Intellectual Disability
Definition in IDEA: “…significantly
subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with
deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period,
that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.” [34 CFR
§300.8(c)(6)]
In 2010, President Obama signed Rosa’s Law, which replaced the
stigmatizing label “Mental Retardation” with the more acceptable term
“Intellectual Disability”
IDs
are the most common form of developmental disability
1-3% of America’s general population and 10%
of students requiring SPED have an ID
Causes: Genetic
conditions (e.g. Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome),
problems during pregnancy (e.g. mother who used alcohol during pregnancy,
improper cell division), problems at birth (e.g. lack of oxygen), and health problems
(e.g. malnutrition, lack of appropriate medical care, contact with poisons, and
diseases like whooping cough, meningitis, or the measles)
Characteristics:
·
Variety
of physical markers depending on cause of the disability
·
Below
average intelligence ranging in incidence rate and severity
o
For
a mild diagnosis, students’ IQ scores will be between 70-75 or below
o
For
a moderate to severe diagnosis, students’ IQ scores will be approximately 55 or
below
·
Slower
learning rate and greater difficulty retaining information
·
May
reach a point where learning levels off
·
Difficulty
generalizing skills learned in one context to another
·
Trouble
solving problems/thinking logically
·
Difficulty
with social and daily living skills
·
Developmental
delays
Suggested Teaching Strategies:
·
Treat
students appropriately according to their chronological age
·
Carefully
follow the strategies outlined in the student’s IEP
·
Break
large concepts down into smaller steps and include breaks
·
Teach one subject or idea at a time
·
Supply manipulatives to concretely
represent concepts
·
Provide opportunities for continued
practice in a variety of settings
·
Teach social and daily living skills
·
Match expectations to instruction
(i.e. accommodations and modifications)
·
Use peer-tutoring, inclusive methods,
and family involvement
Additional Resources:
The Arc
The Arc is a community-based organization that advocates and serves
those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The
site includes various fact sheets on intellectual disabilities detailing
everything from the causes of these disabilities to criminal justice issues
regarding these disabilities.
The Utah Association for Intellectual
Disabilities (UIAD)
The UIAD is a
relatively new non-profit organization that formed in 2008 after The Arc of
Utah closed due to financial reasons. UIAD took over some of the services the
local Arc chapter provided, including the “Holiday Gift Box Program, Bridge to
the Future, Connections to Computers, and socialization projects.” The Bridge
to the Future is a particularly beneficial resource for parents and educators
alike, outlining the services a person with an intellectual disability may
require throughout stages of his or her life. People interested in supporting
UIAD’s mission are welcome to volunteer.
Project Ideal
Project Ideal is part of a teacher preparation
program meant to prepare teachers to work with students with
disabilities. It provides helpful resources such as tips for classroom
management and managing student behavior along with descriptions of disability
categories and disability law.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission
The EEOC provides information on employment opportunities
and the rights of workers with intellectual disabilities. EEOC is an
important resource for educators to gain knowledge on how to prepare students
with disabilities for future jobs and opportunities. This resource would
be especially applicable for secondary teachers.
American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
The AAIDD offers links to national disability
organizations focusing on specific disabilities.
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