Intellectual Disability and Autism - Essay Example

Intellectual Disability and Autism: Instructional Issues Name Institution - Intellectual Disability and Autism: Instructional Issues Introduction Both intellectual disability and autism are forms of mental disorders that place obstacles in the academic lives of the learners. Unlike other forms of disabilities and syndromes, intellectual disability and Autism cannot be established from the physical appearance of the person. Generally, all persons with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual disability exhibit a number of behavioral problems including: language and communication difficulties; social interaction disorders; anxiety; learning difficulties; unusual attention patterns; unusual response to sensory stimuli, among others. The effects of these problems amount to significant stumbling blocks in the academic lives of learners with these problems, significantly impacting on their education (Scott, et al., 2000). For example, they may experience difficulties absorbing academic knowledge, comprehending academic arguments and concepts while still undermining their ability to reason intellectually (Foreman, 2009). To the victims of intellectual disability, academic life seems to be a burden that is unnecessary and irrelevant in their lives. At various levels of academic pursuit, these learners tend to score lower than their healthy counterparts when all other factors are held constant. Their understanding capacity is much lower than those of their healthy counterparts, and they also face difficulties in expressing their views and cases. Ultimately, these difficulties create a number of instructional issues for the teacher (Andrews & Judy, 2000). This paper examines a few instructional issues that arise as a result of learning problems and difficulties experienced by autistic and/or intellectually disabled learners. The paper finally suggests a number of ways to things to do to address them. Instructional Issues These are discussed in relation to the various behavioral characteristics evident in learners with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual disabilities. i. Language and Communication Problems and Difficulties According to Ogletree and Thomas (2001), every person with autism spectrum disorder and/o intellectual disability displays language and communication difficulties. These include difficulties with nonverbal cues of communication (facial expressions, eye contact, use of gestures, body postures, among others), lack of or delay in expressive skills of language, restricted vocabulary, difficulties with conversant pragmatics (such as initiation of communication, lack of flexibility n conversation, among others) and idiosyncratic or repetitive patterns of speech, among others. However, not all of them display the same manner of language and/or communicational difficulty. Some have more difficulty in nonverbal communication, others with social use of language. Just as they may have problems expressing themselves in the various ways described above and more autistic and/or intellectually disabled learners may have problems comprehending instructions (verbal information) and/or remembering a sequence of instructions. This may be regardless of the variation of this problem from one learner to another. Even those who exhibit normal intelligence, often referred to as high-functioning (Ogletree & Thomas, 2001), may still have problem comprehending the teachers instructions. This can certainly have significant implications on the instruction (including tools used). The assessment of these problems influences the intervention taken to address them; that is helps to identify the goals and strategies to use to facilitate the “development of receptive and expressive language skills, particularly pragmatic skills (NRC, 2001, p.4), including putting emphasis on paying attention, functional communication, imitation, the use of language for social reason rather than merely focusing on basic needs, as well as the comprehension of common words and simple instructions. ii. Social Interaction Social interaction is a vital component of the learning process. Mesibov and Howley (2003) notes “social skill development forms an essential part of developing plans for managing challenging behaviors with the ultimate aim of making instruction successful” (p.23). It influences the teacher’s decision on how much t do for the students and how much to let them learn on their own. For example, if a good number of students in class understand a particular subject concept, these students can help their colleagues who do not to catch up. But this is only if where and when there is healthy social interaction among the students. As already stated, this can influence instruction significantly. Generally, learners with autism spectrum disorder and/or display intellectual disability exhibit qualitative differences in social interactions. Therefore, they often have problems establishing and maintaining relationships. Others may have restricted social interactions or demonstrate a rigid manner of interaction with others. It is important to note that these behaviors may, in fact, not necessarily mean that the learners are not willing to interact. On the contrary, they may be willing to, only they are unable to (Scott, et al., 2000; Yell & Katsiyannis, 2003). This may be a problem on its own or associated with one or more of the other related problems. For example, to understand social situations, one should first of all be able to process language as well as nonverbal communication, which has already been cited as a problem for these learners. The consequence is that they have problems understanding and/or accepting the perspectives (beliefs, intentions, desires, perceptions and knowledge) of others. They may not be able to make the connection between mental state (thought) and action (Yell & Katsiyannis, 2003). Ultimately earners with autism and/or intellectual disorder generally exhibit three subtypes of social interaction behavior. The aloof show no observable concern and or interest in interaction with others unless it is to satisfy their basic personal needs, and can easily get agitated when too closet others and/or reject unsolicited social or physical interaction. The passive do not initiate social interaction, but accept others who towards them. The active can initiate social interaction but in unusual or inappropriate ways. But further problems lie in the fact that many of these learners fit into more than one of these subtypes, which means they are unpredictable and any one instruction format and tools may not work all the time successfully. iii. Unusual Patterns of Attention Time distribution is an instructional issue that requires to be addressed by any instructor mandated to teach, guide or train a student with intellectual disability. The normal duration assigned for the healthy students should be extended in the case of a student with intellectual disability. Intellectual disability, as an academic disorder, affects that ability of the student to grasp and express issues, materials and concepts taught in the classroom. In most cases, the students with signs of academic disability will call for prolonged attention and focus from the side of the teacher or instructor (Goodey, 2013). As a result, the teacher, lecturer or any other party mandated to instruct the students should emphasize their topics and concepts to the students who show signs of intellectual disability. This will not only empower the instructor to note and identify the students with intellectual disabilities, but will also enable him/her to estimate the understanding capacity of even the healthy students (Foreman, 2009). The instructor needs to employ a slow pace and repetition while teaching the victims of intellectual disability. They also require to be frequently reminded of what they have been taught and guided in applying the concepts, ideas and theories. Some of the applications include answering questions and arguing their points. This requires that the instructor takes a lot of his/her time with the learners (Dunlap, et al., 2001; NRC, 2001). Whichever the instructional issue addressed in this case, the role of the instructor is to retain the autistic and/or intellectually disabled learners in the education system and empower them to develop a positive attitude towards education and academics (Andrews & Judy, 2000). They should not condemn the students for below-average performances or exert pressure on them. The rest of the healthy students should also be made to understand the situations of the victims so that they do not ridicule or condemn them for low performances. As a matter of fact, the healthy students can play major supportive roles in the academic lives of their intellectually disabled and autistic colleagues (Westwood, 2007). Potential Resources There are different resources that instructors should use when executing the aforementioned instructional issues among students with both intellectual disability and autism. These resources may go beyond the scope of the general education procedure, and are meant to create special conditions for learners with the said disorders. In other words, the general education system may not provide all the resources required to address the needs of such students completely, although the instructors should request for such provisions whenever necessary. Students with intellectual disabilities or autism are classified as “special needs students”, and are, therefore, entitled to special treatment and resources in their academic life (Foreman, 2009). The major step towards assisting such students is identification of their problems and needs by the instructor. From this step, solutions can be developed and the student attended accordingly. Identifying their problems is the first step, since they may not be aware that they actually have a problem and need help. For students with intellectual disabilities, the teacher’s or instructor’s time is the main resource that can boost their academic life. These students require special focus as a result of their difficulties in absorbing academic concepts, theories and principles (Andrews & Judy, 2001). The instructor should, however, take time with them and allocate them reasonable measures of attention. This attention may be a way of befriending them and motivating them to embrace their academic responsibilities and carry them through to the end. Personal contact may be necessary for such students as they need emphasis and repetition in their learning processes. If the disorder is identified in its early stages, the students may be accorded medical and psychological treatments meant to rectify the disorder. Mental institutions are especially resourceful for cases that go beyond the control of the instructor. As much as the instructor strives to retain the student victims within the academic institution, he/she should ensure that their presence does not amount to harm to the healthy students (Goodey, 2013). For instance, an instructor should not sacrifice the time meant to coach the healthy students in order to prolong his/her contact with the intellectually disabled students. Such students can also find motivational books, materials and conversations resourceful in their academic lives. While guiding them through their academic lives, the instructors should ensure that students with intellectual disabilities get enough time to rest and play. In other works, academics and class work should not consume all the school time of the students with intellectual disabilities. Playing equipment and gaming activities can help the students boost their energies and subject them to intellectual study and thinking (Ogletree & Thomas 2001). For students suffering from autism, the instructors should use special education guides that are relevant to their specific cases. The instructor can adopt a learning guide that adjusts the provision of the curriculum in a way to suit the students with autism (Westwood, 2007). For instance, the students with autism are likely to score low on public speaking and group assignments. The instructors should, in such a case, exempt such students from these activities, or award them points using different criteria. Moreover, the students with autism may face difficulties in communication. This implies that their communication skills should not be scaled together with those of the healthy students. Alternatively, the instructor may use private tests that can improve various academic aspects of the students suffering from autism. The private tests may serve to evaluate the aspects and areas of the curriculum and special needs education that the instructor feels are relevant to the students in such a situation. Since the students suffering from autism are likely to fail in their performances on a regular basis, the instructor should use motivational tools and materials to prevent such students from developing negative attitudes. When the signs of autism are not explicit to deserve specialized training methods and professional attention, the instructor should take the student victims through a reversal process outlined in various books of psychology. Such students may also require being momentary secluded from the rest of the school community as a way of helping them recharge and regain energy. This is because they tend to use a great deal of energy in social circles and communal activities. Instructors can greatly assist the students suffering from autism by constantly providing them with communication lessons, books, papers and other materials. This is because such students tend to develop difficulties in communication. In extreme cases, however, the instructor may find it wise to refer the students suffering from autism to mental institutions that specialize in such disorders (Zimmerman, 2009). Some cases may even require medical or psychiatrist attention, especially when the learners are socially and academically incompatible with the rest of the school community. Students suffering from either intellectual disability or autism may frequently require the attention of the professionals. Some of the professionals who have been previously proved to be resourceful for such students include the psychologist, psychiatrist, special education personnel and medical practitioners, among others. These professionals work hand in hand with instructors in addressing the issues surrounding the academic lives of the students living with either intellectual disability or autism (Foreman, 2009). They are better placed to provide guidelines and instructions on the various ways of handling a victim of such disorders than the professional in the education system. Whenever necessary, the professionals, especially the medical practitioners and the psychiatrists, can provide treatments and health-related attention to the learners. The parents and the guardians of such students are also resourceful in making their academic lives successful. The parents/guardian are significant mainly because the students who suffer from intellectual disability or autism are more demanding that the average healthy students (Westwood, 2007). The efforts of the instructor in the academic lives of the leraners should coordinate and flow along with those of the professionals and the parents. This will ensure that the students suffering from the said disorders receive attention and help from three different and distinct quarters. Conclusion Students suffering from intellectual disability, autism or both have a high probability of encountering difficulties in their academic lives. The difficulties can especially be visible when such students are in general academic institutions with other healthy students. In order to help such students achieve academically, the instructor should have capacity to identify the students with disorders in order for the interventional measures to be devised. For students suffering from intellectual disability, the instructor should avail him/herself for longer-than-normal durations in order to explain and emphasize lesson contents to the students. For students suffering from autism, however, the instructor should strive to develop a rating and ranking scale that takes into consideration the special needs of the students. Motivation, professional attention, gaming equipment and parental support are some of the resources that instructors should use to assist the victim students excel academically. Reference Andrews, J. & Judy, L. (2000). The Inclusive Classroom: Educating Exceptional Children. Scarborough, ON: Nelson Thomson Learning Dunlap, G., Lee, K. & Jonathan, W. (2001). ABA and Academic Instruction. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 16(2), pp. 129–136 Foreman, P. (2009) Education of students with an intellectual disability. NY: IAP. Print Goodey, C. F. (2013) A history of intelligence and intellectual disability. London: Ashgate Publishers Ltd. Print Mesibov, G. & Howley, M. (2003). Accessing the Curriculum for Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Using the TEACCH Programme to Help Inclusion. London: Dave Fulton Publishers National Research Council (NRC) (2001). Educating Children with Autism, Washington, DC: National Academy Press Ogletree, B.T. & Thomas, O. (2001). 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