Intellectual Disabilities: Script and Resources

1. Intellectual disability is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive
functioning and skills, including communication, social and self-care skills. These
limitations can cause a child to develop and learn more slowly or differently than a
typically developing child. Levels of intellectual disability vary from slight to severe.
2. The assessment of intelligence contains three main domains (conceptual, social, and
practical). These domains will ensure a standard for clinicians to base their diagnosis if
there is a deficit in general mental abilities and other abilities needed for everyday life.
This is especially important in the development of a treatment plan.
3. In defining and assessing intellectual disability, the American Association Institute on
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) stresses that additional factors must
be taken into account before diagnosing an individual with an intellectual disability.
Community environment, linguistic diversity and cultural differences in the way people
communicate, and behave could all contribute to a false positive diagnosis.
4. A possible means to measure intellectual functioning is an Intelligence Quotient test.
Generally, an IQ test score of around 70 or as high as 75 indicates a limitation in
intellectual functioning. If you or a parent believes that his child may have a
developmental disability, advise them to see a developmental pediatrician or other
specialist. You could also contact the National Dissemination Center for Children with
Disabilities to determine resources in your local area.
5. Social skills is the second domain that will help clinicians base their diagnosis on
intellectual disability. Social skills involve interpersonal skills, social responsibility, selfesteem, gullibility, navet (i.e., wariness), social problem solving, and the ability to
follow rules/obey laws and to avoid being victimized.
6. On the other hand, practical skills involves skill that are deemed useful by society, and
usually necessary, to have. For example, practical skills will include activities of daily
living (personal care), occupational skills, healthcare, travel/transportation,
schedules/routines, safety, use of money, use of the telephone.
7. A diagnosis for intellectual disability is used to determine eligibility for special
education services, Home and community-based waiver services, and social Security
Administration benefits. We would like to stress the importance of individuals receiving
the proper services they are entitled to achieve a better means of living.
8.Since the implementation of the DSM5 in 2013, intellectual disability is no longer
called Mental Retardation. The most common causes of intellectual disabilities can
include genetic conditions, complications during pregnancy, problems during birth, and
diseases or toxic exposure. An intellectual disability can happen any time before a child
turns 18 years old, even before birth.

9. The AAIDDs will be releasing a method to assess adaptive behavior within the year.
This scale, the Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) is designed for use with
individuals from 4 to 21 years old. The scale provides precise diagnostic information
around the cutoff point where an individual is deemed to have significant limitations in
adaptive behavior.
10. It is common in the school setting for students to have genetic conditions that causes
intellectual disabilities. These conditions include, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome,
and phenylketonuria (PKU). However, it is also possible for there to be an unknown or
unidentified cause of intellectual disabilities.
11. Signs of intellectual disability include delayed development of motor skills such as
sitting up, crawling, or walking later than other children. Learning to talk later, or having
trouble with speech, difficulty in remembering things, trouble understanding social rules,
trouble seeing the results of their actions, and difficulty solving problems.
12. Approximately 6.5 million people in the United States have an intellectual disability.
Approximately 1-3 percent of the global population has an intellectual disability -- as
many as 200 million people. Intellectual disability is significantly more common in lowincome countries 16.41 in every 1,000 people. Disabilities overall are more common in
low-income countries.
13. Please be aware that intellectual disability is not contagious. You cant catch an
intellectual disability from anyone else. It is also not a type of mental illness, like
depression. There are no cures for intellectual disability. However, children with
intellectual disabilities can learn to do many things. They may just need more time or
learn differently than other children.
14.Academics and Learning
Make sure to use short sentences when giving directions, which are clear and easy to
understand. It is important to repeat directions frequently and in different ways so that
students are grasping the key concepts. It is also vital to show what you mean instead of
just giving verbal instructions. Make sure to keep distractions very limited and keep
transactions during lessons short and quick.
Often times teachers need to factor in more time for quizzes, test and even work sheets to
accommodate for intellectual disabilities.
15.Socialization:
It is important to allow time for students to work with their peers. Mixing students with
various learning abilities can really help to strengthen both students skills.
Students need clear and specific classroom rules so that if there are any issues with
bullying or not treating students with respect, there will be consequences.
Also make sure to carefully arrange and monitor seating charts to ensure peers, which
will encourage them to learn their best, surround students.

16.Communication:
Because not all students with intellectual disabilities are able to communicate as well as
some of their peers it is important not to rush their responses, give them adequate time to
answer each question and be supportive of their answers. Often times these students are
embarrassed to speak up or do not feel like they can, so whenever they raise their hand to
respond, it is important to give positive feedback.
17.Daily Living:
Intellectual Disabilities do not only affect their lives at school. As a teacher it is crucial to
teach student skills that can be carried out into their homes. Teaching ways to do their
homework or take home activities in a way that cuts out frustration and limits time spent
doing a given activity is vital. The more frustrated a student gets, the more likely they are
to give up. Encouraging breaks in between hard questions or after a given time can be an
easy way to lessen the frustration level and promote a positive learning environment
18.Professional Collaboration:
In order to increase student achievement, it is important to keep the student, family
members, and other specialist informed and involved. A positive relationship between all
of those involved could increase the rate and efficiency of the students learning and get
everybody on board for what is best for the student
19.Behavior:
Consistency is key when working with students with intellectual disabilities. Keeping a
routine and modeling how behavior should be helps to maintain a healthy learning
environment. Sometimes students with intellectual disabilities need a mental time out,
and so it is a good idea to create an area where they can do that without causing a
distraction to other students. Having bean bags or even stress balls in the room where
they can take their focus off the tasks for a quick minute may be very helpful as long as
they are not abusing that power.
20.Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein is known for coming up with the theory of relativity. While we all know
E= MC^2, what not everyone knows is, he suffered from an intellectual disability.
Growing up he had trouble speaking and could not read until the age of nine. His teachers
did not know how to help him and often times referred to him as a dreamer. When he
tried to get into college, he failed his entry exam, yet he created one of the most
important formulas in science!
21. What do you believe will be the best practice in dealing with students with
intellectual disabilities?
22. Thank-you for listening to our presentation. We would like to end with this discussion
question What do you believe will be the best practice in dealing with students with
intellectual disabilities?

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