# data[].attributes.body
Smith, D. D., Tyler, N. C., & Skow, K. G. (2018). Intellectual Disability. In Introduction to contemporary special education: New horizons (pp. 247–275). essay, Pearson.

# data[].attributes.body
Kishore, M. T., Udipi, G. A., & Seshadri, S. P. (2019, January). Clinical practice guidelines for assessment and management of intellectual disability. Indian journal of psychiatry. Retrieved October 3, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6345136/.

# data[].attributes.body
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, August 24). Facts about intellectual disability in children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 3, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts-about-intellectual-disability.html.

# data[].attributes.body
Boat, T. F. (2015, October 28). Clinical characteristics of intellectual disabilities. Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children. Retrieved October 3, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK332877/.

# data[].attributes.body
This resources by the Special Olympics highlights ways for your child to live their life to the fullest, despite having an intellectual disability.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Your child has an intellectual disability."

In the seconds that it takes to say those words, the whole world has changed for your family. Often, the time immediately after the diagnosis is a tumultuous one. There are many typical feelings, including fear, confusion, and anger-mixed with hope, pride, and love.

Some parents take a while coming to terms with the diagnosis. Many children with intellectual disabilities physically appear no different than anyone else, so it can sometimes be hard at first to believe the diagnosis. Others parents feel relieved that they finally have an answer.

As you get to know your child, you will understand their individual needs. Sometimes you'll make a mistake, but for the most part, you're going to do fine. In fact, your life will be enriched by your child in ways you never imagined.

Special Olympics Chief Health Officer, along with a team of experts, have created Realizing the Bright Future of Your Child: A Guide for New Parents. This guide was written to help you face the new experiences ahead of you more confidently. Although it may not seem like it right now, the future for your child is a bright one-brighter now than ever before for children with intellectual disabilities.

You'll also find words of encouragement from other parents, and the reassurance that your family is not alone in this journey.

This guide for new parents covers a range of topics, including:

how your child got the intellectual disability diagnosis

how to cope with the feelings you might be experiencing

finding the right therapies and supports for your child

intellectual disability resources

a letter from a Special Olympics athlete

Download the free guide: Realizing the Bright Future of Your Child: A Guide for New Parents.

Intellectual disability begins in childhood and includes deficits in:

intellectual functions, such as reasoning, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgment, academic learning, and learning from experience.

adaptive functioning in activities of daily life, such as communication, social participation, and independent living.

Many children have other conditions that can occur together with intellectual disability, like, spectrum disorders, epilepsy, or cerebral palsy . There is much confusion about the difference between autism (autism spectrum disorders) and intellectual disability. Many children have both. But, in autism, there are deficits in social communication (such as having conversation and making friends). There are also repetitive or restricted behaviors and interests (such as repetitive hand flapping). In intellectual disability, the deficits are in intellectual functioning (learning/ problem solving).

As the guide points out, "What you should know is that having an intellectual disability is not a disease. It is not static or unchanging. It is a condition and its expression can change with therapies and supports."

Learn more about intellectual disabilities .

Special Olympics provides many opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to build confidence and learn new skills. Along the way, they become welcomed and valued members of their communities.

Early Childhood, Ages 2 to 7: Special Olympics Young Athletes™ is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities, ages 2 to 7 years old. The program introduces basic sport skills, like running, kicking, and throwing. Young Athletes provides children of all abilities the same opportunities to advance in core developmental milestones. Children learn how to play with others and develop important skills for learning. Children also learn to share, take turns and follow directions: skills that help them in family, community, and school activities.

Childhood, Adolescence and Into Adulthood, Ages 8 and Older: Special Olympics provides over 30 individual and team sports for people with intellectual disabilities, starting at age 8. Some teams join athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to promote understanding, respect, and compassion. Special Olympics sports provide a chance to stay active and healthy, and also allow participants to discover new strengths and abilities.

Learn more about Special Olympics sports programs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parenting a Child With an Intellectual Disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Realizing the Bright Future of Your Child: An Intellectual Disability Resource for New Parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intellectual Disability | Center for Parent Information and Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Link checked and current as of June 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'"
Sounds familiar? Yes, that's the famous line from the award-winning movie, "Forrest Gump." Is it 23 years ago already when it hit the theaters? Along with remarkable quotes we can still remember to today was Tom Hanks convincing portrayal of the main character. However, the film itself gained divided critics - many critics either love or totally hated the movie. But let's save criticizing the movie some other time. For now, let's discuss what makes the "Forrest Gump" interesting!

"Stupid is as stupid does." That was his famous answer when somebody asked him, "Are you stupid?"

Forrest is slow-witted and has an IQ of 75. Although Forrest is just a fictional character, in today's real world he is considered suffering from intellectual disability. Children with intellectual disabilities may qualify for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Students who are eligible for IDEA receive an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, in which a specialized education plan is made for the child based on her educational needs.

Intellectual disability, formerly labeled "mental retardation," is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as "significantly subaverage 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." There are two key components within this definition: a student's IQ and his or her capability to function independently, usually referred to as adaptive behavior.
An intellectual disability is not a disease. You can't catch an intellectual disability from anyone. It's also not a type of mental illness, like depression. There is no cure for intellectual disabilities. However, most children with an intellectual disability can learn to do many things. It just takes them more time and effort than other children.
Intellectual disability is one of the most common developmental disability, more than 425,000 children (ages 3-21) have some level of intellectual disability and receive special education services in public school under this category in IDEA. In fact, 7% of the children who need special education have some form of intellectual disability.

Signs of Intellectual Disability

sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children;

learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking,

find it hard to remember things,

not understand how to pay for things,

have trouble understanding social rules,

have trouble seeing the consequences of their actions,

have trouble solving problems, and/or

have trouble thinking logically.

"Mama always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them."- Forrest
Although Forrest received little to no support at all, and his resources were insufficient, he was blessed with a wise, sassy and loving mom. I remember a scene in which no school would like to accept him. But her mom was so determined to get him in in a regular school. So she moved mountains. Hmm... I guess we don't want to talk about it here again. Anyway, that's no longer the case of today's education.

Educational Considerations

A child with an intellectual disability can do well in school but is likely to need the individualized help that's available as special education and related services. The level of help and support that's needed will depend upon the degree of intellectual disability involved.

General education. It's important that students with intellectual disabilities be involved in, and make progress in, the general education curriculum. That's the same curriculum that's learned by those without disabilities. Be aware that IDEA does not permit a student to be removed from education in age-appropriate general education classrooms solely because he or she needs modifications to be made in the general education curriculum.

Supplementary aids and services. Given that intellectual disabilities affect learning, it's often crucial to provide support to students with ID in the classroom. This includes making accommodations appropriate to the needs of the student. It also includes providing what IDEA calls "supplementary aids and services." Supplementary aids and services are supports that may include instruction, personnel, equipment, or other accommodations that enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.

Thus, for families and teachers alike, it's important to know what changes and accommodations are helpful to students with intellectual disabilities. These need to be discussed by the IEP team and included in the IEP, if appropriate.

Adaptive skills. Many children with intellectual disabilities need help with adaptive skills, which are skills needed to live, work, and play in the community. Teachers and parents can help a child work on these skills at both school and home. Some of these skills include:

communicating with others;

taking care of personal needs (dressing, bathing, going to the bathroom);

health and safety;

home living (helping to set the table, cleaning the house, or cooking dinner);

social skills (manners, knowing the rules of conversation, getting along in a group, playing a game);

reading, writing, and basic math; and

as they get older, skills that will help them in the workplace.

Transition planning. It's extremely important for families and schools to begin planning early for the student's transition into the world of adulthood. Because intellectual disability affects how quickly and how well an individual learns new information and skills, the sooner transition planning begins, the more can be accomplished before the student leaves secondary school.

IDEA requires that, at the latest, transition planning for students with disabilities must begin no later than the first IEP to be in effect when they turn 16. The IEP teams of many students with intellectual disabilities feel that it's important for these students to begin earlier than that. And they do.

(An excerpt from parentcenterhub.org: Intellectual Disabilities)

See Epic Special Education Staffing Special Education Teacher Jobs

Modification for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Children with intellectual disabilities need some additional support and modifications in their environment, as well as in the type of activities they do. Here are a few modifications for students with an intellectual disability that will help them to learn better.

Using this space only for studying also will help the child get into a routine of studying and also understand that when he is sitting there, he is supposed to concentrate on the activity or task, and not play.

Teach practical things that will be useful, such as how to boil an egg or how to find their way to their friend's house.

Repetition of Concepts Over the Day

Children with intellectual disabilities need to learn a concept in different ways and have the opportunity to practice it many times in order to learn and remember it.

These children require additional support and guidance as they work on their activities. Ideally, there should be at least 1 teacher for every 3 children with intellectual disabilities.

Using all the senses to learn also helps them learn and retain information better.

Sharp scissors, knives, etc. must be kept out of reach. Harmful liquids like cleaning liquids must also be kept away. Medicines must be kept out of reach. In addition to this, make sure that none of the children can lock themselves up in any room. Small beads or other toy parts that the children could put in their mouth must be kept away if a child has a tendency to do that. If the child has seizures, you may need to look at padding the corners of furniture to avoid injury.

The schedule must have short activity times and must alternate between physical and sitting down activities. The schedule must also try and incorporate some aspects of self-care so that children start becoming more independent in putting on or taking off shoes, going to the toilet, or feeding themselves.

(Access full article here: Special Ed: Modification for Students with Intellectual Disabilities by brighthubeducation.org)

Teaching Practical Tips for Special Education Teachers

Recognize that you can make an enormous difference in this student's life!

Learn more about intellectual disabilities in general and your student in particular.

Be an active participant in the student's IEP team.

The IEP is developed by the student's parents and school personnel-and, often, the student, too. As this student's teacher, you have a great deal to contribute to what's included in the IEP, including supports for you as the teacher.

Provide accommodations and supports that help students with intellectual disabilities.

Accommodations are often made in five main areas:

1. scheduling (e.g., giving the student extra time to complete an assignment or test)

2. setting (e.g., having the student work in a small group or with a partner)

3. materials (e.g., providing the student with teacher notes or taped lectures)

4. instruction (e.g., breaking a lesson up into smaller parts, having the student work with a tutor)

5. student response (e.g., allowing the student to respond orally or on a computer)

An effective teaching method is to demonstrate what you mean in addition to giving verbal directions. With new information shared verbally, also show a picture. And rather than just showing a picture, provide the student with hands-on materials and experiences and the opportunity to try things out.

Break longer, new tasks into small steps. Demonstrate the steps. Have the student do the steps, one at a time. Provide assistance, as necessary. Give the student multiple opportunities to practice each individual step by itself and all the steps together.

Immediately providing feedback helps the students make a connection between their answers, behaviors, or questions and the information you're presenting as the teacher.

Schools play an important part in helping students with ID learn these life skills, which include health and safety, personal hygiene, manners, getting along with others, basic math and reading, money management, and skills for the workplace.

Address the social aspects of the school.

Students with intellectual disabilities often have trouble with social skills, which can make it difficult for them to interact appropriately with their peers and become involved in the social activities going on at school. They are also often a target for bullying, which simply cannot be allowed. Teachers can play a positive role in supporting the inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in classrooms and throughout the school.

Communicate with your student's parents.

Regularly exchange information with parents and work with them (and other members of the IEP team) to create and implement an IEP tailored to meet the student's needs.

(Source: Intellectual Disabilities in Your Classroom: 9 Tips for Teachers)

5 Tips for Success

This term is intended to encourage teachers to break down their lessons into simple, easier-to-manage steps. This will keep frustration levels down and enable learning to take place. Wait until the student masters the baby step before moving onto the next one.

Introduce new ideas in a physical, hands-on approach. Use manipulatives when teaching math. Take field trips to the grocery store or post office to give students a meaningful experience. When students are able to make real connections to the world around them, or physically explore a concept, the knowledge will stick with them.

Positive feedback will encourage the student to keep on trying. If a student masters a concept or meets a goal it is important to reward or applaud the student immediately.

Music is a wonderful motivator among all children and particularly ones with intellectual disabilities. Making a simple, catchy song to go along with a concept is a fun way to engage the student and help them remember information.

Students with certain disabilities can be unpredictable in what they can learn and what might set off a certain behavior. What might appear to be a temper tantrum is often the student's way of telling you, "This is too hard. I am frustrated," or "I am tired. I need a break." Take the time to learn the individual child's needs and who they are. If you are feeling overwhelmed and cannot relate to the student it is OK to stop the lesson and resume when both student and teacher can handle the lesson pace. It may take a while for students to make some progress, but if you are patient it will be priceless when they do.

(Source: Five Tips for Teaching Students with Intellectual Disability by brighthubeducation.org)

Other Helpful Links for Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities

GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
Help for Babies and Toddlers
When a baby is born with an intellectual disability, his or her parents should know that there's a lot of help available-and immediately. Shortly after the diagnosis of ID is confirmed, parents will want to get in touch with the early intervention system in their community. We'll tell you how in a moment.

Early intervention is a system of services designed to help infants and toddlers with disabilities (until their 3rd birthday) and their families. It's mandated by IDEA. Staff work with the child's family to develop what is known as an Individualized Family Services Plan, or IFSP. The IFSP will describe the child's unique needs as well as the services he or she will receive to address those needs. The IFSP will also emphasize the unique needs of the family, so that parents and other family members will know how to help their young child with intellectual disability. Early intervention services may be provided on a sliding-fee basis, meaning that the costs to the family will depend upon their income.

To access early intervention services in your area, ask your child's pediatrician for a referral or call the local hospital's maternity ward and ask for contact information for your local services program.
Help for School-Aged Children
School staff will work with the child's parents to develop an Individualized Education Program or IEP. The IEP is similar to an IFSP. It describes the child's unique needs and the services that have been designed to meet those needs. Special education and related services are provided at no cost to parents.

To access special education services for a school-aged child in your area, get in touch with your local public school system. Calling the elementary school in your neighborhood is an excellent place to start.
Tips for Parents

Learn about intellectual disability.

Be patient, be hopeful.

Encourage independence in your child.

Give your child chores.

Give your child frequent feedback.

Find out what skills your child is learning at school.

Find opportunities in your community for social activities.

Talk to other parents whose children have an intellectual disability.

Meet with the school and develop an IEP to address your child's needs.

Take pleasure in your beautiful one.

(Read the entire article here: Intellectual Disability by parentcenterhub.org)

We are not affiliated with all the organization and educators mentioned in this article. We just couldn't help but share their wonderful inputs and goals in making lives of students with intellectual disability a little better. Because people, especially intellectual disabled children need to meet a person who will touch their lives in every way or the other to be the best that they can be. Just like Jenny, Lt. Dan, and Mrs. Gump in Forrest's life.
"I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floatin' around accidental-like on a breeze. But I, I think maybe it's both." - Forrest Gump

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strategies for Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" Sounds familiar? Yes, that's the famous line from the award-winning movie, "Forrest Gump." Is it 23 years ago already when it hit the theaters? Along with remarkable quotes we can still remember to today was Tom [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The term 'intellectual disability' refers to a group of conditions caused by various genetic disorders and infections. Intellectual disability is usually identified during childhood, and has an ongoing impact on an individual's development. Intellectual disability can be defined as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, learn new skills and to cope independently including social functioning. As with all disability groups, there are many types of intellectual disability with varying degrees of severity. These include considerable differences in the nature and extent of the intellectual impairments and functional limitations, the causes of the disability, the personal background and social environment of the individual. Some people have genetic disorders that impact severely on their intellectual, social and other functional abilities. Others with mild intellectual impairment may develop adequate living skills and are able to lead relatively independent adult lives. Approximately 75 per cent of people with intellectual disability are only mildly affected, with 25 per cent moderately, severely or profoundly affected.

Impact of intellectual disability

The characteristics and impact of a person's intellectual disability will vary depending on the cause. There are a number of common characteristics that may have a significant impact on an individual's learning, including:

difficulty understanding new information

difficulties with communication and social skills

slow cognitive processing time

difficulty in the sequential processing of information

difficulties comprehending abstract concepts.

Austed discussions during 2014 highlighted the challenges that students with an intellectual disability can experience at university level. Students may cope well with the 'hands-on' components of post-secondary study, but find it difficult to understand complex information.

One strategy known to be successful is to integrate people with an intellectual disability by providing opportunities for auditing classes. Auditing is an approach whereby a person attends lectures in an award course for general interest (i.e. not for the purpose of completing the requirements of the award). Auditing does not include assessment, online learning material, or attendance at laboratory or tutorial classes. It can include access to the library and general campus facilities.

Teaching strategies

It is important to know that despite difficulties in a learning environment students with intellectual disability can and do have the capacity to acquire and use new information. There is a range of inclusive teaching strategies that can assist all students to learn but there are some specific strategies that are useful in teaching a group which includes students with intellectual disability:

Provide an outline of what will be taught - highlight key concepts and provide opportunities to practise new skills and concepts.

Provide reading lists well before the start of a course so that reading can begin early.

Consider tailoring reading lists and provide guidance to key texts. Allow work to be completed on an in-depth study of a few texts rather than a broad study of many.

Whenever you are introducing procedures or processes or giving directions, for example in a laboratory or computing exercise, ensure that stages or sequences are made clear and are explained in verbal as well as written form.

Students may benefit from using assistive technology.

Use as many verbal descriptions as possible to supplement material presented on blackboard or overhead

Use clear, succinct, straightforward language.

Reinforce learning by using real-life examples and environments.

Present information in a range of formats - handouts, worksheets, overheads, videos - to meet a diversity of learning styles.

Use a variety of teaching methods so that students are not constrained by needing to acquire information by reading only. Where possible, present material diagrammatically - in lists, flow charts, concept maps etc.

Keep diagrams uncluttered and use colour wherever appropriate to distinguish and highlight.

Ensure that lists of technical/professional jargon which students will need to learn are available early in the course.

Recording lectures will assist those students who have handwriting or coordination problems and those who write slowly as well as those who have a tendency to mishear or misquote.

Students will be more likely to follow correctly the sequence of material in a lecture if they are able to listen to the material more than once.

Wherever possible, ensure that key statements and instructions are repeated or highlighted in some way.

One-to-one tutoring in subjects may be important; this can include peer tutoring.

Students may benefit from having oral rather than written feedback on their written assignments.

It may be helpful for students with intellectual disability to have an individual orientation to laboratory equipment or computers to minimise anxiety.

Assessment strategies

Students with intellectual disability may need particular adjustments to assessment tasks. Once you have a clear picture of how the disability impacts on learning, you can consider alternative assessment strategies. In considering alternative forms of assessment, equal opportunity is not a guaranteed outcome, it is the objective. You are not expected to lower standards to accommodate students with disability but rather are required to give them a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned:

Allow extensions to assignment deadlines

Use technology to record students work, e.g. digital photography, tape and video.

Students may take longer to organise thoughts and sequence material. They will benefit from discussing their outlines, with particular attention being paid to appropriate relationships and connections between points.

Encourage the student to submit an early draft of assignments to allow the opportunity for feedback to the student as a formative process.

Students with an intellectual disability will need extra time in an examination for reading and analysing questions and for planning their answers. Some students will request that examination questions be read to them. Some students may prefer to dictate their answers to a scribe. They will need a venue which is quiet and distraction-free.

Keep short your written examination instructions and sentences within examination questions. Questions using bullet points, lists or distinct parts are more likely to be correctly interpreted.

Because students with intellectual disability find it difficult to read multiple choice questions in a way that allows them to appreciate subtle changes in the arrangement of words, short answer questions will be a better test of their knowledge.

Students may benefit from an exam timetable that features a number of days between exams to assist in exam preparation.

Many students with intellectual disability are chronic misspellers and use dictionaries only with great difficulty.

Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The term 'intellectual disability' refers to a group of conditions caused by various genetic disorders and infections. Intellectual disability is usually identified during childhood, and has an ongoing impact on an individual's development. Intellectual disability can be defined as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, learn new skills and to cope independently including social functioning.

# data[].attributes.body
Individuals with intellectual disabilities often require a lot of extra support. This may be in the form of a family member, friend, or caregiver. Accommodations could include helping them with hygiene, self-care, occupational activities, and problem solving. For students with ID, it is important to offer extra assistance when teaching and ensuring that the student understands the material being taught. They may require extra time to learn and understand. Many individuals with intellectual disabilities thrive with consistency and the use of a schedule. Hands-on learning is also extremely beneficial for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

# data[].attributes.body
Intellectual disabilities can often be discovered through prenatal testing. However, clinical observations and assessments are used to help determine the level of severity. The most common assessment for intellectual disability is an IQ test. It is also important to analyze the child's developmental period and history. Another assessment frequently used is a behavioral assessment which looks at a child's adaptive skills as well as intellectual functioning.

# data[].attributes.body
Signs of intellectual disability can become present from the time a child is still very young.
A few signs to look out for include:
1. milestones like crawling, standing, and walking later than other children
2. trouble speaking
3. difficulty with memory
4. difficulty understanding social rules
5. having trouble solving problems

# data[].attributes.body
Individuals with intellectual disabilities have difficulties with intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, and needs for support. Individuals with ID have an IQ score below 70 due to difficulties solving problems, abstract thinking, judgement, and academic learning. They also struggle with conceptual, practical, and social adaptive skills such as managing and understanding money, reading and writing, safety, life skills, following rules, and obeying laws. Individuals with intellectual disabilities often require a lot of support, while this support should not be controlling as it is important for the individual to become as independent as possible.

# data[].attributes.body
Intellectual Disability, (ID), is defined as someone having significantly below average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and first established during a child's developmental period that adversely affects their educational performance. There are three main areas of concern for individuals with intellectual disabilities: intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, and needs for support.

# data[].attributes.body
There are many great resources for teaching individuals with intellectual disabilities, but the most important thing to remember when teaching individuals with intellectual disabilities is patience. It is important to give extra time and support when a child with an ID is learning new material.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Genetic or Hereditary causes
2. Prematurity or low birth weight
3. Toxins
4. Diseases
5. Child abuse and neglect

# data[].attributes.body
The three most common intellectual disabilities are Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Intellectual disabilities can range from being mild to very severe, but majority are in the mild range.