CHAPTER ELEVEN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES Teaching

CHAPTER ELEVEN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN: 0136101240 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

STUDENTS WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES n n In fall 2004, 9. 3% of the students served in special education programs were identified as having intellectual disabilities. This is still concern today about the overrepresentation of students from some racial/ethnic groups. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 2 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities (cont’d) n n The President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities estimates that approximately 3% of the population has an intellectual disability. Individuals with mild intellectual disabilities account for approximately 87% of persons with any type of intellectual disability. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 3 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities (cont’d) n n For most persons with mild intellectual disabilities, the cause of the disability is unknown. Students with mild intellectual disabilities are those who are able to profit from academic instruction; the IQ range associated with this group is 50 to 70 or 75, which is equivalent to that of adults with mental ages of 7. 5 to 11 years. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 4 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities (cont’d) n During their school years, students with mild intellectual disabilities acquire basic academic skills up to approximately the sixth grade level; as adults they can achieve the necessary social and vocational skills to become at least minimally self-supporting. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 5 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

INDICATORS OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES n Two main indicators: n n Rate of learning is slow. Most areas of development are delayed. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 6 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES n n n Academic achievement is measured to determine whethere is an educational performance problem. Determination of the student’s general ability level. Adaptive behavior. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 7 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

SPECIAL SERVICES n The most typical special education placement for students with mild intellectual disabilities is part-time service in a resource room or special class. During the remainder of their school day, they are included with age peers in the general education classroom. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 8 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

CLASSROOM ADAPTATIONS n Habilitation is the major approach to the education of mainstreamed student with mild intellectual disabilities. The goal is not to remediate or compensate for skill deficiencies; instead, instruction is directed toward the development of the crucial skills necessary for successful adulthood. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 9 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Habilitation (cont’d) n Habilitation is the process of becoming capable or qualified; for students with mild intellectual disabilities, this means the acquisition of skills that are important for daily life, citizenship, and a future career. Because these students learn more slowly than their age peers, their educational program must concentrate on the most crucial and functional skills. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 10 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

TEACHING FUNCTIONAL ACADEMICS n n The need to provide instruction and practice in skills generalization is a major consideration. These students have difficulty applying skills and information learned in one situation to a new but similar problem or situation (i. e. , able to add and subtract on paper, but unable to do same with coins. ) Focus is on functional skills: n Unit approach n Functional practice activities Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 11 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING GENERAL WORK HABITS n n Important not only on the job but also in school and daily life, work habits are a necessary part of the curriculum for children and youth with mild intellectual disabilities. 3 general work habits: n Attendance and punctuality n Work completion n Working with others Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 12 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving General Work Habits (cont’d) n General education teachers can help students develop and improve their general work habits in 3 ways: n n n Acquisition of work habits must be accepted as a valuable educational goal. Students must receive instruction and practice in specific work behaviors. Good work performance must be reinforced. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 13 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH SEVERE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES n n Social accessibility: interaction between students with and without disabilities Structured programs n n n Peer tutoring program “Special Friends” program (social versus pedagogical) Full inclusion n Circle of Friends Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 14 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

THINGS TO REMEMBER n n Academic instruction is the most common area in which adaptations must be made in the general classroom for students with mild intellectual disabilities. They require assistance in acquisition of basic skills and work habits and in the application of these skills to daily life and career situations. Major indicators of mild intellectual disabilities are a slow rate of learning and consistent delays in most areas of development. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 15 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

THINGS TO REMEMBER (cont’d) n n In assessment of mild intellectual disabilities, information is gathered about academic achievement, intellectual performance, and adaptive behavior. The general education teacher assists by collecting classroom performance data. The major approach to the education of students with mild intellectual disabilities is habilitation; instruction is directed toward development of the critical skills necessary for successful adulthood. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 16 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

THINGS TO REMEMBER (cont’d) n n Transition and career education services are one way to view habilitation of students with mild intellectual disabilities; in this approach, students are prepared for adult life by instruction in functional academic, daily living, personal-social, and vocational skills. When students with mild intellectual disabilities participate in general education classes for basic skills instruction or vocational education, the teacher assists by teaching functional academic skills and improving the general work habits of the students. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 17 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

THINGS TO REMEMBER (cont’d) n n Two approaches to teaching functional academics are instructional units and functional practice activities; both help students generalize learned skills to daily life and vocational situations. General work habits important for school and later employment include attendance and punctuality, work completion, and working with others. The general education teacher promotes the … Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 18 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

THINGS TO REMEMBER (cont’d) n n …development of these skills in students with mild intellectual disabilities with instruction, guided practice, and reinforcement of appropriate performance. Students with severe intellectual disabilities may attend special classes within regular schools or be fully included in general education classrooms. Both options offer opportunities for interactions between peers with and without disabilities and participation in age-appropriate school activities. Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8 e Lewis/Doorlag ISBN #0136101240 19 © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.