Chapter 7

Question 1

Intellectual Disability (ID)-

Answer 1

an impaired ability to learn that sometimes cause difficulty in coping with the demands of daily life”
- Limitations in three areas:
o Intellectual functioning, adaptive behaviour, and the developmental period

Question 2

Classification of Intellectual Disabilities

Answer 2

• Professional literature classifies level of exceptionality as:
  o Mild, moderate, severe, or profound
• “Educable” and “trainable”  outdated terms carrying prejudice.
• A new system classifies intellectual disabilities based on the level of needed support
  o Intermittent, limited, extensive, or pervasive

Question 3

Prevalence, Causes and Characteristics of Intellectual Disabilities

Answer 3

• ~3% of Canadians have an ID
• IDs can be caused by:
  o Genetic abnormalities, environmental disadvantage, alcohol use during pregnancy, and external trauma
• People with IDs have a wide variety of strengths and needs

Question 4

Identification of Intellectual Disabilities

Answer 4

• Procedures for identification vary between provinces
• Eligibility for support depends upon the level of intellectual impairment and adaptive functioning
• Determined through psychological assessment by a registered psychologist
• Measured using the mild, moderate, severe, profound classification system

Question 5

Transition Considerations to think about with ID

Answer 5

• Occupational success and community living skills are critical to successful transition
• “65% of adults with intellectual disabilities are unemployed or outside the labour force”
  o Meaningful employment is possible for many individuals with ID

Question 6

Factors influencing employment success with people with ID

Answer 6

o (1) Post-school adjustment  ability to demonstrate proper personal and social behaviours in the workplace
o (2) Quality of transition programming  predicts success
o (3) Increasingly complex and demanding workplaces  less available jobs
o (4) Increased leisure time  make sure utilized in meaningful and gratifying ways

Question 7

Essential features of transition planning for someone with ID

Answer 7

: must start early, all-inclusive planning, decisions balance what is ideal with what is possible, student participation and family involvement, supports are beneficial for all, community-based instructional experiences, and planning process is a capacity-building activity.

Question 8

Challenges in General Education for people with ID

Answer 8

Four primary goals for individuals with mild IDs:
- Productive employment
o Build students career awareness and make connections to academic content
- Independence and self-sufficiency
o The goal “is to develop self-directed learners who can address their own wants and concerns and can advocate for their goals and aspirations”
o Create an empowering environment. Empowerment creates self-determination.
- Life skills competence
o Focuses on the importance of everyday activities.
o Includes: use of community resources, home/family activities, social skills, health/safety skills, leisure time, and participation in the community
- The opportunity to successfully participate within the school and community
o Experience inclusive environments
o Can learn to participate in the school and community by being included in general education classrooms

Question 9

Considerations for Inclusion

Answer 9

• The key to successful inclusion is providing necessary and appropriate supports:
  o Personal supports (self-regulation skills, academic skills)
  o Natural supports (parents, friends)
  o Support services (specialized instruction)
  o Technical support (assistive technology)

Question 10

Classroom Adaptation for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Answer 10

• Ensure attention to relevant task demands
• Teach ways to learn content while teaching the content itself
• Focus on content meaningful to students
• Create opportunities for active involvement in the learning process
• Ensure a safe and barrier-free environment by removing clutter in the classroom

Question 11

Promote Inclusive Practices in the classroom by

Answer 11

• Create a sense of community in the school and classroom
• “Circle of Friends” Theory  peer supports can greatly enhance success of students with ID in the general education setting
• Promote environments where benefits of friendship are realized (peer group education)

Question 12

What is Assistive Technology

Answer 12

• A program or equipment used to increase the capability of a child with a disability
• Benefits:
  o Increased participation in school activities
  o Increased interaction with typically achieving individuals
  o Access to opportunities taken for granted by those without exceptionalities
• Features often include:
  o Simplicity of design
  o Capacity to support repetition
  o Devices should provide info on to how use in multiple modalities such as audio or graphic instruction.