Information and resources for students with intellectual/cognitive disabilities
What are the primary criteria used to identify students with intellectual disabilities?
A child with a possible intellectual disability will be given an IQ test as well as tests that measure adaptive behavior and grade level achievement. These tests will determine the severity of the disability, the behavioral deficits, and the learning abilities of the student. A child with an intellectual disability will have an IQ generally less than 70 and adaptive behavior that has a negative affect on learning achievement. This information helps educators to decide the types of supports the student should receive. Depending on the IQ of the student, the student will be classified under one of these levels:
What are the characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities?
Students with intellectual disabilities vary widely in their abilities. Typical characteristics include:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/characteristics-intellectual-disabilities/
Syndroms associated with intellectual disabilities include:
How many students are identified with intellectual disabilities, and what are the major causes?
The percent of students labeled with an intellectual disability in the 2007-2008 school year was 0.78%. It is estimated that children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities make up 70% to 85% of all children with an intellectual disability. The number of students diagnosed with intellectual disabilities decreased by 18% between 1998 and 2007 (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011).
For more information about this trend, please visit http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/09/08/03speced_ep.h30.html?tkn=TVQF260iGUTCRkSHMGSVVq2MIUR0%2ByQ7qSWx&cmp=clp-edweek
The exact cause of mild intellectual disabilities usually goes unknown in the majority of cases. Severe intellectual disabilities are most often caused by something that happened while the child was a developing fetus (malnutrition, alcohol consumption or the mother's exposure to unsafe environmental conditions or illness, genetic conditions, or chromosomal abnormalities). Sometimes severe intellectual disabilities occur due to problems during birth (oxygen deprivation) or after the child has been born (infections or exposure to environmental toxins).
Family factors have also been connected to a child's intellectual disability. Research has shown that intellectual disabilities tend to occur more often in children living in high-poverty, especially minority children living in high poverty. The reasons behind this statistic may be due to the lack of a safe environment, lack of proper nutrition, lack of health care, as well as the intellectual abilities and mental health of the parents (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011).
For more information about the causes and prevention of intellectual disabilities, please visit
http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2453
How are students with intellectual disabilities identified?
In a school setting, a school psychologist will administer an intelligence test (IQ test) and a test to measure adaptive behavior. The psychologist will analyze the results of IQ and significant limitations in adaptive behavior with a team of educational professionals. The team will determine if there is an intellectual disability, and the severity of it. The team will also discuss if the child's educational performance is affected by the child's intellectual limitations. Tests used to determine intellectual disabilities and academic achievement include:
A child with a possible intellectual disability will be given an IQ test as well as tests that measure adaptive behavior and grade level achievement. These tests will determine the severity of the disability, the behavioral deficits, and the learning abilities of the student. A child with an intellectual disability will have an IQ generally less than 70 and adaptive behavior that has a negative affect on learning achievement. This information helps educators to decide the types of supports the student should receive. Depending on the IQ of the student, the student will be classified under one of these levels:
- mild intellectual disability (IQ between 50 and 70)
- moderate intellectual disability (IQ between 35/40-50/55)
- severe intellectual disability (IQ between 20/25-35/40)
- profound intellectual disability (IQ below 20/25)
- conceptual skills (reading, numbers, money, time, and communication skills)
- social skills (cooperating with others, following social rules and customs, obeying laws, and avoiding victimization)
- practical skills (the skills needed to perform the activities of daily living including feeding, bathing, dressing, using the telephone, managing money, house keeping, occupational skills, navigational skills, and keeping one's surroundings safe).
- intermittent
- limited
- extensive
- pervasive (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011)
What are the characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities?
Students with intellectual disabilities vary widely in their abilities. Typical characteristics include:
- mild to significant weaknesses in general learning ability
- low achievement in all academic areas
- deficits in memory and motivation
- inattentive/distractible
- poor social skills
- deficits in adaptive behavior
- some may exhibit uncommon characteristics (self-stimulatory or self-injurous behavior)
- some may have serious medical conditions (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011 p. 203)
http://www.education.com/reference/article/characteristics-intellectual-disabilities/
Syndroms associated with intellectual disabilities include:
- Down syndrome
- Fragile-X syndrome
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Angelman syndrome (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011)
How many students are identified with intellectual disabilities, and what are the major causes?
The percent of students labeled with an intellectual disability in the 2007-2008 school year was 0.78%. It is estimated that children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities make up 70% to 85% of all children with an intellectual disability. The number of students diagnosed with intellectual disabilities decreased by 18% between 1998 and 2007 (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011).
For more information about this trend, please visit http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/09/08/03speced_ep.h30.html?tkn=TVQF260iGUTCRkSHMGSVVq2MIUR0%2ByQ7qSWx&cmp=clp-edweek
The exact cause of mild intellectual disabilities usually goes unknown in the majority of cases. Severe intellectual disabilities are most often caused by something that happened while the child was a developing fetus (malnutrition, alcohol consumption or the mother's exposure to unsafe environmental conditions or illness, genetic conditions, or chromosomal abnormalities). Sometimes severe intellectual disabilities occur due to problems during birth (oxygen deprivation) or after the child has been born (infections or exposure to environmental toxins).
Family factors have also been connected to a child's intellectual disability. Research has shown that intellectual disabilities tend to occur more often in children living in high-poverty, especially minority children living in high poverty. The reasons behind this statistic may be due to the lack of a safe environment, lack of proper nutrition, lack of health care, as well as the intellectual abilities and mental health of the parents (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011).
For more information about the causes and prevention of intellectual disabilities, please visit
http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2453
How are students with intellectual disabilities identified?
In a school setting, a school psychologist will administer an intelligence test (IQ test) and a test to measure adaptive behavior. The psychologist will analyze the results of IQ and significant limitations in adaptive behavior with a team of educational professionals. The team will determine if there is an intellectual disability, and the severity of it. The team will also discuss if the child's educational performance is affected by the child's intellectual limitations. Tests used to determine intellectual disabilities and academic achievement include:
- The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale--School
- Adaptive Behavior Assessment System
- Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
- Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011)
- Service Delivery - Students with intellectual disabilities benefit from participating in the general education classroom for most of their day. When a child with a disability attends a general education classroom, the socializing and learning that takes place from interacting with non disabled peers who act as models for learning and behaving can be very influential on the behaviors of the child with a disability.
- Early Intervention - Studies have shown that early intervention services have an significant impact on "intelligence level, academic achievement, and social competence" (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011 p. 215). Early intervention services should address family need, provide the family with support, and develop family-centered programs.
- Classroom Interventions - Students with intellectual disabilities will need to be taught functional skills as well as the general curriculum. Functional skills teach students how to perform and cope with everyday living protocols and situations. Students will also learn functional academics. Functional academics include basic reading and number knowledge. In order for students with intellectual disabilities to benefit from the general curriculum, teachers can design a universal curriculum which include supports and accommodations which assist students with disabilities. For information about Universal Design for Learning, click here or click on the tab in the main menu. Systematic instruction, such as direct instruction has been effective when used with students with intellectual disabilities. Assistive technology will also help students with intellectual disabilities to learn the curriculum (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011). For information about using assistive technology with children with intellectual disabilities, please visit http://www.tamcec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AT-Supports-IDD.pdf
For more information on intellectual disabilities and educational practices, please visit the following websites and view the video below:
http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2530
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-neurological-disorders/79002-tips-for-teaching-students-with-an-intellectual-disability/
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?&id=10365
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/intellectual-disabilities/
http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2530
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-neurological-disorders/79002-tips-for-teaching-students-with-an-intellectual-disability/
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?&id=10365
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/intellectual-disabilities/