning a new task or skill;

as they become more independent, the scaffolds are gradually removed.

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Argumentative and Alternative Communication (AAC);
from low-tech (no power source) to high-tech (computer-based)
aided (external to the user) to unaided (the user's body);
dedicated devices (tools specifically designed to be AAC) and nondedicated options (ones designed for other purposes but that can support communication).

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I thought individuals with intellectual disabilities would always be dependent on their families. I learned that depending on the level, they can have an independent life.
I connected it to the memory that it is more common to see them working and doing their daily routine by themselves now than before.
At school, we can make tasks simpler by breaking them down. It could help not only students with intellectual disabilities but also the ones who are still learning the language and need more support. It is a very easy adaptation that would help them to complete a task.
I believe that constant feedback would also be encouraging for these students.

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Specific learning disability is defined as follows:
i. General. The term 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 do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

ii. Disorders not included. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. (Federal definition)

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Individuals receive a multidisciplinary evaluation conducted by a team of professionals in a non-discriminatory fashion.
- tests are administrated by trained people;
- tests are reliable, valid, and appropriate;
- tests are neither racially nor culturally discriminatory;
- tests are administrated in student's language;
- no single measure be used as the basis for determining a student's eligibility.

Once it is done, the team determines the eligibility for placement in a learning disability program, according to federal guidelines.

An individual is placed in a learning disability program if there is a discrepancy between assumed ability and educational achievement.

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There is no typical person with learning disabilities;
No two identical profiles in strengths and weaknesses;

A wide range of characteristics often associated with learning disabilities:
- disorders of attention;
- hyperactivity;
- information-processing problems;
- lack of cognitive strategies needed for efficient learning;
- memory difficulties;
- oral language difficulties;
- poor gross and fine motor skills;
- phycological processing deficits;
- quantitative disabilities;
- reading disorders;
- social/emotional challenges;
- written language problems.

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There is no best or correct way.

Individualization is the key to meeting the instructional needs of the student;

Support Math (often a struggle)

For elementary students:

- Use FAST DRAW strategy;

- Use COMPs model;

- Solve and check the answer model;

For secondary students:

- Use seven cognitive phrases - solve - it;

- Use FOPs;

- Solve the problem;

For all ages use concrete-representational-abstract strategies (CRA);

Cognitive Training:

- Students observe the teacher perform the task;

- Teacher verbalizes aloud;

- Students perform the task with the teacher providing verbal instruction;

- Student perform the activity while verbalizing aloud;

- Students perform the activity while whispering instructions;

- Students perform the activity while using covet or inner speech;

- Student monitor and self-evaluates their performance.

Direct Instruction:

- emphasizes drill and practice along with immediate feedback and reward;

- focus on specific academic skills.

Learning Strategies:

- Teach the students how to learn;

- Students become more actively engaged;

- Students become involved in their learning;

Techniques, principles, or rules that facilitate the acquisition, manipulation, integration, storage, and retrieval of information across situations and settings.

Suggestions:

- capitalize on the student's strengths;

- provide high structure and clear expectations;

- use short sentences and simple vocabulary;

- provide opportunities for success in a supportive atmosphere - self-esteem;

- allow flexibility;

- use self-correcting materials;

- use computers for drills or practice;

- provide positive reinforcement

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Assistive technology - compensate for challenges and become more effective and efficient learners.

Audiobooks;
Text-to-Speech;
Word processing programs;
Word prediction;
Speech-to-Text;
Spell checkers;
Calculators;
Livescribe TM smartpens;
Smartphones or other devices;
Alarms;
Reminders;
Calendars.

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For these individuals, the teacher needs to be the most patient possible and a very good communicator. The teacher will have to learn how to communicate the best way their student can learn, and each one of them can be very different.
I can see some of my past students in the descriptions above. I remember thinking of them as not ready to learn, or so demotivated that everything looked difficult. But as they were young, nothing could be done, just documentation for future diagnosis.
I still wonder what was difficult at the time. Maybe I was not their engaging teacher, maybe they had difficulties that I couldn't identify.
After all, the most important, in my opinion, is to make their needs clear (self-awareness), support them, and focus on their strengths.

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Definition by American Psychiatric Association:
Neurodevelopmental disorder;
A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.

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Valid and reliable assessment is difficult;
There is no single, definitive medical or psychological test;
It is a multidimensional process;
Strategies to assess involve direct observations and the use of behavior rating scales;
It is necessary for medical, behavioral, and educational data.

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ADHD
Characteristics vary considerably.
Generally manifests early in child's life;
May be generated by:
behavioral inhibition and executive function;
Social and emotional issues;

- Inattention;
- Hyperactivity;
- Impulsivity.

The characteristics must be present before age 12;
It may occur in two or more settings (home/school);
Individuals with ADHD frequently have other academic and behavioral difficulties.

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Inattention:

- Seat student in a quiet area;

- Require fewer correct responses for a grade;

- Seat student near good role model;

- Reduce the amount of homework;

- Seat student near "study buddy";

- Instruct student in self-monitoring using cueing;

- Increase distance between desks;

- Pair written instructions with oral instructions;

- Allow extra time to complete assigned work;

- Provide peer assistance in note-taking;

- Shorten assignments or work time;

- Use timer;

- Give clear, concise instructions;

- Break long assignments;

- Seek to involve the student in lesson presentation

- Assist the student in setting short-term goals;

- Cue student to stay on task (i.e. signal);

- Give assignments one at a time;

Impulsiveness:

- Ignore minor inappropriate behavior;

- Acknowledge positive behavior of nearby students;

- Increase immediacy of rewards and consequences;

- Seat student near role model or teacher;

- Use time-out procedure for misbehavior;

- Set up behavior contract;

- Supervise closely during transition times;

- Instruct student in self-monitoring of behavior;

- Use prudent reprimands of misbehavior (avoid lecturing and criticism);

- Call on only when the hand is raised in an appropriate manner;

- Attend to positive behavior with compliments;

- Praise when hand raised to answer questions;

Motor activity:

- Allow student to stand at times while working;

- Supervise closely during transition times;

- Provide opportunities for seat breaks;

- Remind the student to check work quality;

- Provide short breaks within assignments;

- Give extra time to complete tasks;

Academic skills:

- Provide additional reading time and extra strategies for weak reading;

- Accept other types of written forms for weak writing;

- Accept other types of oral responses for weak oral expression;

- Pick easy topics for the oral report;

- Allow the use of tools and additional time for weak math skills;

Organization Planning:

- Ask for parental help in encouraging organization;

- Allow the student to have an extra set of books at home;

- Provide organization rules;

- Give assignments one at a time;

- Encourage the student to have a notebook with dividers and folders for work;

- Assist the student in setting short-term goals;

- Provide student with homework assignment book;

- Do not penalize for poor handwriting;

- Supervise writing down of homework assignments;

- Encourage learning of keyboarding skills;

- Send daily/weekly progress reports home;

- Allow the student to tape-record assignments or homework;

- Regularly check desk and notebook for neatness;

Compliance:

- Praise compliant behavior;

- Supervise the student closely during transition times;

- Provide immediate feedback;

- Seat student near teacher;

- Ignore minor misbehavior;

- Set up behavior contract;

- Use teacher attention to reinforce positive behavior;

- Implement classroom behavior management system;

- Use prudent reprimands for misbehavior;

- Instruct student in self-monitoring of behavior;

- Acknowledge positive behavior of nearby students;

Mood:

- Provide reassurance and encouragement;

- Make time to talk alone with the student;

- Frequently compliment positive behavior and work product;

- Encourage social interactions with classmates;

- Speak softly in a nonthreatening manner if the student shows

nervousness;

- Reinforce frequently when signs of frustration are noticed;

- Review instructions when giving new assignments;

- Look for signs of stress buildup and provide encouragement or reduced workload to alleviate pressure and avoid temper outbursts;

- Look for opportunities for the student to display leadership roles in class;

- Spend more time talking to students who seem pent up or display anger easily;

- Conference frequently with parents to learn about student’s interests and achievements outside of school;

- Provide brief training in anger control: Encourage the student to walk away; use calming strategies; tell a nearby adult if getting angry.

- Send positive notes home;

Socialization:

- Praise appropriate behavior;

- Encourage cooperative learning tasks with other students;

- Monitor social interactions;

- Provide small-group social skills training;

- Set up social behavior goals with the student and implement a reward program;

- Praise student frequently;

- Prompt appropriate social behavior either verbally or with a private signal;

- Assign special responsibilities to the student in presence of a peer group so others observe the student in a positive light.

—Harvey C. Parker
Source: A.D.D. Warehouse, 304 Northwest 70th Avenue, Plantation, FL
33317; (800) 233-9273. Available online at
http://www.addwarehouse.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/article4.htm

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Seat cushion;
Fidget toy;
Technology to self-monitor:
iHomework 2;
Evernote;
What's today;
Revibe: classic, connect, or Connect Plus,

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It is very hard to deal with this type of student, as you end up saying "pay attention", "focus here", "hey, look at your work" etc. These students demand constant checking and a lot of energy. They are the ones that you probably won't let work independently very often.
After reading all about them, I think that it is important to change the mindset, as we are facing students with disabilities. Encouragement sentences as "It's ok if you are struggling with this work", "Even when it looks hard, it is important to work on that", would be helpful for these students.

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Emotional disturbance is defined as follows:

i. The term 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.
ii. 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.
(Federal definition)

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The teacher will face behavior that is disturbing and others that are disturbed;
It is difficult to determine a change of behavior and a disorder;
The assessment is complex and consists of a multimethod, multisource approach;
- rating scales;
- interviews;
- classroom observations;
From multiple sources of information:
- the student;
- teachers;
- parents;
- peers;

Person-centered planning;
Strength-based assessment;
Functional behavioral assessment.

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- An inability to learn that cannot be explained

by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;

- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory

interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;

- Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings

under normal circumstances;

- A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or

depression;

- A tendency to develop physical symptoms or

fears associated with personal or school problems;

The term includes schizophrenia;

Only applies to children who are socially maladjusted if they have an emotional disturbance.

Learning characteristics:

Typically score in the low to average range on measures of intelligence;

Typically experience academic failures;

Social characteristics:

- Difficulties in building and maintaining interpersonal relationships;

- Usually experience rejection from adults and peers due to aggressive behavior;

Language characteristics:

- Expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language deficits;

- Usually use fewer words per sentence;

- Have difficulties staying on topic;

- Use of inappropriate language in social conversations.

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Scheduling:

- Place the class schedule in a prominent location;

- Intersperse more challenging tasks with less difficult ones;

- Alternate lecture, discussion, and movement types of activities;

- Adjust the length of activities and/or the schedule to meet the attention, developmental, and ability level of students;

- Review and discuss the schedule frequently with students;

- Inform students in advance of any schedule changes;

- Schedule routine opening and closing activities each day;

Proximity and movement management:

- Placing the desks of disruptive students near the

teacher’s desk or main work area;

- Interacting briefly and frequently with all students;

- Moving around the classroom in unpredictable ways;

- Providing praise, reprimands, and consequences when

in close physical proximity to pupils (Salend, 2016).

Classroom arrangements:

- Students should be seated in locations that provide

teachers with easy visual and physical access at all

times (Salend, 2016);

- Savage (1999) recommends using rows for direct

instruction, circular patterns for discussions, and

clustered arrangements for group work;

- Place disruptive students in the “action zone” in the

classroom;

- Disruptive students should be seated near the teacher

to allow for proximity control and frequent monitoring.

Usually, the curriculum is the same as the other students in class;

The way the instruction is delivered may cause behavior problems.

Behavioral Principles:

1- Positive reinforcement principle;

praise for following the task.

2- Premack principle;

first, you work, then you play.

3- Contingency contracting principle;

specify in writing the desired behavior.

Principles for developing new behavior:

1- Successive approximations principle;

reward successive steps to the desired behavior.

2- Modeling principle;

allow observation of desired behavior.

3- cueing principle;

provide cue or prompt of the desired behavior.

4 - Discrimination principle;

help only when the desired behavior is shown.

Principles for decreasing or extinguishing undesired behavior:

1- Extinction;

no reinforcement for undesired behavior.

2- Reinforcement of incompatible behavior;

reinforce alternative or desired behavior.

3- Response cost;

take something away when they show undesired bahevior.

Strategies for classroom rules:

- Keep the wording of rules simple and clear;

- Select the fewest possible rules (three to six);

- Use different rules for different situations;

- Rules should be stated behaviorally, and they should be

enforceable;

- Rules should be stated positively;

- Rules should be reasonable;

- Specify consequences for both rule adherence and rule infraction, and provide consequences consistently;

- Give examples and non-examples of each rule;

- Discuss the need for rules in the classroom;

- Check for student understanding of rules;

- Review rules regularly;

- Post the rules in a prominent location in the room;

- Obtain written commitments from students that they will follow the rules.

Source: Adapted from B. Burden, Powerful Classroom Management
Strategies (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2000); M. Kerr and C.
Nelson, Strategies for Managing Behavior Problems in the Classroom,
6th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2010).

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Assistive Technology to support learning:
Speech-to-text;
concrete manipulatives;

Self-management or self-monitoring;
Pager;
MotivAider R;
ClassDojo (record behavior);
Revibe: classic, connect, or connect plus
WatchMinder R;

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These are the students who are the most challenging for me. I am not the one who takes personally things they say in the classroom (how boring, I don't like this, I don't want to do this, etc.), but I fear for the well-being of the other students.
It is hard to identify what is going to trigger their impulsive behavior, so this makes me tension the whole time.
The other aspect that is hard for me is that I want to evidence that my interventions are helping my students, and sometimes I can't solve all their emotional issues.
We are also facing a time in which parents want the reasons for all you say to their child. Fo this type of disability, if families are not on the same page as you, the loss is huge.
I learned that rewards play an important role for students with EBD, but I still struggle with this type of reinforcement.

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Federal Definition:
Autism means a developmental disability significantly
affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social
interaction, generally evident before age 3, that adversely
affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are
engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped
movements, resistance to environmental change or change
in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory
experiences. The term does not apply if a child’s
educational performance is adversely affected primarily
because the child has an emotional disturbance as defined
in this section.

A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age
3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria in the
preceding paragraph are satisfied.

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Their difficulty to sit still, pay attention, follow directions and respond verbally render children with ASD untestable;

Intellectual assessments and achievement tests can be administrated effectively;

Behavioral assessments and rating scales also generates useful information;

Medical tests cannot diagnose autism;

Medical tests can help to identify specific disabilities such as hearing or vision loss, neurological disorders such as epilepsy, fragile X syndrome, or tuberous sclerosis;

A suspected individual with ASD should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team: neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist in addition to a special educator.

Types of assessment:

Intellectual

Screening and diagnosis (behavioral symptoms)

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Interview

Childhood Autism Spectrum Test

2 examples of instruments that offer reliable means for identifying persons with Asperger syndrome or milder forms of ASD.

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- An inability to learn that cannot be explained

by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;

- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory

interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;

- Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings

under normal circumstances;

- A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or

depression;

- A tendency to develop physical symptoms or

fears associated with personal or school problems;

Intellectual functioning:

Can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on the cognitive functioning level;

Exhibit a full range of cognitive development;

30% can have intellectual impairment;

10% can demonstrate extraordinary skills;

Theory of mind:

Inability to understand other people's have a point of view;

Do not understand other people can have different thoughts, plans, emotions, and perspectives;

This skill affects academic performance (reading comprehension) and social interaction.

Social interaction:

Significant impairment in the use of nonverbal communication;

Failure to develop age-appropriate peer relationships;

Lack of spontaneous sharing with others;

Absence of social and emotional reciprocity;

Joint attention - deficit in social communication.

Communication:

Lack of speech;

Half of the individuals with ASD don't develop functional speech;

For the ones who speak, their speech may not be fluent;

At a young age, they show a lack of recognition of mother's or father's voice;

Disregard of vocalizations;

Delayed onset of babbling past 9 months of age;

Decreased or absent prespeech gestures;

Lack of expressions;

Lack of interest or response of any kind.

Repetitive and restrictive behaviors:

Play with toys in an unintended fashion;

Be rigid about routines or object placements;

Eat few foods or only foods with a certain texture;

Smell food;

Be insensitive to pain;

Be unaware of danger;

Show unusual attachment to inanimate objects; and exhibit repeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking, finger-licking, spinning, and so on).

Other features:

Problems with concentration, attention, and activity level.

(hyperactivity, short attention span, impulsivity)

Anxiety disorders;

(self-injuries behavior, excessive scratching or rubbing, limiting the diet to a few foods, eating inedible items, obsessive-compulsive disorder)

Affect or mood disorders;

(giggling or crying for no apparent reason, sleeping problems, bed-wetting, depression, suicidal ideation)

Learning difficulties.

(uneven achievement, impaired executive function, poor reading comprehension, inadequate receptive/expressive language skills, difficulty generalizing skills or information)

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The most successful programs for students are the ones that begin early and are intensive, continuous, and multidisciplinary.

There are Research-Based Interventions for Students With

Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Tips for teaching high-functioning individuals:

Avoid abstract ideas whenever possible;

Avoid speech students might misinterpret (avoid idioms,

double meanings, sarcasm, and nicknames).

Break down tasks;

Assist students with organizational skills;

Prepare students for change;

Make adjustments for auditory and visual distractions;

Facilitate group work.

Source: Original adaptation from S. Moreno, “Tips for Teaching High-Functioning People With Autism.” Available at http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/Articles/Tips-for-Teaching-High-Functioning-People-with-Aut.aspx. Used by permission. For additional recommendations, see https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Tips-for-Teaching-High-

Functioning-People-with-Autism

Social Stories TM strategy:

Aim to increase the individual's awareness and understanding of social situations and others' perspectives and self-management techniques.

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Multiple lines:
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC);
Video modeling;
Audio prompting;
Computer-assisted instruction (CAI);
Cellphones, Ipods, Ipads;
High Tech AAC - speech-generating devices (SGDs) or voice output communication aids (VOCAs);
Arthur's Big app (for social behavior);
What would you do at school if... fun deck;
StoryMaker TM
Picture communication
Proloquo2Go R

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This is the one I have learned more. The way they think, the percentages of brilliant students, the way they see the world, and things they struggle with.
I didn't know that some can learn how to cope with the lack of social skills, learn strategies that can make their adult life easier in the future.
In a classroom with students with ASD, I believe the teacher has to be the most objective and clear in his instructions and feedback. And teach the other kids that they have to say exactly what they feel or want from these individuals. Knowing that they can't understand facial and body language helps with communication and interaction within the students.

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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. (Federal definition)

Speech disorders:

Articulation disorders

Omissions;

Substitutions;

Additions;

Distortions;

Fluency disorders

Stuttering;

Cluttering;

Voice disorders

Phonation;

Resonance;

Hypernasality;

Hyponasality;

Language disorders (how well they understand and use the language):

Phonological disorder;

Apraxia of speech;

Morphological disorder;

Semantic disorders;

Pragmatic difficulties;

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD)

A problem in the processing of sound not attributed to hearing loss or intellectual capacity - directly affects receptive communication.

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Most of the evaluation procedures are conducted by a speech-language pathologist;

Effective assessment includes both formal and informal measures;

Family interview - collect history information;

Information relative to the child's hearing, motor skills, oral and respiratory mechanisms, general physical condition, education records, and social and developmental histories is part of the documentation.

Speech assessment evaluates the articulation, voice, and fluency abilities of the child.

If the child is young: prelinguistic communicative behavior

If they have acquired language skills age: language sample

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Children with expressive language disorder:
Difficulty formulating questions;
Excessive repetition of information;
Incorrect grammar or syntax;
Limited vocabulary.

Youngsters with receptive language problems:
Comprehending compound and complex sentences;
Following oral directions;
Responding to questions appropriately;
Understanding humor or figurative language.

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Allowing sufficient time for the student to respond;

Being patient;

Modeling correct speech;

Prohibiting ridicule of speech difficulties/errors;

Repeating important phrases;

Slowly giving directions, repeating if necessary;

Using gestures to clarify information;

Using graphic organizers and visual aids;

Using short sentences;

Teaching language skills:

Gear the activities to the student’s interests and cognitive level;

Get the student’s attention before engaging in communication activities;

Bombard the student with the concept or skill frequently

throughout the day functionally;

When speaking, place stress on the target concept or language pattern;

Pause between phrases or sentences so that the student has time to process the new concept or language pattern;

Decrease the rate of presentation when first introducing the

concept or language pattern;

When introducing a new concept or language pattern, use familiar vocabulary that can be readily visualized;

If possible, present the new concept or language pattern by using more than one input mode (auditory, visual, kinesthetic);

Gestures and facial expressions that are paired with a specific language pattern often assist students in understanding the form;

Pair written symbols with oral language.

Source: S. Vaughn, C. Bos, and J. Schumm, Teaching Students Who Are

Exceptional, Diverse, and at Risk, 8th ed. (New York, NY: Pearson

Education, 2018), p. 2227.

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Usually individuals with severe speech and language impairments, autism spectrum disorder, or intellectual disability - complex communication needs:
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC);

Low-tech AAC:
Picture symbols;

Mid and high-tech:
Speech-generating devices (SGDs)

Proloquo@Go R;
SoundingBoard TM;
Flip Writer AAC;
Sono Flex;
GoTalk Now;
Scene & Heard.

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I was impressed by all the technology that already exists to assist students with speech and language impairment. They are all new to me.
For these students, I think that the teacher has to accommodate (as we should do with the rest of the class) by providing different ways the students can show their learning outcomes.
If I want to share my research, I can write, draw, illustrate, record a video, act, make a poster... there are so many possibilities that should be offered to all of our students, and that is even more meaningful when we have students with disabilities in class.
This makes me think how we still think we need to be in control at school as a teacher, and not a facilitator.

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Hearing impairment:
Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing,
whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a
child’s educational performance but that is not included
under the definition of deafness in this section. (Federal definition)

Deafness:
Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe
that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information
through hearing, with or without amplification, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance. (Federal Definition)

Hearing sensitivity loss:
Poorer than normal auditory sensitivity for sounds.

Deaf:
Limited or absent hearing for ordinary purposes of daily living.

Hard of hearing:
A person who has a hearing loss but uses the auditory channel as the primary avenue for oral communication.

# data[].attributes.body
Aims to develop a complete picture of their cognitive, communicative, behavioral, and social characteristics as well as strengths and needs.

Cognitive Assessment:

Do not rely primarily on verbal abilities;

Several nonverbal assessments;

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10)

Individual state achievement tests

Communication Assessment:

Should examine both receptive and expressive communication;

1- Form of language;

2- Content of language;

3- Use of language.

Most assessments do not assess all these areas;

Should include tool designed to ascertain the individual's articulation, pitch, loudness, quality, and rate.

Personal, social, behavioral assessment:

It is very challenging given the language content;

They may respond atypically to a personality measure, as a result of linguistic difficulties.

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There is a widely diverse hearing-impairment population;

They experience significant issues concerning social and intellectual development, speech and language, and educational achievement.

Intelligence:

IQ scores are similar to their hearing counterparts;

It has to do more with function on language than cognitive ability.

Speech and language:

Most severely affected;

Deaf students have a difficult time learning to use speech;

Mild-moderate loss - possible communication skills;

prelingual moderate loss - possible communication skills;

More severe cases - language delay.

Social interactions:

Quality and quantity of interactions with peers is reduced;

They prefer to engage with other students with hearing impairment;

Educational Achievement:

It is significantly below that of their hearing peers.

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Promote acceptance of your students;
Be sure hearing aids and other amplification devices are used when recommended;
Provide preferential seating;
Increase visual information;
Minimize classroom noise;
Modify teaching procedures;
Have realistic expectations;

Source: Adapted from C. Johnson and J. Seaton, Educational Audiology Handbook, 2nd ed. (Clifton Park, NY: Delmar/Cengage Learning, 2012), pp. 195–196.

Instructional Interventions
Methods of communication: fingerspelling;
(sign language)

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Hearing aids (in-the-ear and behind-the-ear aids);
Computers;
Alerting devices;
Cochlear implants;
Captioned media;
Adaptative equipament.

UNI from MotionSavvy;
SignALL;
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART);
YouTube captioning;
Auditory trainer;
FM system;
Sound field system.

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I never thought about the emotional vulnerability of these individuals with hearing impairment. It reminded me of a book that I read with 5th graders last August, el Deafo. It shows all the struggles of a student who had to use an aid at school, her emotional discomfort, how others wanted to treat her, and how she didn't want to learn sign language.
Again, I think that whenever we have the chance to teach other students about the disability, fewer monsters they create in their minds and more possibilities of interaction we create.
A student with hearing impairment in our classroom requires some accommodation to learn, and their emotional issues should gain the same amount of attention.

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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. (Federal definition)

Deaf-blindness:
Concomitant hearing and visual impairments.
Deaf-blindness means concomitant 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. (Federal Definition)

Legally blind is a term used to describe a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction or a visual field that is no greater than 20 degrees;

According to Snellen chart clinical measurement, the individuals can be considered:

Functionally blind - when the primary channel of learning is through tactile and auditory means;

Primary literacy medium - most frequently used method of reading and writing.

Low vision:

An impairment that interferes with the ability to perform daily activities;

Residual vision:
Unable vision;

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Must be identified if it's a birth condition or later in life;
An accident or childhood illness;
Vision screening programs;
Should be referred to a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist for further evaluation;
Include a medical exam and report;
The report includes etiology, medical history, and diagnosis, ocular health, visual abilities, recommended low vision devices, possible assistance with travel, and a reevaluation;
Sent to the educational system through a written ocular report;
Interpretation should be done by a specialist visual impairment teacher;
A clinical low vision evaluation is necessary to determine their needs;

Low visual examination:
Acuity tests;
Visual field testing for peripheral or central visual loss;
Interview with the individual;
It includes a personal prescription for low vision devices, technology, or referrals to community agencies.

Functional Vision Evaluation:
Must be performed before all other educational evaluation;
Ensure that each child will have access to the materials and equipment needed;
They must be observed in a variety of environments of students' routine;
Student performs various tasks;
Observations of individual and group tasks;
Include oral and silent reading;
Desk work and board work;
Include travel within the school environment.

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The type of experience the child has, the ability to travel within his/her environment, and participation in his/her community are factors that will be affected differently depending on the vision loss;

Behavioral characteristics:

Unusual turning of the head, body, or eye;

Holding reading material extremely close to the face;

Excessive rubbing of the eye;

Watery eyes;

Eye fatigue;

Frequent eye pain;

Frequent headaches;

Squinting or shading the eye to view objects;

Constantly having difficulty in keeping up when reading and writing;

Using markers such as pencils and fingers when reading;

Difficulty copying from the board or transparencies;

Confusion in writing letters and numbers appropriately;

“Clumsy” movement from one environment to another;

Poor posture in both standing and sitting;

Reluctance to participate in social and physical activities;

Poor grades;

Difficulty with color identification or color coordination;

Sensory perceptual coordination;

Misaligning columns when writing math problems;

Requiring additional time to complete a task;

Failing to make eye contact when talking to people;

Behavior problems;

Source: Adapted from Educator’s Guide & Checklist to Classroom Vision Problems (Timonium, MD: Optometric Extension Program Foundation, 2015).

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Suggestions for working with students with visual impairment:

- Feel comfortable using vision words such as look, see, and watch;

- Use student's name when addressing a student;

- Read aloud when writing on the board;

- Encourage independence;

- Include the student in all class activities as feasible;

- Give explicit instructions;

- Provide extra space for storage of equipment and specialized materials;

- Encourage the use of supplementary devices when necessary.

Accommodations:

Communication and accessibility;

For reading, writing and note-taking consider:

What equipment, extra time, send material to be enlarged, scanned, Brailled, or recorded, look for electronic public materials, what type of paper (color, size).

Mobility tips:

Eliminate unnecessary obstacles; inform the student of changes in room arrangement or any temporary obstacles;

Keep doors completely closed or completely open to eliminate the possibility of the student’s running into a partially open door;

Allow the student to travel with a companion to frequently used rooms such as the library, school office, restroom, and gym;

Discuss routes with turns and landmarks;

Allow the student to move about freely until the room and route are familiar;

Encourage the use of a sighted guide for fire drills, field trips,

assemblies, and seating in rooms that ordinarily have no assigned seats;

Encourage independent travel in the familiar settings at school;

Source: Adapted from R. Craig and C. Howard, “Visual Impairment,” in M. Hardman, M. Egan, and D. Landau (Eds.), What Will We Do in the Morning? (Dubuque, IA: W. C. Brown, 1981), p. 191.

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Technology can bring individuals with visual impairments to participate on a level with sighted peers;

Assistive technology can be introduced at a young age;

Electronic Braille for beginning Braille readers;

Electronic note-taking devices give access to the internet, shared folder and Braille;

Tablets, smartphones with accessibilities features;

Literacy:

Braille embosser;

Braille translator;

Braille winter;

Optical character recognition (OCR);

Synthetic speech;

Electronic magnification;

eText reader.

Assistive technology tools:

Adaptive hardware;

Adaptive software;

Adapted output systems;

(screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, Braille printers)

Adapted input systems;

(Braille input devices, speech recognition)

Global positioning systems (GPS).

Source: Adapted from J. Gense and M. Gense, “Using Assistive Technology for Learners Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired,” in Pennsylvania College of Optometry (Eds.), Increasing Literacy Levels: Final Report (Starkville: Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, 1997).

Mathematics:

Advanced math is a challenge;

Digital talking book with specialized language provides one solution.

Mobile computer devices:

Mobile computing has accessibility features;

Screen-reader;

Speech-to-text;

text-to-speech;

Zooming;

Braille displays can be used with iOS devices;

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It was a pleasure to review all the characteristics, accommodations, and strategies for individuals with visual impairment. I had the chance to work with different kinds of visual disabilities in a language school a long time ago. We adapted the material for the students, according to how much they could see and for the blind ones, we had a teacher who would type it in Braille. It was an amazing back in time memory!
Something that came to my mind was that, back in time, we were worried about providing them the same material as the other students, but never thought about teaching the language for them. Maybe they could learn only how to communicate... We never asked!
Again, I was amazed by how much technology there is nowadays to support these students, as I had never worked with students with visual impairments since then, it was a wonderful WOW moment.

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Three possible IDEA eligibility categories:

Orthopedic impairment
Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic
impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational
performance. The term includes impairments caused by
congenital anomaly (e.g., clubfoot, absence of some
member), impairments caused by disease (e.g.,
poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from
other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and
fractures or burns that cause contractures). (Federal definition)

Multiple disbability
Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments
(such as intellectual disability–blindness, intellectual
disability–orthopedic impairment), the combination of which
causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be
accommodated in special education programs solely for one
of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-
blindness. (Federal definition)

Traumatic brain injury
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 apply to brain injuries that are congenital or
degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma. (Federal definition)

They also may qualify under the IDEA category of other health impairment - 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
i. 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, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and
ii. adversely affects a child’s educational performance. (Federal definition)

Children with the loss of both vision and hearing receive services under the category deaf-blindness.

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Differ in that medical documentation often plays a large role;

They will need a medical evaluation by a licensed physician who provides a diagnosis of the student's physical or health condition;

The evaluation typically includes medication, special health care procedures, and special diet or activity restrictions;

The medical evaluation determines if the disability impacts the student's educational performance;

A comprehensive educational assessment should be performed to determine the educational effects of the disability;

The instruments for the assessment may vary;

Includes pre-academic functioning, academic functioning, adaptive behavior, motor development, language and communication skills, and social/emotional development.

Assessment of students with deaf-blindness

A team of individuals is needed to accurately assess the student;

Conduct multiple assessments over both time and contexts.

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An individual with physical and health disabilities will show:

Orthopedic impairments;

Neuromotor impairments (cerebral palsy, spina bifida);

Degenerative diseases (muscular dystrophy);

Musculoskeletal disorders (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, limb deficiency);

Multiple disabilities;

Physical disability plus another disability;

Traumatic brain injury;

Physical disability resulting from traumatic brain injury;

Major health impairments (seizure disorders, asthma);

Infectious diseases (AIDS).

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For students with traumatic brain injury, depending on their needs, the teacher will need a series of accommodations: remove extra distraction, repeat directions, provide extra information in writing, give more time on tests, decrease assignment load, etc.;

When a tonic-clonic occurs:

Stay calm; note the time of onset;

Move furniture out of the way to prevent injury;

Loosen shirt collar and put something soft under the head;

Turn student on his or her side to allow saliva to drain out of

mouth;

If the seizure continues for more than five minutes, or if multiple

seizures occur one right after another, or if this is the first seizure, call for an ambulance;

If seizure stops but the student is not breathing, give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (this rarely occurs);

After the seizure is over, reassure the student;

Allow the student to rest.

Students with asthma should have a health care plan (what triggers asthma) and proper medication;

Students with infection disease - the school should follow precautions guidelines for the prevention of spreading it;

Classroom adaptations:

Make environmental adaptations to accommodate students’

mobility and seating needs;

Use adaptations and assistive technology as determined by the special education teacher and educational team to provide access to the learning environment;

Assist students with physical disabilities to participate as much as possible in classroom activities requiring a motor response;

Use a variety of systematic instructional strategies that effectively address the student’s individual learning needs;

Use specialized instructional strategies specifically developed for students with physical disabilities as appropriate;

Assist students who use augmentative forms of communication to learn to use their communication devices successfully across learning and social environments during the school day. Also, allow students to answer questions using their most reliable form of communication.

Allow more time for the student to respond, take tests, or hand in assignments when oral or written communication is affected by his or her disability.

Adapt assignments or tests to accommodate the student’s

disability;

Maintain a safe, healthy environment by observing for health-related problems and knowing the steps to take should a problem occur;

Source: Adapted from K. Heller and M. Coleman-Martin, “Classroom Adaptations for Students With Physical, Health, and Multiple Disabilities,” in K. Heller, P. Forney, P. Alberto, S. Best, and M. Schwartzman (Eds.), Understanding Physical, Health, and Multiple Disabilities, 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2009).

Deaf-blinded students / Ways to communicate:

Braille;

Fingerspelling;

Large print;

Multiple versions of sign language;

Object symbols (using an object to represent an item or

activity—for example, a spoon represents lunch);

Picture symbols;

Speechreading;

Touch cues (using touch to represent an item or activity

—for example, touching the back of one’s hand for “give

me”) (Miles, 2018).

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Changed the life of many individuals with physical or health impairments;

Computer or tablet devices for communication, academic tasks, leisure, and socialization;

Adaptations can be made depending on the extent of physical or health disability;

Word prediction programs;

Types of keyboards

Adaptations (large keys, color coding)

Alternative layout (alphabetical, Dvorak, Maltron)

Alternative devices (Ergonomic, One-handed, Intellikeys, Onscreen, Wireless, Mini contracted, Mouth and head stick compatible).

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC);

Positioning and seating devices;

Mobility devices (walker);

Environmental control unit (ECU);

Assistive technology for play and recreation;

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It is the group of disabilities that most differ - from simple furniture adaptation to brain injuries that can affect learning. A big takeaway for me is that a doctor's report will say exactly what accommodation this child needs at school.

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IQ greater than 140;
The view of giftedness has been expanded to include other dimensions and categories;
Those children identified by professionally qualified persons under outstanding abilities are capable of high performance;

They demonstrated achievement and/or potential ability in any of the areas:
1- general intellectual ability;
2- specific academic aptitude;
3- creative or productive thinking;
4- leadership ability;
5- visual and performing arts;
6- psychomotor ability.

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Aims to address the strengths and needs of children who are gifted and talented;
Thorough assessment paints a picture of the child, including his/her characteristics, interests, and strengths;
Use both informal and formal measures;
Portfolio of work;
Anecdotal records;
Checklists or rating scales of gifted characteristics;
Evaluation by experts of student's creative products or performances;
Jot-down forms - behavior;
Tests of intellectual ability;
Off-level testing (removes the learning ceiling);

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Children who are intellectually gifted shows a greater degree and intensity than regular child;
Often performances a childhood task on an advanced schedule;
They may be exceptional in Math but perform on grade level in language arts;
They are exceptionally creative;
They may daydream and become easily bored;

Characteristics of areas of giftedness:
Visual/performing arts;
Leadership;
Creative thinking;
General intellectual ability;
Specific academic ability;

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Differentiated instruction

Step 1 - pre-assess;

Step 2 - group children for instructional purposes;

Step 3- Match learner experience to the preassessment data;

Step 4 - Provide products that will motivate and teach;

Step 5- Reflect, reflect, reflect.

Instructional strategies

Curriculum compacting - pre-assess the student to check if he/she mastered curriculum content and then evaluate the complexity of their needs;

Other strategies

Higher-level thinking skills;

Problem-solving skills;

Flexible grouping;

Cluster grouping;

Tiered assignments;

Problem-based learning;

Pacing instruction

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Increasingly important educational tool;
Enhance the teaching and learning of students who are gifted and talented;
Internet to provide online education (allow them to receive advanced content);
Social media has a great impact on the world of gifted education - connecting students, scholars, parents, educators, and even professional organizations.

Virtual reality:
Google cardboard;
360 video.

Augmented reality:
HP reveal;
Spark AR studio.

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I thought these students would stand out in our classrooms for everything and I learned that they may be good at a specific subject and average at others.
I also checked the concepts and learned that gift becomes a talent when it is developed and nurtured.
I didn't know the existence of 2e individuals and found it very disturbing that a lack of diagnosis can lead them to lose their special gift.
It is very important that teachers pay close attention to all the students in class, obviously, but mainly to those who get bored. They must be trying to tell you something that you are not paying attention to.