Maricris L. Llano: SPED 608

MARICRIS L.
LLANO
Master of Arts in Education major in Special Education
SPED 608
Activity 1
Do a reading about the following identified categories:
Activity 2
Write the definition and characteristics of the seven (7) identified categories of
learners with exceptionalities.
1. Intellectual Disabilities- Intellectual disability is defined as significant limitations in cognitive and

adaptive functioning. The severity is classified as mild, moderate, severe, and profound, based on
various measures of functioning and clinical judgment. Mild intellectual disability is primarily due to
environmental risk factors.
The characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities are:

 Mild to significant weaknesses in general learning ability.
 Low achievement in all academic areas.
 Deficits in memory and motivation.
 Inattentive/distractible.
 Poor social skills.
 Deficits in adaptive behaviour.
2. Hearing Impairment- Hearing impairment is a partial or total inability to hear. It is a disability which

is sub-divided in two categories of deaf and hard of hearing. “Deaf” means persons having 70 dB
hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears. “Hard of hearing” means person having 60 dB to 70 dB
hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears. A Deaf child is one who has lost the sense of hearing
before learning the language. This means that the child is born without the ability to hear.
Such children are often mute and silent. New born infants are able to respond to the sound by startling
and blinking of eyes.
The characteristics of students with hearing impairment are:

 Difficulty following verbal directions.
 Difficulty with oral expression.
 Some difficulties with social/emotional or interpersonal skills.
3. Visual Impairment- Visual disabilities can be divided into low vision and blindness. Individuals with
low vision can function but with assistance of optical or non-optical devices and environmental
modifications and/or techniques. Blindness refers to being without functional use of vision and reliance
on other sensory systems for education.
The characteristics of students with visual impairment are:

 Behavioural Characteristics: Visual impairments do not cause significant behavior disorder for students
with the disorder. However, it does influence their social behaviours. They are likely to be socially
immature and less assertive. Some students with visual impairments exhibit stereotypic behaviours that
include eye pressing, finger flicking, head or body rocking and twirling. Restricted movement, social
deprivation and absence of sensory stimulation may cause stereotypic behaviours.
 Social and Emotional Characteristics: Visual impairments impact children's social-emotional
development. People develop social behaviors by observing social cues and customs of other people and
imitating them. Thus, for students with visual impairment it is required to learn social skills by getting
direct and systematic instruction. The instruction should be focused on developing friendship,
maintaining eye contact and facial orientation, body posture, gesture, facial expression, expressing
feelings, and demonstrating appropriate assertiveness. Teaching social skills to students with visual
impairments is crucial for their success in social relationships at school, home and workplaces.
 Cognitive and Academic Characteristics: Visual impairments have a direct impact on the student's
development and learning. Children with visual impairments often have limited interactions with their
environments. They use other senses such as touch to learn about the world around them, which has its
limitation. The lack of opportunities to observe others affect children's learning and exploring the
environment. It impacts student's academic as well. For example, Academic performance may suffer for
children with visual impairments, particularly reading and writing.
 Infants who were born prematurely have higher incidence of visual impairment
http://www.education.com/reference/article/visual-impairments1/#C)
4. Learning Disabilities-Definition of Learning Disabilities The regulations for Public Law (P.L.) 101-
476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), define a learning disability as a “disorder
in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or
written language, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write,
spell or to do mathematical calculations.” The Federal definition further states that learning disabilities
include “such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia,
and developmental aphasia.” According to the law, learning disabilities do not include learning
problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; mental retardation; or
environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. Definitions of learning disabilities also vary among
states.
The characteristics of students with learning disabilities are:

 Learning disabilities are characterized by a significant difference in the child’s achievement in some
areas, as compared to his or her overall intelligence.
 Students who have learning disabilities may exhibit a wide range of traits, including problems with
reading comprehension, spoken language, writing, or reasoning ability. Hyperactivity, inattention, and
perceptual coordination problems may also be associated with learning disabilities. Other traits that may
be present include a variety of symptoms, such as uneven and unpredictable test performance,
perceptual impairments, motor disorders, and behaviors such as impulsiveness, low tolerance for
frustration, and problems in handling day-to-day social interactions and situations.
 Learning disabilities may occur in the following academic areas:
 Spoken language: Delays, disorders, or discrepancies in listening and speaking;
 Written language: Difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling;
 Arithmetic: Difficulty in performing arithmetic functions or in comprehending basic concepts;
 Reasoning: Difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts; and
 Organization skills: Difficulty in organizing all facets of learning.
5. Behavioural and Emotional Disabilities-Emotional/behavioral disorders: The term
emotional/behavioral disorder refers to a condition lasting an extended period of time and to a marked
degree adversely affects a child’s educational performance. It has the characteristics of an inability to
learn, inexplicable by health, intellectual, or sensory factors; inability to build or sustain satisfactory
interpersonal relationships with peers or teachers; inappropriate behaviors displayed under normal
circumstances; pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; and a tendency to develop physical
(sympathetic) symptoms of fears associated with personal and school problems. Schizophrenia is one
example, as are anxiety and mood disorders.
 Students with EBD can exhibit behaviors such as chronic classroom disruption, aggression, and
general maladaptive behavior toward peers and adults. Some students exhibit depression,
obsessive/compulsive behavior, and excessive fears and phobias that merit special education
programming
6. Mentally Giftedness: Gifted children possess demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of
high performance capabilities in areas such as intellectual, creative, academic, or leadership ability or
visual or performing art. For that reason, these children require activities or services not provided
ordinarily by schools. Gifted and talented children tend to be highly motivated, learn to read early, and
perform well academically.
The characteristics of students with mentally giftedness are:

 High level of intensity
 Enjoys learning; rapid learner
 Depth of perception
 Keen sense of observation and extraordinary memory
 Sophisticated language and thought process
 Ability to recognize more options
 Dislikes repeating or practicing something they already know
 Perfectionist
 Perseverance
 Higher level of sensitivity
7. Multiple Disabilities- the Individual with Disabilities Education Act defines multiple disabilities as:
concomitant impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopaedic
impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be
accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. The term does not
include deaf-blindness. People with severe disabilities are those who traditionally have been labelled as
having severe to profound mental retardation. These people require on-going, extensive support in more
than one major life activity in order to participate in integrated community settings and enjoy the quality
of life available to people with fewer or no disabilities. They frequently have additional disabilities,
including movement difficulties, sensory losses, and behaviour problems.
The characteristics of students with multiple disabilities are:

 People with severe or multiple disabilities may exhibit a wide range of characteristics, depending on
the combination and severity of disabilities, and the person's age. There are, however, some traits
they may share, including:
 Limited speech or communication;
 Difficulty in basic physical mobility;
 Tendency to forget skills through disuse;
 Trouble generalizing skills from one situation to another; and/or
 A need for support in major life activities (e.g., domestic, leisure, community use, vocational).

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MARICRIS L.

1. Intellectual Disabilities- Intellectual disability is defined as significant limitations in cognitive and

The characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities are:

2. Hearing Impairment- Hearing impairment is a partial or total inability to hear. It is a disability which

The characteristics of students with hearing impairment are:

The characteristics of students with visual impairment are:

The characteristics of students with learning disabilities are:

The characteristics of students with mentally giftedness are:

The characteristics of students with multiple disabilities are:

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