Definition of Disability:

• Federal: The term "emotional or behavioral disorder" means a disability that is characterized by behavioral or emotional responses in school programs so different from appropriate age, cultural, or ethnic norms that the responses adversely affect educational performance, including academic, social, vocational or personal skills; more than a temporary, expected response to stressful events in the environment.

• Wisconsin: Emotional behavioral disability means a condition in which a child demonstrates frequent and intense observable behaviors, either over a long period of time or of sudden onset due to an emerging mental health condition which includes a diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional, which adversely affects the child’s educational performance. The behaviors shall occur in an academic setting in school, in a non-academic setting in school and in the child’s home or community. PI 11.36 (7)(a), Wis. Admin. Code.

Prevalence of Disability

• For the 2022-2023 school year, 10,041 students (1.2%) of total public school enrollment (822,804 students) were identified as having an emotional behavioral disability. The 10,041 students with emotional behavioral disability made up 8.2% of all students with IEPs (122,187).

General Characteristics

• Behaviors that interfere with the development and maintenance of age and grade appropriate interpersonal relationships

• Observable affective or behavioral responses during routine daily activities inconsistent with the norms of the child or the child's community

• Pervasive unhappiness, depression or anxiety

• Physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems

• Insufficient progress toward meeting age or grade level academic standards that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

• Isolation from peers. or avoidance of social interactions impacting the child's access and engagement in instructional activities

• Patterns of behaviors across settings and individuals presenting risks to the physical safety of the child or others

Classroom situations that may be difficult for someone identified w/ this disability

• One situation that is difficult for a student with an emotional disability could include attention issues. Students may have a hard time focusing on the lesson or the activity given to them. So if the teacher is struggling with keeping the day fun and engaging, the student(s) with emotional behavioral disabilities may have a difficult time

• Another situation that is difficult for a student with an emotional disability could include acting out. Students may have unusually aggressive behaviors that hurt themselves or others. So if there is something in the classroom that would harm their safety such as interactive toys, technology etc., the student(s) with emotional behavioral disabilities may have a difficult time

• Last situation that is difficult for a student with an emotional disability could include social problems. Students may find it difficult to make friends. So if the classroom does not practice keeping a welcoming environment, the student(s) with emotional behavioral disabilities may have a difficult time

  
  

Instructional strategies that often work for someone identified with this disability

• One strategy could include implementing rules & routines and keeping consistent consequences to breaking the rules (having anchor charts hung in the room to reflect back on)

• Another strategy could include involving a classroom behavior chart & rewarding the students who have had consistently good behavior at certain times (end of each month etc.)

• Last strategy could include fostering positive behavior in interpersonal relationships, this can be done for example by giving the students a task in their morning routine to tell their table partners one kind thing about them each day

Accommodations that are often beneficial for someone with this disability

• Offer choices when able this includes how and where to complete the assignment / activities, flexible seating

• Giving all of the students brain breaks using trivia questions so that they get a break from what they are learning, but are also using their brain in a different way

• They could also be sat by a positive role model to encourage good behavior

• Breaking down the assignment or activity into smaller, more digestible sections

• Having a calm down corner, with fidget toys and things that make them comfortable

Assessments used to evaluate an individual for this disability

• Competing Behavior Pathway Model: Using the Competing Behavior Pathway model, teams would determine the current target behavior, along with any relevant setting events and antecedents that lead to the function. The expected behavior and outcome for the identified routine are identified as the desired behavior and desired outcome. The replacement behavior is a more acceptable behavior than the current target behavior.

• Behavior Intervention Plan: Based on the data obtained in the functional behavioral assessment, the data will be formulated into an individualized plan. This can vary case by case due to how complex and intense the student's behavior may be.

  
  

Definition of Disability

• Federal: Intellectual disability is typically defined by subaverage intellectual functioning and subaverage adaptive functioning. A low, medium, high example would be defined by the degree to which the functioning is impaired as measured by assessments of intellectual and adaptive functioning.

  
  

• Wisconsin: Intellectual disability means significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills and manifested during the developmental period that adversely affects the child's educational performance. PI 11.36 (1)(a), Wis. Admin. Code

  
  

Prevalence of Disability

• For the 2021-2022 school year, 5,970 students (0.7%) of total public school enrollment (829,143 students) were identified as having an intellectual disability. The 5,970 students with an intellectual disability made up 5% of all students with IEPs (119,942).

  
  

General Characteristics

• Have trouble speaking

• Have trouble seeing the results of their actions

• Have trouble solving problems

• Difficulty understanding new information

• Difficulties with communication and social skills

• Slow cognitive processing time

  
  

Classroom situations that may be difficult for someone identified w/ this disability

• One situation that is difficult for a student with an intellectual disability could be timed quizzes, activities. This is because they need more time to process task which could be stressful and frustrating

• Another situation that is difficult for a student with an intellectual disability could be if the teacher gives out instructions in only one form. For example, if the teacher only provides verbal instruction, that may be frustrating for the student because they don't remember what to do

• Last situation that is difficult for a student with an intellectual disability could be if the teacher does not balance the way they teach. This means if the teacher does more in a whole group setting instead of small group or one-on-one time. This could be frustrating because if the student doesn't understand what is going on, they may be to apprehensive to ask in front of the whole class.

  
  

Instructional strategies that often work for someone identified with this disability

• One strategy could be whenever you are introducing procedures or processes or giving directions; for example, ensure that stages or sequences are made clear and are explained in verbal as well as written form.

• Another strategy could be to present information in a range of formats – handouts, worksheets, overheads, videos – to meet a diversity of learning styles.

• Last strategy could be one-to-one tutoring in subjects may be important; this can include peer tutoring.

  
  

Accommodations that are often beneficial for someone with this disability

• Having visual aids, auditory signals or prompts throughout the room so that they can be reminded of rules & regulations often

• Having a consistent timeline, schedule & calendar so students with intellectual disabilities know what to expect each day

• Providing a quiet space with minimal distractions so that they can focus better

• Provide sensory tools / fidgets to keep their brain engaged when learning during lessons

• Having things written in large print so that everything can be seen very easily

  
  

Assessments used to evaluate an individual for this disability

• International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision: (ICD-10) is a system used by physicians to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms and procedures for claims processing.

  
  

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: It provides clear, highly detailed definitions of mental health and brain-related conditions.

Definition of Disability

• Federal: 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.

  
  

• Wisconsin: Speech or language impairment means an impairment of speech or sound production, voice, fluency, or language that adversely affects educational performance or social, emotional or vocational development. PI 11.36 (5)(a), Wis. Admin. Code

  
  

Prevalence of Disability

• For the 2021-2022 school year, 25,409 students (3.1%) of total public school enrollment (829,143 students) were identified as having a speech or language impairment. The 25,409 students with a speech or language impairment made up 21.2% of all students with IEPs (119,942).

  
  

General Characteristics

• Atypical production or omission of sounds

• Atypical vocal quality, pitch, loudness, resonance, or a disruption in vocal cord function

• Interruptions in the flow of speech, characterized by an atypical rate or rhythm of sounds, syllables, words, and phrases

• Impaired comprehension or use of spoken language

• Impaired written language and other symbolic forms of communication

  
  

Classroom situations that may be difficult for someone identified w/ this disability

• One situation that is difficult for a student with a speech disability could be when students are assigned to work on assigned readings or book clubs by a certain timeframe because they don't read as quickly and accurately as other students

• Another situation that is difficult for a student with a speech disability could be when students are assigned a presentation and nervous to speak in front of the class because of a stutter or repeating themselves

• Last situation that is difficult for a student with a speech disability could be writing papers / essays because sounding out and spelling a series of words into cohesive sentences may be frustrating for them

  
  

Instructional strategies that often work for someone identified with this disability

• One strategy could be encouraging and accepting of all forms of communication. Learners with speech and language difficulties are often lacking in confidence and shy about speaking in public, so avoid asking them to repeat mispronounced words or finish their sentences for them. It is better to model the correct form in your response. Allow alternative ways of communicating like gestures, writing or drawing.

• Another strategy could be using nonverbal or written check-ins. Always check that the learner has understood the task and clarify any misunderstandings. Encourage them to let you know if they have not understood by using a pre-arranged signal.

• Last strategy could be building self-esteem and confidence when it comes to public speaking. Make sure to notice and praise good interactions and speech. Describe what they do well and identify and work with their other strengths, such as creativity and physical talents.

  
  

Accommodations that are often beneficial for someone with this disability

• Building vocabulary with the class during brain breaks or free time

• Utilize non verbal hand gestures and body language throughout the entire class (this includes sign language)

• Prioritize interactive communication in a welcoming environment

• Give student the extra time and resources needed to accomplish a certain task

  
  

Assessments used to evaluate an individual for this disability

• The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Fifth Edition: Is a comprehensive language assessment for school-age children and adolescents (ages 5-21 years). This assessment provides: Receptive language and expressive language scores, Additional composite scores-language structure, Language content, Language content and memory and Working memory

  
  

• Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, Second Edition: Is a comprehensive language assessment for measuring language processing skills for ages 3 to 21 years. Each subtest can be used on its own, or in conjunction to acquire one of the following indexes: General Language Ability Index (overall skill), Receptive Language Index, Expressive Language Index, Lexical/Semantic Index, Syntactic Index and Supralinguistic Index