Disabilities & Descriptions
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Students with ASD typically experience deficits in 3 major areas including behavior, social interactions, and communication. More specifically, students with ASD can demonstrate stimming behaviors (hand flapping, rocking, tapping, etc.), sensory sensitivity (ex. loud noises, strong smells, difficulty with eye contact), and or an excessive need for predictable routines. In terms of communication deficits, students with ASD typically struggle with initiating and sustaining conversations, literal interpretations, narrowed focus of conversation topics, and monotone speech intonations. Finally, students with ASD can have difficulty with initiating group interactions in the classroom (ex. joining a group), communicating with classmates, compromising, emotional responsiveness, perspective taking, and perceiving non-verbal social cues. Students with ASD typically demonstrate average to above average IQ scores.
Source: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/characteristics
Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
Students with SLD demonstrate a discrepancy between their IQ Performance and their Academic Achievement. More specifically, students with learning disabilities test in the average IQ range, but have a history of poor grades and performance in the classroom setting. Typically, the greatest areas of deficit amongst students with learning disabilities are reading comprehension and written expression. Due to these deficits, students with learning disabilities struggle with reading passages aloud, comprehending passages above their independent reading level, independent reading of lengthy texts, and passage analysis (especially inferencing). Students with LD's benefit from leveled passages, guided reading, and guided/scaffolded analysis of a text. In terms of learning disabilities that are rooted in math deficits, these students tend to struggle with math calculations and math reasoning. In the area of math, students benefit from scaffolded word problems, having problems read aloud, and multiple reviews of a single concept.
Source: http://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/LD_Report/Issue__3_LD_Report_Characteristic_of_LD.pdf
Speech and Language Impairment (SLI)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, defines the term “speech or language impairment” as follows:
“(11) 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.” [34 CFR §300.8(c)(11]. According Parentcenterhub.org, persons with a SLI may demonstrate the following characteristics: improper use of words and their meanings, inability to express ideas, inappropriate grammatical patterns, reduced vocabulary, and inability to follow directions. For teachers, it is important for the teacher to learn the specifics of the student's impairment to better be able to serve that student. Students with a SLI may struggle with articulating their needs, group presentations, verbal directions, and subject/verb agreement.
Sources: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/specific-language-impairment
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/speechlanguage/
Other Health Impairment (OHI) - ADD/ADHD
According to the 4th edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the APA (American Psychiatric Association), ADHD can be defined by the behaviors exhibited. Individuals with ADHD exhibit combinations of the following behaviors: Fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming in their seat (adolescents with ADHD may appear restless); Difficulty remaining seated when required to do so; Difficulty sustaining attention and waiting for a turn in tasks, games, or group situations; Blurting out answers to questions before the questions have been completed; Difficulty following through on instructions and in organizing tasks; Shifting from one unfinished activity to another; Failing to give close attention to details and avoiding careless mistakes; Losing things necessary for tasks or activities; Difficulty in listening to others without being distracted or interrupting; Wide ranges in mood swings; and Great difficulty in delaying gratification. When working with students with ADHD, a teacher should consider implementing the following strategies: provide the student with the daily plan ahead of time, review previous lessons, explicit directions, testing/independent work in a quiet area, clear behavioral expectations, predictability/routine, private/discreet cues to remain on task/participate, cue student to upcoming transitions, lesson previews, help with organization, frequent reminders for upcoming assignments/due dates, and chunking assignments into smaller, more manageable sections.
Source: http://www.ldonline.org/article/8797/
Emotional Disturbance (ED)
IDEA defines emotional disturbance as 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: 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, and or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. ED can also include schizophrenia. Students with an emotional disturbance can demonstrate any of the following characteristics: Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness); Aggression or self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting); Withdrawal (not interacting socially with others, excessive fear or anxiety); Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level). Students with ED may need breaks (walks, head down, different setting) from the current work or activity, meetings with the school psychologist, direct instruction, bullet point directions, additional time on assignments, and strategic groupings.
Source: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/emotionaldisturbance/
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Students with ASD typically experience deficits in 3 major areas including behavior, social interactions, and communication. More specifically, students with ASD can demonstrate stimming behaviors (hand flapping, rocking, tapping, etc.), sensory sensitivity (ex. loud noises, strong smells, difficulty with eye contact), and or an excessive need for predictable routines. In terms of communication deficits, students with ASD typically struggle with initiating and sustaining conversations, literal interpretations, narrowed focus of conversation topics, and monotone speech intonations. Finally, students with ASD can have difficulty with initiating group interactions in the classroom (ex. joining a group), communicating with classmates, compromising, emotional responsiveness, perspective taking, and perceiving non-verbal social cues. Students with ASD typically demonstrate average to above average IQ scores.
Source: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/characteristics
Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
Students with SLD demonstrate a discrepancy between their IQ Performance and their Academic Achievement. More specifically, students with learning disabilities test in the average IQ range, but have a history of poor grades and performance in the classroom setting. Typically, the greatest areas of deficit amongst students with learning disabilities are reading comprehension and written expression. Due to these deficits, students with learning disabilities struggle with reading passages aloud, comprehending passages above their independent reading level, independent reading of lengthy texts, and passage analysis (especially inferencing). Students with LD's benefit from leveled passages, guided reading, and guided/scaffolded analysis of a text. In terms of learning disabilities that are rooted in math deficits, these students tend to struggle with math calculations and math reasoning. In the area of math, students benefit from scaffolded word problems, having problems read aloud, and multiple reviews of a single concept.
Source: http://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/LD_Report/Issue__3_LD_Report_Characteristic_of_LD.pdf
Speech and Language Impairment (SLI)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, defines the term “speech or language impairment” as follows:
“(11) 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.” [34 CFR §300.8(c)(11]. According Parentcenterhub.org, persons with a SLI may demonstrate the following characteristics: improper use of words and their meanings, inability to express ideas, inappropriate grammatical patterns, reduced vocabulary, and inability to follow directions. For teachers, it is important for the teacher to learn the specifics of the student's impairment to better be able to serve that student. Students with a SLI may struggle with articulating their needs, group presentations, verbal directions, and subject/verb agreement.
Sources: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/specific-language-impairment
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/speechlanguage/
Other Health Impairment (OHI) - ADD/ADHD
According to the 4th edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the APA (American Psychiatric Association), ADHD can be defined by the behaviors exhibited. Individuals with ADHD exhibit combinations of the following behaviors: Fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming in their seat (adolescents with ADHD may appear restless); Difficulty remaining seated when required to do so; Difficulty sustaining attention and waiting for a turn in tasks, games, or group situations; Blurting out answers to questions before the questions have been completed; Difficulty following through on instructions and in organizing tasks; Shifting from one unfinished activity to another; Failing to give close attention to details and avoiding careless mistakes; Losing things necessary for tasks or activities; Difficulty in listening to others without being distracted or interrupting; Wide ranges in mood swings; and Great difficulty in delaying gratification. When working with students with ADHD, a teacher should consider implementing the following strategies: provide the student with the daily plan ahead of time, review previous lessons, explicit directions, testing/independent work in a quiet area, clear behavioral expectations, predictability/routine, private/discreet cues to remain on task/participate, cue student to upcoming transitions, lesson previews, help with organization, frequent reminders for upcoming assignments/due dates, and chunking assignments into smaller, more manageable sections.
Source: http://www.ldonline.org/article/8797/
Emotional Disturbance (ED)
IDEA defines emotional disturbance as 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: 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, and or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. ED can also include schizophrenia. Students with an emotional disturbance can demonstrate any of the following characteristics: Hyperactivity (short attention span, impulsiveness); Aggression or self-injurious behavior (acting out, fighting); Withdrawal (not interacting socially with others, excessive fear or anxiety); Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper tantrums, poor coping skills); and Learning difficulties (academically performing below grade level). Students with ED may need breaks (walks, head down, different setting) from the current work or activity, meetings with the school psychologist, direct instruction, bullet point directions, additional time on assignments, and strategic groupings.
Source: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/emotionaldisturbance/
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