Intellectual Disability

Intellectual Disability:

 Students with Intellectual Disability (formally known as mental retardation) have subaverage general intellectual functioning. Here are a few teaching tips: treating appropriately to chronological age and peer tutoring. 

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

http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid+2335

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)

http://www.uaidutah.org/home

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

http://www.projectidealonline.org/index.php

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

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/intellectual_disabilities.html

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)

http://www.aamr.org/index.cfm

The AAIDD offers links to national disability organizations focusing on specific disabilities.