Intellectual Disability

Intellectual Disability is “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.” These are three features of the definition:

• Significant limitations in intellectual functioning

• Significant limitations in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills

• Origination of intellectual disability before age 18 (i.e. the developmental period)

• The causes of intellectual disabilities are determined by timing and risk factors. The prenatal, perinatal, postnatal affects the child. Prenatal could include common chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome. During the perinatal period (during birth), there could be a lack of oxygen or prematurity. In the postnatal (after birth) there could be injuries, diseases or environmental toxins like lead based paint that could cause intellectual disabilities. The risk factors include: biomedical, social, behavioral, and educational. Biomedical - these relate to biological processes, such as genetic disorders and nutrition. Social - these relate to social and family interaction, such as stimulation and adult responsiveness. Behavioral - these relate to potentially causal behaviors, such as dangerous activities and maternal substance abuse. And lastly, educational - these to the availability of educational supports that promote development of adaptive skills.

• Teaching Students With Cognitive Impairments

• Down Syndrome Twins

• Embedded instruction involves inserting instruction into naturally occurring activities during the day.

• Collect Data on student's progress and troubleshoot if necessary.

• Promoting self-determination with goal-oriented tasks.