The Learners with Special Needs

Who are they?

• Learners who differ significantly from their peers in
terms of their individual characteristics and
educational competence for various reasons.
• Who has been determined to require special attention
and specific necessities that other children do not. It
includes a wide variety of conditions including
physical ailments, learning disabilities, and terminal
illness.
• Children with special needs may have developmental
delays, medical conditions, psychiatric conditions,
and/or other disabilities what limit their capabilities of
learning. These special needs require accommodations
so children can reach their potential.
Learners with Special Needs
• Learners with special needs face learning problem or disability
that make it more difficult for them to learn than most of the
children their age. They may have problems with schoolwork,
communication or behavior which adversely effect on their
learning.
• Requires special education services, including any student who
has been formally identified as exceptional as well as students
who may not have been formally identified but who may
require services including, but not limited to, modified
programs or accommodations.
Terminologi
es:

Disability,
Impairme
nt,
Handicap
Impairment
• 'Impairment' is any loss or abnormality of
psychological, physiological or anatomical
structure or function.
• It’s concerned with the abnormalities of
body structure and appearance or of organ
and system functioning, resulting from any
cause. It is focused on the actual
malformation or malfunction in the body.
One can use 'impairment' in conjunction
with speech, hearing, sight and mobility or
with other form of loss or abnormality. A
person may also be "impaired" either by a
correctable condition (such as myopia) or by
an uncorrectable one (such as cerebral palsy)
 Disability
• 'Disability' means that a person has a
functional limitation due to his or her
impairment. Any restriction or lack of
ability to perform an activity in the manner
or within the range considered
regular/typical for a human being can be
considered disability.
• It’s the functional consequence of
impairment, in terms of altered functional
performance and activity by the individual.
People may be disabled by physical,
intellectual or sensory impairment, medical
conditions or mental illness. Such
impairments, conditions or illnesses may be
permanent or transitory in nature.
Handicap
• Handicap' relates to the disadvantages
experienced by the individual in society
because of his/her disability. It is
basically society and the physical
environment what makes people
handicapped.
• The result when an individual with an
impairment cannot fulfill a normal life
role
• Not a characteristic of a person, rather a
description of the relationship between
the person and the environment
Learners with
NDD
(Neurodevelopm
ental Disabilities)
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a
class of disorders affecting brain development
and function and are characterized by wide
genetic and clinical variability. NDDs are
characterized by an inability to reach
cognitive, emotional, social and motor
developmental milestones. Typically, NDDs
are associated with the disruption of the events
that lead to brain development.
NDDs typically manifest early in
development, often before the child enters
grade school, and are characterized by
developmental deficits that produce
impairments of personal, social, academic, or
occupational functioning.
What Causes Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

• Low birth weight (LBW)

• Environmental contaminants, such as lead
• Fetal exposure to smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs, or medications
during pregnancy
• Premature birth
• Complication during birth
Types
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Cerebral palsy

Down Syndrome

Intellectual disabilities

Attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD)

Communication Disorder
 Down Syndrome
• A genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division
results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome
21. This extra genetic material causes the
developmental changes and physical features of Down
syndrome.
• Down syndrome varies in severity among individuals,
causing lifelong intellectual disability and
developmental delays. It's the most common genetic
chromosomal disorder and cause of learning
disabilities in children.
• It also commonly causes other medical abnormalities,
including heart and gastrointestinal disorders.
 Characteristics of DS
• Flattened face
• Small head
• Short neck
• Protruding tongue
• Upward slanting eye lids (palpebral fissures)
• Unusually shaped or small ears
• Poor muscle tone
• Broad, short hands with a single crease in the
palm
• Relatively short fingers and small hands and feet
• Excessive flexibility
• Tiny white spots on the colored part (iris) of the
eye called Brushfield's spots
• Short height
Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move
and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common motor disability in
childhood. CP is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the
developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control his or her muscles.
The symptoms of CP vary from person to person. A person with severe CP might
need to use special equipment to be able to walk or might not be able to walk at
all and might need lifelong care. A person with mild CP, on the other hand, might
walk a little awkwardly, but might not need any special help. CP does not get
worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person’s lifetime
All people with CP have problems with movement and posture. Many also have
related conditions such as intellectual disability, seizures; problems
with vision, hearing, or speech; changes in the spine (such as scoliosis); or joint
problems (such as contractures).
 Causes of CP

 Gene mutations that result in genetic disorders or differences in brain

development
 Maternal infections that affect the developing fetus
 Fetal stroke, a disruption of blood supply to the developing brain
 Bleeding into the brain in the womb or as a newborn
 Infant infections that cause inflammation in or around the brain
 Traumatic head injury to an infant, such as from a motor vehicle accident, fall
or physical abuse
 Lack of oxygen to the brain related to difficult labor or delivery, although birth-
related asphyxia is much less commonly a cause than historically thought
 Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability (or ID) is a term used when a
person has certain limitations in cognitive
functioning and skills, including conceptual, social
and practical skills, such as language, social and self-
care skills.
Intellectual disability involves problems with general
mental abilities that affect functioning in two areas:
• Intellectual functioning (such as learning,
problem solving, judgement).
• Adaptive functioning (activities of daily life
such as communication and independent
living).
Additionally, the intellectual and adaptive deficit
begin early in the developmental period.
Common Characteristics of ID
• sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children
• learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking
• find it hard to remember things
• have trouble understanding social rules
• have trouble seeing the results of their actions
• have trouble solving problems
• mild to significant weaknesses in general learning ability
• some may exhibit uncommon characteristics (self-stimulatory or self-injurious
behavior)
• some may have serious medical conditions
Levels of ID (DSM-5)

Based on the IQ (Intelligence Quotient)

levels-
• Mild (50-69)
• Moderate (35-49)
• Severe (20-34)
• Profound (Below 20)
Attention
Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder
(ADHD)
 Understanding ADHD
• A chronic condition that impacts an
individual’s emotions, behaviors, and
the ability to learn new things. It is
a brain disorder that affects how you
pay attention, sit still, and control your
emotions as well as behavior.
• ADHD is one of the most
common neurodevelopmental disorders
of childhood. It happens in children
and teens and can continue into
adulthood.
Types of ADHD

Inattentive type Hyperactive-impulsive Combination type

type
 Inattentive type
• miss details and are distracted easily
• get bored quickly
• have trouble focusing on a single task
• have difficulty organizing thoughts and learning new
information
• lose pencils, papers, or other items needed to complete a task
• don’t seem to listen
• move slowly and appear as if they’re daydreaming
• process information more slowly and less accurately than
others
• have trouble following directions
• More girls are diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD than
 Hyperactive-impulsive type
• characterized by symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity.
squirm, fidget, or feel restless
• have difficulty sitting still
• talk constantly
• touch and play with objects, even when inappropriate to the
task at hand
• have trouble engaging in quiet activities
• are constantly “on the go”
• are impatient
• act out of turn and don’t think about consequences of actions
• blurt out answers and inappropriate comments.
• More boys are diagnosed with the hyperactive-impulsive
type than girls.
 Combined type

• symptoms don’t exclusively fall within the inattention

or hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Instead, a
combination of symptoms from both categories are
exhibited.
• The behavior occurs more often and interferes with
how they function at home, school, work, and in social
situations.
• Most children have combination type ADHD,
according to the National Institute of Mental Health,
This type is more common in boys compared to girls.
• Often being late or forgetting things
• Anxiety Symptoms in Adults
• Low self-esteem
• Problems at work
• Trouble controlling anger
• Impulsiveness
• Substance misuse or addiction
• Trouble staying organized
• Procrastination
• Easily frustrated
• Often bored
• Trouble concentrating when reading
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Relationship problems
 Causes

• Genes. ADHD tends to run in families.

• Chemicals. Brain chemicals in people with ADHD may be out of balance.
• Brain changes. Areas of the brain that control attention are less active in children
with ADHD.
• Poor nutrition, infections, smoking, drinking, and substance abuse during
pregnancy. These things can affect a baby’s brain development.
• Toxins, such as lead. They may affect a child's brain development.
• A brain injury or a brain disorder. Damage to the front of the brain, called the
frontal lobe, can cause problems controlling impulses and emotions.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a
developmental disability caused by differences in
the brain. Some people with ASD have a known
difference, such as a genetic condition. Other
causes are not yet known.
People with ASD may behave, communicate,
interact, and learn in ways that are different from
most other people. There is often nothing about
how they look that sets them apart from other
people. The abilities of people with ASD can
vary significantly. For example, some people with
ASD may have advanced conversation skills
whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people
with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives;
others can work and live with little to no support.
 A Neuro-developmental disability that can impair an
individual’s social, communicative, physical, and behavioral
functions. The effects of autism are wide ranging and can
include difficulties in social interaction and communication,
restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors, and sensitivity
to sensory experiences – noise, light, touch etc.
Autism • Absence of attention to common objects such as failure to
look where you are looking or pointing
Spectrum • Abnormal or unexpected reactions to stimuli from their
Disorder surroundings
• Abnormal social interactions
(ASD) • Absence of smiling when greeted by parents and other
familiar people
• Absence of expected responses to pain or physical injury
• Language delays or unusual language formulation or
structure
• Repetitive behaviors
• Developmental regression, or loss of previously achieved
Learners
with
Sensory
Disabilities
Sensory Disabilities • Sensory disabilities are the disabilities
affecting an individual’s senses, such as
hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste.
• People with sensory disability may feel
sensory input more or less intensely than
other people, which impacts on a person’s
ability to interact in different environments
and perform daily activities.
• The disability can/may not cause them
impairment, or they may require significant
support to fully participate in their lives
and access some aspects of society.
Causes

• Congenital: someone is born with them due to a genetic mutation or

maternal illness

• Genetic: there is some alteration in genetic material that causes the

impairment

• Metabolic: chronic illness or lifestyle-related cause affects someone’s senses

• Physical Injury: which impairs a person’s senses.

 Types of Sensory
Disabilities
• Visual Impairment/ Blindness
and low vision
• Hearing Impairment/ Deafness
or loss of hearing
• Sensory Processing Disorder
 Covers a broad variety of definitions, including legal
blindness, limited visual acuity, and color blindness. People
with low vision have different experiences from people who
Visual are blind.
• Low Vision:
Impairment: Low vision usually interferes with the performance of daily
Blindness and activities, such as reading or driving. Persons with low vision
may prefer to read large print. A person with low vision may
Low vision not recognize images at a distance or be able to differentiate
between colors of similar hues.
• Blindness:
Blind persons may use mobility aids, including canes and
guide dogs.
 . Hearing loss disability can range from mild to severe. Hearing
loss is caused by several factors such as injury or infection,
Hearing difficulties during birth, exposure to loud noises, genetic
causes, childhood diseases such as measles, rubella, and
Impairment/ mumps, damaged auditory nerves etc.
Deafness or • Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss caused by something that stops sounds from
Loss of getting through the outer or middle ear. This type of
hearing loss can often be treated with medicine or surgery.
Hearing • Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss that occurs when there is a problem in the way
the inner ear or hearing nerve works.
• Mixed Hearing Loss
Hearing loss that includes both a conductive and a
sensorineural hearing loss.
 • Individual has difficulties receiving and responding to information
coming in via senses. Although not recognized as a distinct medical
condition, the disorder is a disability that has raised scientists and other
health stakeholders’ concerns.
Sensory • Individuals with sensory processing disorder tend to misinterpret the
Processing sensory information where they either overreact to the information,
under-respond to information, or not react at all.
Disorder  Difficulty engaging in conversation or play when it comes to
children
(SPD)  Bump into things as the brain may process the wrong information
seen by the eyes
 Incoordination or seem clumsy
 Lack of ability to feel some of their body parts
 Complain of light being too bright
 Soft touches feel hard
 Normal sounds are too loud or irritating
 Clothing feels itchy or scratchy
 Sensory processing disorder is prevalent in children, but it can also
be found in adults.
 Learners with
Multiple & Severe
Disabilities
 Degree Of Disabilities

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Profound
 Deficit in one or more areas of
functioning that significantly limits an
individual's performance of major life
activities. The label of severe disabilities
can include challenges in one or more of
the following areas:
• Cognition
Severe & • Communication
Profound • Mobility/gross motor skills
Disabilities • Fine motor skills
• Self-help skills
• Social/emotional skills
• Adaptive behavior
• Hearing impairment
• Visual impairment
 Multiple Disabilities
• Multiple Disabilities is the simultaneous occurrence of two or more
disabling conditions that affect learning or other important life
functions. Persons with multiple disabilities have a combination of
two or more serious disabilities. These disabilities could be a
combination of both motor and sensory nature (such as intellectual
disability–blindness, intellectual disability–orthopedic impairment)
• Multiple Disabilities Aren’t All the Same
 • A rare condition in which an individual has combined
hearing and vision loss, thus limiting access to both
auditory and visual information.
• The combination of hearing and visual impairments,
which causes such severe communication and other
developmental and educational needs that they cannot
be accommodated in special education programs solely
Deaf- for children with deafness or children with blindness.
blindness It's also sometimes called "dual sensory loss" or
"multi-sensory impairment“
• A deafblind person won't usually be totally deaf and
totally blind, but both senses will be reduced enough to
cause significant difficulties in everyday life.
• These problems can occur even if hearing
loss and vision loss are mild, as the senses work
together, and one would usually help compensate for
loss of the other.
 • Premature Birth
• Childbirth complications
• Congenital cytomegalovirus: Babies can be
born with this virus. It affects the
brain, liver, lungs, and hearing, among other
things.
Causes • Hydrocephaly: This is a buildup of spinal fluid
that puts pressure on the brain.
• Microcephaly: This happens when a baby’s head
is smaller than normal. It can happen on its own
or as a symptom of another condition.