What Are the Foundations of Mental Retardation/ Intellectual Disabilities?
Trends in the education and treatment of individuals with intellectual disabilities have shown both progress and regression over time. A focus on education of individuals with intellectual disabilities emerged during the later half of the 20th century, fueled by advocacy organizations.
The term mental retardation has been recently replaced by the term intellectual disabilities by major organizations in the field, although mental retardation is still used in the federal definition of the disability.
The IDEA 04 definition of mental retardation contains four key components: subaverage intelligence, deficits in adaptive behavior, emergence of characteristics before the age of 18, and resulting in an adverse effect on academic performance.
A definition published by the American Association on Mental Retardation is also widely used by the field. It states that mental retardation is a disability that emerges before the age of 18 that is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.
Common classification systems used are classification by severity or degree and classification by levels of needed support.
According to IDEA 04 data, the prevalence of mental retardation is .94%.
There is an overrepresentation of African Americans in this category. In general, there are more males identified in this category than females.
What Are the Causes and Characteristics of Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities?
Chromosomal and genetic causes can be prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal in origin.
Environmental causes can also occur prenatally, perinatally, or postnatally and include such factors as infections, anoxia, and disease among others.
Psychosocial factors include low-socioeconomic status, which can lead to other factors such as poor nutrition and health care. In many cases these factors may interact with other biological factors to contribute to intellectual disabilities rather than being the clearly identifiable cause.
Prevention of intellectual disabilities may occur through better understanding and treatment of human genetic conditions, prenatal testing, and early intervention.
Intellectual characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities affecting learning and adjustment include attention, academics, memory, transfer and generalization, and language. Students may have difficulty with categorization skills that help them make sense of the world.
Academic skills are often well below that of peers without disabilities, but can be learned, especially when used in functional skill activities.
Working and short-term memory deficits affect learning more prominently than do long-term memory deficits; however, students can improve memory skills with instruction.
Transfer and generalization make the application of knowledge and skills to new situations a challenge. Teaching skills in a variety of settings and situations can help with transfer and generalization.
Language skills are often delayed. Speech disorders are also more common than among students without disabilities.
Many students with intellectual disabilities tend to be more extrinsically than intrinsically motivated although all students are likely to experience both types of motivation.
Students with intellectual disabilities may have limited social relationships with peers without disabilities. A social network is important to quality of life. Relationships can be encouraged through interactions and education of both students with intellectual disabilities and those without disabilities.
How Are Students with Mental Retardation/ Intellectual Disabilities Identified?
Intelligence tests are still frequently used to identify students with mental retardation/intellectual disabilities despite the limitations associated with IQ scores. IQs are not permanent and do not include all variables that affect growth and achievement.
Adaptive behavior scales are used to establish how well a student with mental retardation/intellectual disabilities adjusts at school, at home, and in the community.
Academic skills are assessed because identification of mental retardation/intellectual disabilities requires that the condition adversely affect educational performance.
What and How Do I Teach Students with Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities?
Whether a student is participating in the general curriculum or not, basic academic skills, functional academics, independent living skills, and self-determination and selfadvocacy skills may need to be taught.
Community-based instruction may be used, and transition planning should be incorporated.
Students with intellectual disabilities learn best through direct instruction that is systematically sequenced, taking into account prompts in instruction, and generalization needs of the students.
What Are Other Instructional Considerations for Teaching Students with Mental Retardation/ Intellectual Disabilities?
Normalized environments based on age level are very important in teaching students with intellectual disabilities.
Preschool children with intellectual disabilities should be taught in a natural environment. Elementary students should be taught in a structured environment that encourages interaction. Secondary students may participate in community-based instruction.
One-to-one instruction, cooperative learning, peer tutoring, and whole group instruction are grouping options that should be considered. Many grouping options may be successfully used, particularly with accommodations.
The use of assistive technology is important in removing barriers to the general education curriculum and in adapting the curriculum.
Technology may also be valuable in enhancing life beyond school.
Family involvement is important in implementing assistive technology, especially in the families of children who are culturally or linguistically diverse.
What Are Some Considerations for the General Education Teacher?
Increasing numbers of students with intellectual disabilities are spending at least part of their schooling in general education, particularly at younger ages.
A cascade of integration options should be considered when including students with intellectual disabilities in the general education classroom.
Different models of teacher support, ranging from consultation to collaboration with special educators, have been shown to be valuable.
Service-learning has been found to be an effective method for including students both with and without intellectual disabilities.
A fundamental step is to ensure that general and special educators approach these students with high expectations for success.
