Learners with Intellectual

Disability

Report by: Syrah V. Mercado

 Intellectual Disability
  formerly referred to as “mental retardation”, is
not an inherent trait of any individual, but
instead is characterized by a combination of
deficits in both cognitive functioning and
adaptive behavior.
 The severity of the intellectual disability is
determined by the discrepancy between the
individual's capabilities in learning and in and
the expectations of the social environment.
 It should be noted that while the term “mental
retardation” is still widely used within
education and government agencies; however,
many advocacy groups feel that this label has
too many negative connotations. The newer
terms of intellectual disability or
developmental disability are becoming far
more accepted and prevalent within the field.
 1.Celebral Palsy
  is a group of permanent movement disorders
that appear in early childhood. Signs and
symptoms vary among people and over time.
Often, symptoms include poor coordination,
stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors.
There may be problems with sensation, vision,
hearing, swallowing, and speaking.
 2. Trisomy 21
 is the most common chromosomal anomaly in
humans, affecting about 5,000 babies born
each year and more than 350,000 people in the
United States. Also known as Down
syndrome, trisomy 21 is a genetic condition
caused by an extra chromosome.
 Disability Categories

Specific Speech and

Intellectual Emotional
Learning Language
Disabilities Disorders
Disability Impairment

Multiple Auditory Orthopedic Other Health

Disabilities Impairment Impairment Impairment

Autism
Visual Traumatic Brain
Spectrum Deafblindness
Impairment Injury
Disorder
 Intellectual Disability
Significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with
deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Is not an inherent trait of any individual, but instead is characterized by a combination of

deficits in both cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior.

The severity is determined by the discrepancy between the individual’s capabilities and the
expectations of the social environment.
 Characteristics
Limitations in
Limitations in
Intellectual
Adaptive Behavior
Functioning
• Problem-solving • Conceptual skills
• Attention • Social skills
• Abstract thinking • Practical Skills
• Remembering
information
 Characteristics
Difficulty remembering new
information

Difficulty generalizing skills

Difficulty with intrinsic (or internal)

motivation
 Intellectual Quotient (IQ)
Intellectual
Intellectual
functioning
functioning isis
measured using
measured using
aa combination
combination For
For years,
years, professionals
professionals have
have sub-divided
sub-divided individuals
individuals with
with intellectual
intellectual
of intelligence disability by IQ into the following groups:
(IQ
(IQ tests)
tests) and
and
achievement
assessments.

Average
Average
intelligence
intelligence is
is aa Moderate:
Moderate: 55-
55-
Mild:
Mild: 70-55
70-55 Severe:
Severe: 40-25
40-25 Profound:
Profound: <25
<25
standard score 40
of 85-115
 Levels of intensity or support

•• Supports
Supports are •• Supports
Supports are •• Supports
Supports are •• Supports
Supports are
Intermittent:

Limited:

Extensive:

Pervasive:
are are are are
provided
provided on on an
an provided
provided characterized
characterized provided
provided
“as-needed”
“as-needed” consistently
consistently by
by regular
regular consistently
consistently
basis,
basis, typically
typically over
over aa time
time involvement
involvement in in across
across
on
on aa short-term
short-term period.
period. The
The at
at least
least some
some environments
environments
basis
basis as
as in
in supports
supports environments
environments with
with aa high
high
transition
transition typically
typically and
and are
are not
not level
level of
of
periods.
periods. TheThe require
require fewer
fewer time-limited.
time-limited. intensity.
intensity. This
This
supports
supports maymay personnel
personnel and
and level of support
level of support
be
be provided
provided in in may have
may have a a is
is potentially
potentially
high or low
high or low high
high or
or low
low life-sustaining
life-sustaining
level of level of in nature.
intensity during intensity.
the
the period
period of of
need.
 Limitations
Intellectual
Functioning

Self-
Adaptive
Determination
Behavior
Skills
 Impact on Learning
Curriculum and instruction must
With the appropriate supports in
be carefully adapted to help
place, students with intellectual
these students reach their
disability can achieve a high
potential in both academics and
quality of life in many different
other functional areas such as
aspects.
independent living.

Independence and self-reliance

should always be primary goals
of all instructional strategies
employed with these students.
 Impact on Learning

The
The child
child with
with intellectual
intellectual New
New learning
learning isis filtered
filtered through
through aa
The
The child
child with
with intellectual
intellectual disability
disability will continue
will continue to to learn
learn younger
younger mental context in
mental context in
disability
disability will learn
will learn and
and and
and understand some aspects of
understand some aspects of children with intellectual disabiliy
children with intellectual disabiliy
understand
understand fewer things at aa much
fewer things at much the
the world,
world, butbut this
this cognitive
cognitive so
so the
the quality
quality ofof what
what is
is learned
learned
slower
slower pace
pace than
than the
the average
average child
child growth
growth isis less
less complete
complete andand and
and how it is applied will be
how it is applied will be far
far
and will fall further behind his/her
and will fall further behind his/her significant
significant gaps
gaps will
will remain
remain inin the
the different
different than
than the
the perspective
perspective ofof aa
peers
peers over
over time.
time. student’s knowledge
student’s knowledge base. base. normally
normally developing
developing peer.
peer.
 Teaching Strategies
Direct Instruction
• Academic Skills
• Real World Reading Skills
• Real World Math Skills
• Real World Writing Skills
• Functional Skills
• Additional skill areas:
• money concepts,
• time concepts
• independent living skills
• self-care and hygiene
• community access
• leisure activities
• vocational training
• Learn skills in applicable environments
• Generalize skills to various situations and other environments
 Promising Practices
Prelinguistic milieu teaching
• Ties instruction to specific interests
and abilities of the child.
• Helps support effective self-
determination.
 Teaching Strategies
 
 Break down tasks. Teach in smaller components.
 Teach complex concepts over time one component at
a time.
 Use a variety of instructional supports, from
physical and verbal prompting to observational
learning.
 Instructional strategies and materials should be
designed with the student’s own interests and
strengths in mind.
 Teaching Strategies
 Useful strategies for teaching students with
intellectual disabilities include, but are not limited to
the following techniques:
• Teach one concept or activity component at a time.
• Teach one step at a time to help support memorization and
sequencing.
• Teach students in small groups, or one-on-one if possible.
• Always provide multiple opportunities to practice skills in a
number of different settings.
• Use physical and verbal prompting to guide correct responses,
and provide specific verbal praise to reinforce these responses.