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Intellectual disability is a broad term that covers a wide range of issues. Psychologists, sociologists, educators, physicians, and a variety of other professionals have investigated intellectual disabilities. Intellectual disabilities can't be studied independently of other disciplines.

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A developmental disorder characterized by abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests.

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A chronic condition characterized by behaviors that significantly differ from age norms and community standards to such a degree that educational performance is adversely affected.

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A disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. Frequently observed in individuals with learning disabilities.

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There are generally no "tests" available to diagnose emotional or behavioral disorders among children and youth. For years, medical professionals have relied on classification systems to assist in making diagnoses. These systems group behaviors into diagnostic categories and provide criteria useful for making diagnoses. Clinically derived systems also include descriptions of symptoms, indicators of severity, prevalence estimates, and information about variations of disorders.

To make a diagnosis, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals may observe an individual’s behavior over time and across different settings and then compare these behaviors to diagnostic criteria provided in a classification system.

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Assessment is challenging since the required behaviors for individuals while being tested are tough to come by. They must sit still, pay attention, follow orders, and communicate verbally.

-Autism spectrum disorders are not diagnosed using a specific test. To make a diagnosis, doctors look for behavioral symptoms.

-There are two stages that should be taken when diagnosing ASD. A developmental screening (a brief assessment meant to identify children who should get a more complete test) and surveillance (a process whereby health care professionals monitor children who may have a developmental disability) are the first two steps. All children should be given screening tests during their well-child checkups at 9, 18, 24, and 30 months of age.

-Additional testing may be necessary if the child is at high risk (for example, if he or she has a sibling or parent with ASD) or if the child exhibits features that are suggestive of autism spectrum disorders.

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-Utilize guidelines disseminated by the American Academy of Pediatrics which vary by the age of the child, offer specific direction and guidance to the doctor for the diagnosis as well as treatment of ADHD.

-Rating scales assess the presence of ADHD symptoms and offer an objective way of quantifying the severity of the behaviors.

☆Although behavioral rating scales can accurately distinguish between children with and without ADHD, their usefulness and accuracy are largely dependent on raters’ knowledge of the individual and their perception of his or her behavior. ☆

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A disability in which there is a discrepancy between a person’s ability and academic achievement; individual possesses average intelligence.

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The most common way of determining an individual’s cognitive ability is through an IQ or intelligence test. Two of the more widely used individually administered IQ measures are the fifth edition of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, or WISC-V, and the fifth edition of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales.

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If the recommended referral strategies have proven ineffective, a multidisciplinary evaluation that is conducted by a team of professionals in a nondiscriminatory fashion will take place.

The requirements are:

-Tests be administered by trained individuals

-Tests be reliable and valid and appropriate for the purpose for which they are being used

-Tests be neither racially nor culturally discriminatory

-Tests be administered in the student’s native language or preferred means of communication

-No single measure will be used as the basis for determining a pupil’s eligibility

Once the evaluation is completed, the team determines the student’s eligibility for placement in a learning disabilities program in light of the state’s definition of learning disabilities and federal guidelines.

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-Experience significant academic deficits

-Difficulty building and maintaining satisfactory interpersonal relationships

-Aggressive behavior

-Expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language deficits

-Typically use fewer words per sentence

-Have difficulty staying on a topic

-Use language that is inappropriate to social conversation

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Concentration and Attention
-Hyperactivity
-impulsivity
-Short attention span
-Stimulus overselectivity (selective attention)

Anxiety Disorders
-Self-injurious behaviors
-Excessive scratching or rubbing
-Limiting diet to a few foods
-Eating inedible items
-Obsessive- compulsive disorder

Affective Disorders
-Abnormalities of mood or affect
-Sleeping problems
-Bed-wetting
-Depression, suicidal ideation

Learning Difficulties
-Uneven achievement
-Impaired executive functioning
-Poor reading comprehension
-Inadequate receptive/expressive language skills
-Difficulty generalizing skills or information

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-Difficulty making friends and maintaining appropriate relationships with peers

-May show aggression and antisocial behaviors

-Withdrawn behavior, depression, and anxiety disorders are typical

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-Attentional deficits

-Impaired cognitive functioning

-Memory is often impaired

-Difficulties encountered in their academic work

-Approach a learning situation with heightened anxiety

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-Disorders of attention
-Memory difficulties

-Oral language difficulties
-Poor gross and fine motor skills
-Psychological processing deficits

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-Because students with emotional or behavioral disorders experience considerable academic failure, teachers should strive to maximize the time spent in instruction and make every effort to keep their students on task as much as possible.

-Minimize classroom interruptions and interact substantively with students to keep them focused on the task.

-Use cues or signals to help students make transitions successfully, thereby minimizing disruptions. Examples include verbal cues, physical cues (light blinking, buzzer sounding, hand gestures), and creative dismissal cues (“All students with green eyes may line up for lunch”)

-Making sure that high-traffic areas are free from congestion, developing clear procedures for the use of classroom space and equipment, and ensuring sufficient separation of students to minimize inappropriate behavior

-Students should be seated in locations that provide teachers with easy visual and physical access at all times, with disruptive students being placed nearer to the teachers.

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-Avoid abstract ideas whenever possible

-Avoid speech students might misinterpret.

-Break down tasks

-Assist students with organizational skills.

-Prepare students for change

-Make adjustments for auditory and visual distractions.

-Facilitate group work

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-Letting students know what is expected of them

-Using visual aids

-Providing cues for expected behavior

-Giving written as well as oral instructions all help children focus their attention and remember important points

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One element of behavior in which technology increasingly plays a role is self-monitoring. Technology devices can also provide reminders and aid in on-task behavior.

Devices can include:
Revibe: Classic, Connect, or Connect Plus
-Watch-like device that provides reminders via vibration
-An app provides real-time updates
WatchMinder
-Programmable sports watch, includes 30 alarms and 65 preprogrammed messages
MotivAider
-Beeper-like device that vibrates to prompt students

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Technology for students with autism spectrum disorders falls along multiple lines, including augmentative and alternative communication devices, prompting devices (for example, video modeling, audio prompting), and computer-assisted instruction.

Speech-generating devices and voice output communication aid devices are frequently used by individuals with autism spectrum disorders who do not possess verbal communication skills

Speech-generating device- A high-tech augmentative or alternative communication device capable of generating speech
Voice output communication aid- A device that can be programmed to produce speech.

Self-operated prompting devices- Tools that provide prompts to individuals as they work to complete a task

Examples of apps to help individuals with autism:
Arthur’s Big App
-Produced by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
-Provides games that support positive social skills
What Would You Do at School If . . . Fun Deck
-Created by Super Duper Publications
-Provides visual and audio flash cards that present a scenario (e.g., you see a classmate cheating) and asks students what they would do
StoryMaker
-Presents social stories to students using text, pictures, and audio

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Student response systems, smartphones and other mobile technologies (for example, an iPod) help students to self-monitor.

These devices have many useful apps on them that can also help assist students...
iHomework 2
Keeps track of student’s school work, assignments, and grades
Evernote
Allows users to type notes, including adding images as well as audio; sync these notes across different devices and share notes
What’s Today
Creates and maintains schedules and includes voice support

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-An individualized educational program to fulfill their unique needs is required.

-The teaching provided to these students must be thorough and practical .

-Intellectually disabled students are educated in separate groups from their peers.

-Educational programming for intellectually disabled students reflects a marriage of multiple priority areas or focal points. Functional academic abilities, vocational training, community living, and self-help skills are among these concentrations, as is an increasing emphasis on general education curriculum exposure

-Individually tailored educational programs.

-Individuals with intellectual disabilities should not be taught in a "one size fits all" manner.

-A curriculum that is functional is a curriculum that places a greater emphasis on practical life skills than on academic skills.

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-Individualization is the key to meeting the instructional needs of pupils with learning disabilities

-Additional time for testing or breaking learning tasks into smaller, more manageable sections

-Study carrels can provide comforting privacy

-Self-instruction: A cognitive strategy for changing behavior; pupils initially talk to themselves out loud while performing a task and verbally reward themselves for success.

-Direct Instruction (DI): A teacher-directed instructional technique used to produce gains in specific academic skills; emphasizes drill and practice along with immediate feedback and reward.

-Learning strategies: Instructional methodologies focusing on teaching students how to learn; designed to assist pupils in becoming more actively engaged and involved in their own learning.

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Devices can support the life skills of individuals with intellectual disability and complex communication needs by providing them an alternative or supplemental means of communicating.

Low tech: Picture symbols

Mid tech: Audio recorders

High Tech: iPads

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I had very little awareness of emotional and behavioral issues before learning about them, so it's difficult for me to compare what I understood then to what I know now. I believe my misunderstanding comes from the complexity of the subject of emotional and behavioral disorders. The subject is made up of a lot of different disorders, but now that I've seen examples of some, I can understand how they all fit together under one umbrella.

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I've never been able to properly comprehend the concept of ADHD. I was aware of some of the signs and side effects, such as fidgeting and irritability, but I had no idea there was so much more. The most important thing I learned from researching ADHD was how to make it easier for those with the disorder and how to adapt the classroom to make it easier for them. I was happy to learn about this because ADHD is so common that I am almost certain to have a student who is diagnosed with it as a student in my future classroom.

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I didn't know much about autism spectrum disorders before learning about them because I'd never had to research it or work with someone who had it. As a future educator, the most significant thing I learned was how to adjust instructional environments to accommodate a student with autism. Giving these students specific schedules and tasks will help them feel less stressed and more prepared for the upcoming. Changing the layout of the classroom to remove visual and auditory distractions can help children relax. I can definitely see myself using the strategies I learned in the future to assist a student who is dealing with autism.

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Assistive technology can serve as a cognitive prosthesis—helping students to compensate for challenges as well as become more effective and efficient learners.

Audiobooks or text-to-speech can help students compensate for reading challenges

Computers (word processing programs) and their related software (for example, speech-to-text, word prediction, spell checkers) can benefit students with writing challenges

Calculators can aid students with learning disabilities who struggle with calculation or the processing of basic mathematics facts

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I had no idea how complicated learning difficulties were until I learned about them. I used to think of them as a learning problem that just impaired a person's capacity to learn, but I never considered the difficulties that can accompany them. Attention problems, memory problems, speech problems, and other issues are examples of these troubles. Now that I'm aware of this information, I understand a lot more about what goes into having a learning disability.

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I had no idea how capable people with intellectual disabilities were until I learned more about them. They can easily blend in with a group of people who do not have intellectual limitations and thrive. Another thing I learned was how self-sufficient someone with this condition may be.