How to Understand Intellectual Disabilities
Jennifer L Givens
Grand Canyon University: SPE 526
April 9, 2014

Abstract
The ability of educators to meet the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004, as well as, have the ability to teach individuals with disabilities requires that all educators take a deeper look into and understand the main diagnoses of these disabilities. The disabilities focused on will include intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury (TBI), autism, severe disabilities, and deaf-blindness. By expanding on these noted definitions, characteristics and causes of these five disabilities it will allow educators and parents to have a deeper understanding of the needs of their disabled learner. This allows the public education system to provide equal educational opportunities for all students which is required by law under IDEA.

How to Understand Intellectual Disabilities The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA), created definitions to help in the understanding of many different disabilities. These definitions then help create diagnoses that allow students to receive a free and appropriate education (FAPE). This type education falls under the category of public schools providing special education services for their students (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). All children deserve a fair shot at life and have the right to learn to the best of their ability.
While each discussed disability has its own unique set of characteristics and needs it must be serviced in the way most appropriate for the student. To accomplish this it is important that physicians, educators and parents have a better understanding of each disability in order to seek out and provide the most comprehensive and appropriate services necessary to meet the needs of each individual child. Providing a comprehensive education for all students should be the goal of all educational facilities.
Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation)
The diagnosis of an intellectual disability, previously known as mental retardation, is defined by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as, “a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18” (AAIDD, 2013).
Based on this intellectual disability definition, it is important as a society to be mindful of a person’s limitations. The intellectual function of a person is measured through the administration of a standards IQ test. A typical IQ test score of 70 indicates the possibility of limited intellectual function. Adaptive behavior, which is the collection of social, conceptual and practical skills, is also measured through standardized tests and rating scales. These tests are provided by trained personnel at a student’s educational facility.
It has been explained by experts that the characteristics of an intellectual disability may include memory issues, a lower learning rate, attention issues, adaptive behavior issues, and motivation issues, these can lead to a sense of “learned helplessness” (Heward, 2013). According to Heward (2013), there are more than 350 known causes of intellectual disabilities, with approximately 35% having genetic origins. The factors that can be associated with intellectual disability can include biomedical factors, social factors, behavioral factors and educational factors. It is important to understand that issues such as chromosomal disorders, premature birth, poverty, inadequate stimulation, parental drug use, parent rejection, impaired parenting and delayed diagnosis do not mean “intellectual disability” but can result in deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning.
Persons with an intellectual disability have existed all throughout human history but the definition and classification of this disability has changed over time and most recently in 2010 definition and classification were updated by the AAIDD. In review of its recent update, Trevor Parmenter (2011), feels that we must continue to look at how those with intellectual disabilities live their everyday lives, we must be more sensitive to differing cultural approaches and we must continue to have ongoing discussions regarding how intellectual disability fits within the confines of the word disability. Students with intellectual disabilities cannot all be treated the exact same way – like students without disabilities they too are individuals.
Traumatic Brain Injury A Traumatic brain injury, also known as a TBI, was defined by IDEA in 2004 as “an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech” (NICHCY, 2012). Traumatic brain injuries are defined by impairments in that of one or more area. These areas include physical and/or sensory impairments; cognitive impairments; and social, behavioral and emotional problems. Within these areas one will see issues such as lack of coordination, attention disorders and mood swings (Heward, 2013).
While there can be many different causes of traumatic brain injuries, Heward (2013) explains that they are typically categorized as an open head or closed head injury. An open head injury occurs when the skull is penetrated while a closed head injury is the result of the brain bouncing off the skull when the head collides with a stationary object – such as the ground - this is also known as a concussion. A significant rise in sports concussions has caused the American Medical Association to recognize and manage concussions in sports with great care. Concussions are an ongoing concern and a complicated problem in sports requiring a multifaceted approach to diagnosis and treatment (Harmon, etal, 2013). Another unfortunate cause of concussions in infants and toddlers is the TBI known as shaken baby syndrome. This occurs when a child is violently shaken; this shaking causes the brain to bounce against the skull. Many times shaken baby syndrome is considered a criminal act.
Autism
Autism is often considered a spectrum disorder because of its wide degree of variations and effects on each individual person. IDEA defines autism as, “a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three that adversely affects a child’s educational performance”. (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (2010) states that, “each of the disorders on the autism spectrum is a neurological disorder that affects a child’s ability to communicate, understand language, play, and relate to others”. Many individuals diagnosed with autism may often share common characteristics that can range from mild to severe and include: communication problems; difficulty relating to other people, events, and things; playing with toys or objects in an unusual way; difficulty adjusting to changes in routines or surrounding and repetitive body movement or behavior (NICHCY, 2010). However, as educators, it imperative to understand that, due to the very individualized nature of autism, not every student will display all of these characteristics and in fact may not display any of them. This will cause how students are taught in the school setting to also vary from child to child. In March 2014, the Center for Disease Control released findings that 1 in 68 children now have an autism spectrum disorder. This is a 30% increase in the last two years (Falco, 2014). This will result in an increased number of students being educated through special education programs in our school systems.
Due to the fact that autism is such an individualized disability it is important to understand that the causes of autism also vary greatly. While researchers still have no single known cause of autism, it is commonly accepted to say it is “caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function” (Autism Society, n.d.). Scientists continue to investigate and study all possible origins which may include links between genetics and medical problems but, to date, no single gene has been identified as a source or cause of autism. The Autism Society also states “…researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that children with autism may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single “trigger” that causes autism to develop. Still other researchers are investigating problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors, such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals” (Autism Society, n.d.). Because specific causes of autism are not known there is no particular test that can be used to test for Autism Spectrum Disorder. The determination of whether a child has autism is based on a professional assessment of their behavior by an educator or physician.
Severe Disabilities Many times people misunderstand the term, severe disabilities, because there is not one single definition that explains this category of disabilities completely. Most special education teachers will use this term to include students with severe impairment in intellectual, social and motor skills (Heward, 2013). Many times a child may be labeled as having severe disabilities because of multiple issues that are being dealt with and that do not fall under one specific category of disability. As schools continue to see an increase in autism spectrum disorders that may be combined with a diagnosis of intellectual disability or a visual or hearing impairment, more students will be labeled as having a severe disability. As research continues, educators may see an increase of students that are diagnosed as having severe disabilities.
Deaf-Blindness
Deaf-blindness is defined by IDEA as “simultaneous hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness” (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). While many individuals may suffer the severe loss of hearing or visual capabilities it is noted by The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness that the “key feature of deaf-blindness is that the combination of losses limits access to auditory and visual information” (NICHCY, March 2012). Continued explanations tell that the combination of the two disabilities, deaf and blindness, together results in a slower rate of learning; a need for more instruction and practice to attain competency; and an increased struggle to comprehend abstract concepts (Heward, 2013).
According to the National Center of Deaf-Blindness “there are many causes of deaf-blindness. Those that are present or occur around the time a child is born include prematurity, childbirth complications, and numerous congenital syndromes, many of which are quite rare. Deaf-blindness may also occur later in childhood or during adulthood due to causes such as meningitis, brain injury, or inherited conditions” (NCDB, n.d.).
Conclusion
As explained by IDEA there are many identified categories of disabilities that qualify children for special education and other related services through their public educational system. These laws ensure that all students will receive an all-inclusive education. As disabilities are defined and explained, it is learned that there are many categories, as well as, subcategories that have their own unique features and needs. While some disabilities have distinct known causes, others continue to be researched to learn more about their causes. While some disabilities impact socialization skills, others may only affect a child’s cognitive abilities. All of these disabilities do share one important factor and that is that they require educators to implement an individualized education program in order to provide all children, even with disabilities, the ability to reach their highest potential and to be a contributing and successful member of society.

References
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). (2013). Definition of Intellectual Disability. Retrieved from http://aaidd.org/intellectual-disability/definition#.U0dIFFVdWSo
Autism Society. (n.d.). Causes of Autism. Retrieved from http://www.autism-society.org/about-autism/causes/
National Center for Deaf-Blindness. (n.d.). Causes of Deaf-Blindness. Retrieved from https://nationaldb.org/library/list/6
Falco, Miriam (2014). Autism rates now 1 in 68 U.S. children: CDC. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/27/health/cdc-autism/
Harmon, K. G., etal. (2013). American Medical Society for Sports Medicine position statement: concussion in sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(1), 15-26. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091941
Heward, William L. (2013). Exceptional children: an introduction to special education (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). (June 2010). Autism Spectrum Disorders. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/autism
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY.) (March 2012). Deaf-Blindness. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/deafblindness
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). (March 2012). Categories of disabilities under IDEA. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/disability/categories#tbi
Parmenter, T. R. (2011). What is intellectual disability? How is it assessed and classified? International Journal of Disability, Development & Education, 58(3), 303-319. doi:10.1080/1034912X.2011.598675
U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Building the legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved from http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C300%2CA%2C300%252E8%2Cc%2C1%2C