Characteristics+Group+Grid

> (i) General. The term means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. > (ii) Disorders not included. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. > > Incidence: Students have average, or above average intelligence. They may have difficulty in learning "how" to do things like reading, writing, and computing information. Other difficulties include, picking out important information from a text, following directions, or organizing assignments. Students may also appear to be unmotivated, or lazy when they are trying their best. They are considered the most common form of special needs. > > Etiology: The disability is normally present at birth. While complication with birth like perinatal injury, and other factors, are normally held responsible, they cannot be proven to predict the outcome of a learning disability in a child. > || Health Issues || There are normally no distinct physical characteristics as a learning disability is described as a mental disability. ||
 * ** Learning Disabilities ** by Zachary Cummings ||
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || Specific learning disability is defined as follows:
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || Some students have difficulty reading, because its poses two things that are difficult to them, decoding and comprehension. Other times those with learning disabilities have difficulty in written language skills including handwriting, spelling, and written expression (including difficulty with product and process). Another characteristic of those with learning disabilities include math skills. These issues range anywhere from lack of alertness to visual detail (misreading/forgetting mathematical signs), to procedural errors in word problems. Learning skills, or skills that could help students learn more readily, are hard to teach to those with a learning disability, because they have difficulty coming to attention, understanding task requirements, memory problems, and retention. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || These students engage in aggressive or disruptive behavior in class. Those with learning disabilities also have difficulty in social relations with their peers, they can be impulsive, lack confidence in social situations, or misread social cues. Most of these come from a student not learning from natural models of social behavior at home.

To address the needs of these students it is important to differentiate instruction to accommodate their distinct learning ability. Different types of accommodations, and learning strategies are helpful when assessing a student with LD. ||
 * References || http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/links/learndisability.html, "specific Learning Disability- Special Education", Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, last updated August 22, 2008, accessed May 27, 2012

Including Students with Special Needs, A Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers, Bursuck, William D., Friend, Marilyn. Pearson Publishing, 2009, pgs. 248-254

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/hr_tips/article_1.cfm?b_id=29&h_id=3&view=true, "Disability and HR: Tips on the Accomodation and Employment of peoples with Learning Disabilities", Eve Woodman and Matthew Tominey, Cornell University, 2001, accessed May 25, 2012 ||
 * ** Emotional /Behavioral ** by Kyndall Elks ||
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || **Definition-**An emotional and behavioral disorder is an emotional disability characterized by the following:

(i) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and/or teachers. For preschool-age children, this would include other care providers.

(ii) An inability to learn which cannot be adequately explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors.

(iii) Consistent or chronic inappropriate type of behavior or feelings under normal conditions.

(iv) Displayed pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(v) Displayed tendency to develop physical symptoms, pains or unreasonable fears associated with personal or school problems. Health Issues || The most common behavior pattern of children with emotional and behavioral disorders consists of antisocial, or externalizing behaviors. In the classroom, children with externalizing behaviors frequently do the following (adapted from Walker, 1997, p. 13): * Get out of their seats Emotion and Behavioral Disorder: Causes and Prevention, Education.com, INC. 2006-2012, http://www.education.com/ ||
 * Etiology-** It depends on the child, some have been abused others neglected. Some might come from low-income house holds others may come from high-income. The cause of EBD is elusive to define. It all has to do with biology, home and social surroundings and school environment. Things like "domestic violence, parental mental illness, overcrowding, adverse school experience, child-abuse/neglect, and poverty (Gargiulo, Metcalf pg 100)." ||
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Yell, talk out, and curse
 * Disturb peers
 * Hit or fight
 * Ignore the teacher
 * Complain
 * Argue excessively
 * Steal
 * Lie
 * Destroy property
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do not comply with directions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Have temper tantrums
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Are excluded from peer-controlled activities
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do not respond to teacher corrections
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do not complete assignments ||
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The following academic outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders are derived from several nationwide studies (Chesapeake Institute, 1994; U.S. Department of Education, 1998, 1999; Valdes, Williamson, & Wagner, 1990): * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Two-thirds cannot pass competency exams for their grade level.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">They have the lowest grade-point average of any group of students with disabilities.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">They have the highest absenteeism rate of any group of students.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Only 20%–25% leave high school with a diploma or certificate of completion, compared to 50% of all students with disabilities and 76% of all youth in the general population.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">More than 50% drop out of high school. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || They have difficulty building and maintaining satisfactory relationships with peers and adults. They are less socially skilled, may be particularly aggressive and hostile toward others. They have fewer friends and that often adversely affects their performance in the classroom (pg 101) ||
 * References || Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. (2010). Diversity in the classroom ii: Students with low incidence disabilities. In // Teaching in today's inclusive classrooms: A universal design for learning approach // (pp. 97-101). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
 * ** Deaf/Hard of Hearing ** By Alaa Dahir ||
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || ** Definition ** – “The capacity to hear, with amplification, is limited, impaired, or absent and results in one or more of the following: reduced performance in hearing acuity tasks; difficulty with oral communication; and/or difficulty in understanding auditorally-presented information in the education environment. The term includes students who are deaf and students who are hard-of -hearing.” (mass.gov)
 * Etiology ** - There are many causes of hearing loss, including genetic/hereditary factors and infections, but in over half of the reported instances of hearing loss, the cause is unknown.

There are two types of hearing loss:
 * Conductive Hearing Loss: This is caused by a mechanical problem in the ear canal or middle ear that blocks the conduction of sound.
 * Sensorineural Hearing Loss: This is caused by damage to the inner ear, auditory nerve, or auditory nerve pathways in the brain.

Hearing loss can occur from birth or may happen later in life for various reasons. This is a low incident learning disability, representing 1.2% of all pupils with learning disabilities. ||  ||   || Health Issues || Students who are deaf have an audiological condition that prohibits them from hearing. The term “Deaf” with an upper-case first letter denotes a particular group of deaf people who share a language, American Sign Language, and a culture.
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /

Hard of hearing can denote a person with mild to moderate hearing loss. It can also be used to describe a person who is deaf but does not want or have any cultural affiliation with the Deaf community. || Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. (2010). Diversity in the classroom ii: Students with low incidence disabilities. In//Teaching in today's inclusive classrooms: A universal design for learning approach// (pp. 112-139). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || People who are hard of hearing or deaf typically rely on their written and/or spoken language to communicate. Reading is an academic area that is greatly affected, as most students with a hearing impairment Graduate highschool reading at a fourth-grade level. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || Common communication for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing is the use of American Sign Language. American Sign Language (ASL) is a sign language that utilizes motion of hands, arms, head, and facial expression and body language to communicate without sound. ||
 * References || "American Sign Language." // National Association Of The Deaf // . N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.nad.org/issues/american-sign-language>.

"Special Education: Disability Definitions." //Massachusetts Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/definitions.html>. ||
 * ** Blind/Vision ** By Alaa Dahir ||
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || ** Definition ** - “The capacity to see, after correction, is limited, impaired, or absent and results in one or more of the following: reduced performance in visual acuity tasks; difficulty with written communication; and/or difficulty with understanding information presented visually in the education environment. The term includes students who are blind and students with limited vision.” (mass.gov)
 * Etiology ** - Visual impairments can be caused by:
 * Refractive errors: An inability of the eye to focus light rays correctly on the retina
 * Defects of the Ocular Muscle, which can include an imbalance of the eyes and Nystagmus, which is the rapid, involuntary movement of the eye.
 * Disorders of the Cornea, Iris, or Lens and other disorders

Among Americans who are blind, one of the major causes of loss of vision is due to glaucoma. Other causes include genetic/hereditary disorders.

About 1 in 1,000 students have some sort of visual impairment. About 10% of these students are blind. In total, these students represent 0.43% of all pupils with disabilities, making students with visual impairments one of the least prevalent disabilities. || Health Issues || A person with a visual impairment cannot see well even with correction. A person who is Blind may not be able to see at all, depending on the severity of their blindness. || (2011, ). Blindness and visual impairments. Retrieved from council for exceptional children website: http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Blindness_Visual_Impairments&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=37&ContentID=5625
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || Students who are visually impaired may read using one of the following methods: * Standard print with the help of a magnifying glass or other assistive technology
 * Reading Braille
 * Auditory Learning, in combination with other media and assistive technology ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || For students who have limited vision, use of high contrast color materials and larger print can help with reading. ||
 * References || Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. (2010). Diversity in the classroom ii: Students with low incidence disabilities. In // Teaching in today's inclusive classrooms: A universal design for learning approach // (pp. 112-139). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

"Special Education: Disability Definitions." //Massachusetts Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/definitions.html>. || ** (mild/moderate) ** ** Marin Robinson ** || Health Issues || Different intellectual disabilities have different physical characteristics, therefore there are no general characteristics that make up all that have intellectual disabilities. Depending on what state the possible cause of this disability happened in would also be a factor as to what the individual might look like. For individuals whose disability was caused by environmental conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, this individual may have characteristics different than one with down syndrome. || (1 ed.). Belmont, California: Wadsworth Cenage Learning. || ** Marin Robinson ** || Health Issues || Following mild injury, problems include headache, fatigue, perceptual motor slowing can occur and persist for months, years or permanently. Moderate and severe TBI typically require hospital stays and rehabilitation services. Motor skills are the first to return and high-level cognitive skills such as reasoning and abstract thinking return last. || (1 ed.). Belmont, California: Wadsworth Cenage Learning. ||
 * ** Intellectual Disabilities **
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || Significantly sub-average cognitive ability deficits in intellectual functioning and related impairments in adaptive behavior in individuals that manifested during the developmental period of an individual;limitations may range from mild to profound. Etiology: student's disability is generally of little education relevance. No two learners are alike even if they share the same etiological factor. There are three types of factors that play a role in a person having an intellectual disability: prenatal- occurring before the birth, perinatal- occurring around the time of the birth, and postnatal- occurring after the birth. ||
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || Deficits in short and long term memory correlated with severity of disability. Generally exhibits difficulties in language development, academic development, social development including skills of problem solving, reading/grammar and poor interpersonal skills. Difficulty applying knowledge or skills to a new task, situation or setting. Problems using previous experiences in novel circumstances. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || History of and a generalized expectancy for failure: learned helplessness. Exhibits external locus of control where the belief that outcomes of behavior are the result of circumstances beyond personal control rather than own efforts. Evidence of outer-directedness, loss of confidence, and distrust of own abilities therefore relying on other for cues and guidance. ||
 * References || Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. (2010). //Teaching in toda'ys inclusive classrooms: A universal design for learning approach//.
 * ** TBI **
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment or both that adversely affects educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgement; problem solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to rain injuries induced by birth trauma. The etiology of student's disability has no relevance to general education but is reasoned to be outside environmental effects that are usually unavoidable and unpredictable. ||
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || Each injury is highly individualized because every injury is different. Disabilities from TBI can take months to years to fully recover and sometimes, the injuries have permanent impact on the individual. Specific impact of the injury is highly individualized and depends on the age of the patient, the severity and location of the insult and the time elapsed since the injury. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || Patients overestimate own abilities; faulty reasoning; low motivation. Also poor impulse control; lowered social inhibitions. There are signs of agitation and irritability; acting out. ||
 * References || Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. (2010). //Teaching in toda'ys inclusive classrooms: A universal design for learning approach//.
 * ** Autism ** by Kyndall Elks ||
 * Federal Definition of the Disability – Major Components, Including Incidence and etiology || Definition- <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, usually evident before age 3 that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with ASD are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term does not apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected because the child has an emotional disturbance

Etiology -- There is some indication of a genetic influence in autism, Currently, a great deal of research has focused on locating the 'autism gene;' however, many researchers speculate that three to five genes will likely be associated with autism. There is also evidence that the genetic link to autism may be a weakened or compromised immune system. Other research has shown that depression and/or dyslexia are quite common in one or both sides of the family when autism is present.

There is also evidence that a virus can cause autism. There is an increased risk in having an autistic child after exposure to rubella during the first trimester of the pregnancy. Cytolomegalo virus has also been associated with autism. Additionally, there is also a growing concern that viruses associated with vaccinations, such as the measles component of the MMR vaccine and the pertussis component of the DPT shot, may cause autism. || Health Issues || Low Immunity, seizures all other characteristics are mental ones dealing with the brain. || <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Language is slow to develop, if it develops at all. If it does develop, it usually includes peculiar speech patterns or the use of words without attachment to their normal meaning. Those who are able to use language effectively may still use unusual metaphors or speak in a formal and monotone voice.
 * Typical Physical Characteristics of the Disability /
 * Typical Learning Characteristics and/or Effects Of The Disability On Development And Learning || **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">//Severe delays in language development.// **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**//Severe delays in understanding social relationships.//** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The autistic child often avoids eye contact, resists being picked up, and seems to "tune out" the world around him. This results in a lack of cooperative play with peers, an impaired ability to develop friendships, and an inability to understand other people's feelings.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**//Inconsistent Patterns of sensory responses.//** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The child who has autism at times may appear to be deaf and fail to respond to words or other sounds. At other times, the same child may be extremely distressed by an everyday noise such as a vacuum cleaner or a dog's barking. The child also may show an apparent insensitivity to pain and a lack of responsiveness to cold or heat, or may over-react to any of these.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">**//Uneven patterns of intellectual functioning.//** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The individual may have peak skills - scattered things done quite well in relation to overall functioning - such as drawing, music, computations in math, or memorization of facts with no regard to importance or lack of it. On the other hand, the majority of autistic persons have varying degrees of mental retardation, with only 20 percent having average or above-average intelligence. This combination of intellectual variations makes autism especially perplexing.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">//**Marked restriction of activity and interests**.// <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A person who has autism may perform repetitive body movements, such as hand flicking, twisting, spinning, or rocking. This individual may also display repetition by following the same route, the same order of dressing, or the same schedule everyday, etc. If changes occur in these routines, the preoccupied child or adult usually becomes very distressed. ||
 * Common Communication and/or Behavior Issues & Needs || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Most students with ASD want to behave appropriately and follow the rules, but have a great deal of trouble applying their rote memory of rules to real situations, especially when they are anxious, impulsive, or confused. Students with ASD have trouble understanding how to apply school and social rules even though some students with verbal language and good memory may be able to recite the very rules they seem to break. In some cases these students may correct others who break the rules - at least the rules that are very specific and concrete. Because of this variability in understanding rules and actual performance of appropriate behaviors educators, family, and peers often are unsure about the area of discipline as it applies to students with ASD ||
 * References || * National Association of Special Education Teachers, 2006/2007, http://www.naset.org/autism2.0.html#c8900
 * Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.,Overview of Autism, Autism Research Institute, 2008, http://www.autism.mobi/overview.html
 * The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Autism Primer: Twenty Questions and Answers by TEACCH and Autism Society of North Carolina, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Lucida,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">ASNC Primer 20 Questions, Third Edition - 07/99; 2012 http://teacch.com/about-autism/copy_of_autism-primer-twenty-questions-and-answers-1 ||