Understanding Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
Carrie Massey
Grand Canyon University
SPE 526
December 03, 2012

Abstract

There are several different types of intellectual disabilities, such as mental retardation, autism, traumatic brain injury, severe and multiple disabilities, and deaf-blindness. Understanding the causes and characteristics of these disabilities is important in determining what is needed in the learning environment to ensure that students with intellectual and other disabilities have access to the quality education they deserve.

Understanding Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

There are several different types of intellectual disabilities that can affect a child’s educational abilities. It is important that teachers and parents understand the causes and characteristics of the different types of intellectual disabilities in order to ensure that all students are provided with a quality education. Intellectual disabilities can be caused by a number of factors or incidents, and can vary from person to person in severity, symptoms and effect on their ability to learn and function. Understanding the causes and effects of such disabilities will assist educators in developing proper teaching methods, accommodations and special materials needed to optimize the learning environment.

Intellectual Disability Intellectual disability, previously referred to as mental retardation, is defined by deficient intelligence and adaptive behavior that affects educational performance, and only applies to disability that occurs during the developmental period (AAIDD, n.d.). Culture and language are considered when assessing intellectual disability in relation to a person’s environment and same-age peers. Intelligence is determined by a person’s reasoning and problem solving skills, as well as their ability to learn, plan, and think critically. Adaptive behavior includes social skills, conceptual skills such as language and writing, and practical life skills such as safety and managing money (AAIDD, n.d.). The characteristics of intellectual disability are below-average intelligence, often measured by an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test, lack of reasoning and social skills, inability to think critically and solve problems, and difficulty with basic life skills and functioning. People with intellectual disabilities may be aggressive toward others, self-destructive or destructive of property, and may act out unexpectedly (Heward, 2009), though not all people with intellectual disabilities display negative or abnormal behaviors.
Intellectual disabilities occur early in life, during or before the development period, as opposed to being caused by a traumatic event or injury after development has occurred. They are caused by a number of different factors before, during, and after birth, and can be medical or environmental (Heward, 2009). They can be genetic, related to disease or chromosomal imbalances, malnutrition, or maternal, such as premature birth, or developing infections, consuming drugs or alcohol, and smoking during pregnancy.

Traumatic Brain Injury Traumatic brain injury is defined as “injury to the brain caused by an external physical force” (Heward, 2009, p. 459) that causes partial or complete disability of the brain and disturbs educational functioning. Effects can be temporary or permanent. Impairments can range from mild to severe and may improve over time, depending on severity.
Injury to the brain can cause characteristics such as memory loss, and can inhibit functioning, behavior, reasoning, motor skills, and concentration. Persons with traumatic brain injury may have difficulty speaking, thinking critically or using proper judgment. The injury may also affect vision, hearing, and balance. The effects of such an injury to the brain can limit a student’s ability to learn in school and retain information (Heward, 2009).
Traumatic brain injury is caused by an injury to the head, and can be an open or a closed injury. Injuries can be caused by a vast number of incidents, such as car accidents, sports, accidents on playground equipment, violence, gunshot wounds to the head, and any other situation where injury can occur.

Autism Autism is defined as a developmental, neurobehavioral disability that causes significant impairments in communication, language, behavior and educational performance (Heward, 2009). Autism may affect a person’s social skills, reactions to others, and feelings toward affectionate behavior. The onset of autism is generally before the age of three. A mild form of autism, Asperger syndrome, specifically relates to impaired social behavior. Children who have some traits of autism, but not all traits, are classified as having pervasive developmental disorder ( PDD) (Heward, 2009). Characteristics of autism can be mild or severe and include a strong need for structure and repetition, isolation, and specific preferences in activities, food, interests, and social company (Heward, 2009). Autistic children may react differently or negatively to noise, activity or other stimuli. They may prefer to play alone and resist change in schedule or daily activities. Autistic children may have communication deficiencies as well, developing language more slowly or not at all (Heward, 2009).
Many autistic children have difficulty making friends and establishing personal relationships, interacting with their peers and may seem awkward among others. They may act out, speak loudly or in an abnormal tone, and may display behavior not considered normal by others, such as sitting under their desks, intentionally falling on the floor or hitting their head against the wall. Intelligence in autistic children can vary significantly. Autistic savants, though rare, may be highly skilled, intelligent or talented in a particular area, yet display the signs and symptoms of autism (Heward, 2009). The causes of autism are still unknown. Research suggests that it is genetic, but not entirely, because some children with autistic siblings are not autistic, and many autistic children are born to parents who are not autistic. It is also suggested that the cause is possibly and partially environmental for some, but that too, is unknown.

Severe Disabilities A severe disability is defined as any disability or multiple disabilities, whether physical, developmental, or intellectual, that greatly limits educational performance (Heward, 2009). Severe disabilities include disabilities that occur prenatally, during birth, genetically, or after the onset of physical or emotional trauma later in life. Severely disabled students require significant assistance completing certain or all tasks in and/or out of the learning environment. Characteristics of severe disability include significant physical impairments, emotional deficiency, impaired language development, severe behavioral and developmental problems, and severely limited intellectual functioning. Many people who have severe disabilities have multiple disabilities and trouble developing life skills (Heward, 2009).
Causes of severe disabilities can be genetic, can occur during or after birth, and can include chromosomal abnormalities, infections of the mother or baby during pregnancy, the use of drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, premature birth, disease, malnutrition, severe emotional or physical trauma such as accident, injury or significant loss. Severe disabilities can also be caused by numerous factors.

Deaf-Blindness Deaf-blindness is when an individual is both visually and hearing impaired. Some people who are both deaf and blind may have limited functioning of hearing or sight, but still have a lot of difficulty with communication and learning, as well as daily tasks. Many have trouble developing social skills and motor functioning (Heward, 2009). Children who are born deaf and blind may seem withdrawn and uninterested due to limited social development. The characteristics of deaf-blindness include the inability to see and hear, although one or the other may be slightly present. People who are deaf and blind have difficulty communicating and interacting with others, and may be more reserved, isolated, socially awkward. They may even have other disabilities, although the other disabilities are not an indication or result of the deaf-blindness itself. The causes of deaf-blindness are similar to those of severe disabilities. Genetic disorders, chromosomal abnormalities, prenatal complications and maternal behavior during pregnancy, disease, infection and other factors that contribute to severe disabilities can also contribute to the occurrence of deaf-blindness. As previously mentioned, persons who are blind and deaf often have multiple disabilities.

Conclusion Intellectual disabilities are complex and diverse, can occur at any time depending on their causes, and require a significant amount of patience, understanding and attention in the field of education. Students with disabilities have the right to a free, quality education. It is our job as educational professionals to understand these disabilities and how they affect the students’ ability to learn so that we can assist, adapt and optimize our teaching methods. Understanding these disabilities is the first step in knowing what is needed in the classroom, in our instruction and in the school to be able to deliver a quality of education to students with intellectual and other disabilities. Through continuous research, training and professional development, we can adapt the learning environment to be a place of inclusion for all students, regardless of ability.

References
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2012 from http://www.aaidd.org
Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.