CHAPTER 9Understanding Students with

Intellectual DisabilityOctober 17, 2012

Judy Maginnis

By PresenterMedia.com

Intellectual Disability

Characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills. The disability originates before age 18.

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) definition:

Intelligence refers to a student’s mental capability for problem-solving, thinking abstractly, remembering important information and skills and generalizing knowledge from one setting to another

Limitations in Intellectual Functioning

• Students with Intellectual Disability have an IQ score approximately 2 standard deviations below the mean or an IQ of 70 on the Wechsler Scale

Intelligence is measured by administering tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - IV

Students with Intellectual Disability typically have impaired functioning that impacts three areas

1.Memory (especially short term memory)2.Generalization3.Motivation

Adaptive behavior “refers to

the collection of conceptual,

social and practical skills

that have been learned by

people in order to function

in their everyday lives”

Limitations in Adaptive Behavior

• Timing

1. Prenatal2. Perinatal3. Postnatal

• Type

1. Biomedical2. Social3. Behavioral4. Educational

The causes of Intellectual Disability are classified according to Timing and Type

Determining the presence of Intellectual Disability requires the evaluation of the students intellectual functioning AND Adaptive Behavior

1)Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – IV2)Adaptive Behavior scales3)AAIDD Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale

Students with intellectual disability experience some of the lowest post-secondary outcomes in terms of graduating with a diploma, receiving post-secondary education and being employed after high school

Designing an Appropriate IEP

Intermittent – as needed

Provide supports that enable the student to develop, learn and live effectively

Limited – consistent but time-limited in nature

Extensive – provided on a regular basis in at least some environments

Pervasive – constant, provided across environments

Intensity of Support

Supplementary Aids and Services

Paraprofessionals adapt materials and assessments and provide direct support in the general education classroom

Assistive technology

The IEP needs to include a partnership with students, parents, educators and community agencies and resources to address the transition needs of the student

To function successfully in their community teachers need to help students master functional skills

Functional Curriculum

Applied money

concepts

Community mobility

Time concepts

Grooming and self-

care

Health and safety

EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

PRELINGUISTIC MILIEU TEACHING

Early Childhood

THE SELF-DETERMINED LEARNING MODEL

Elementary and Middle School Students

COMMUNITY-BASED INSTRUCTION

Secondary and Transition Students

“Learn it where you need it”

“Teach it where you want your

students to practice it”

Accommodations for Assessment1.Dictating responses to a scribe

2.Having extended time to complete an assessment

3.Having test items read aloud

4.Having test items clarified

Students with Intellectual Disability are more than twice as likely to spend the majority of their school time outside of the general education classroom than all other students with disabilities combined.