MARICRIS L.

LLANO
Master of Arts in Education major in Special Education
SPED 608

Activity 1
Do a reading about the following identified categories:

Activity 2
Write the definition and characteristics of the seven (7) identified categories of
learners with exceptionalities.

1. Intellectual Disabilities- Intellectual disability is defined as significant limitations in

cognitive and adaptive functioning. The severity is classified as mild, moderate, severe,
and profound, based on various measures of functioning and clinical judgment. Mild
intellectual disability is primarily due to environmental risk factors.
The characteristics of students with intellectual disabilities are:

 mild to significant weaknesses in general learning ability.

 low achievement in all academic areas.
 deficits in memory and motivation.
 inattentive/distractible.
 poor social skills.
 deficits in adaptive behavior.

2. Hearing Impairment- Hearing impairment is a partial or total inability to hear. It is

a disability which is sub-divided in two categories of deaf and hard of hearing.
“Deaf” means persons having 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.“Hard
of hearing” means person having 60 dB to 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in
both ears. A Deaf child is one who has lost the sense of hearing before learning the
language. This means that the child is born without the ability to hear. Such children are
often mute and silent. New born infants are able to respond to the sound by startling and
blinking of eyes.

The characteristics of students with hearing impairment are:

 Difficulty following verbal directions.
 Difficulty with oral expression.
 Some difficulties with social/emotional or interpersonal skills.
3. Visual Impairment Visual disabilities can be divided into low vision and blindness.
Individuals with low vision can function but with assistance of optical or non-optical
devices and environmental modifications and/or techniques. Blindness refers to being
without functional use of vision and reliance on other sensory systems for education.

The characteristics of students with visual impairment are:

 Behavioral Characteristics: Visual impairments do not cause significant behavior

disorder for students with the disorder. However, it does influence their social
behaviors. They are likely to be socially immature and less assertive. Some students
with visual impairments exhibit stereotypic behaviors that include eye pressing,
finger flicking, head or body rocking and twirling. Restricted movement, social
deprivation and absence of sensory stimulation may cause stereotypic behaviors. 

 Social and Emotional Characteristics: Visual impairments impact children's social-

emotional development. People develop social behaviors by observing social cues and
customs of other people and imitating them. Thus, for students with visual
impairment it is required to learn social skills by getting direct and systematic
instruction. The instruction should be focused on developing friendship, maintaining
eye contact and facial orientation, body posture, gesture, facial expression, expressing
feelings, and demonstrating appropriate assertiveness. Teaching social skills to
students with visual impairments is crucial for their success in social relationships at
school, home and workplaces. 

 Cognitive and Academic Characteristics: Visual impairments have a direct impact

on the student's development and learning. Children with visual impairments often
have limited interactions with their environments. They use other senses such as
touch to learn about the world around them, which has its limitation. The lack of
opportunities to observe others affect children's learning and exploring the
environment. It impacts student's academic as well. For example, Academic
performance may suffer for children with visual impairments, particularly reading
and writing.   

 Infants who were born prematurely have higher incidence of visual impairment

ttp://www.education.com/reference/article/visual-impairments1/#C)

4. Learning Disabilities-Definition of Learning Disabilities The regulations for Public Law

(P.L.) 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), define a learning
disability as a “disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in
understanding or in using spoken or written language, which may manifest itself in an
imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical
calculations.” The Federal definition further states that learning disabilities include “such
conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia,
and developmental aphasia.” According to the law, learning disabilities do not include
learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities;
mental retardation; or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. Definitions of
learning disabilities also vary among states.

The characteristics of students with learning disabilities are:

Learning disabilities are characterized by a significant difference in the child’s

achievement in some areas, as compared to his or her overall intelligence.

Students who have learning disabilities may exhibit a wide range of traits, including
problems with reading comprehension, spoken language, writing, or reasoning ability.
Hyperactivity, inattention, and perceptual coordination problems may also be associated
with learning disabilities. Other traits that may be present include a variety of symptoms,
such as uneven and unpredictable test performance, perceptual impairments, motor
disorders, and behaviors such as impulsiveness, low tolerance for frustration, and
problems in handling day-to-day social interactions and situations.

Learning disabilities may occur in the following academic areas:

 Spoken language: Delays, disorders, or discrepancies in listening and speaking;

 Written language: Difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling; 
 Arithmetic: Difficulty in performing arithmetic functions or in comprehending basic
concepts;
 Reasoning: Difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts; and
 Organization skills: Difficulty in organizing all facets of learning.

5.) Behavioural and Emotional Disabilities-Emotional/behavioral disorders: The term

emotional/behavioral disorder refers to a condition lasting an extended period of time
and to a marked degree adversely affects a child’s educational performance. It has the
characteristics of an inability to learn, inexplicable by health, intellectual, or sensory
factors; inability to build or sustain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers or
teachers; inappropriate behaviors displayed under normal circumstances; pervasive
mood of unhappiness or depression; and a tendency to develop physical (sympathetic)
symptoms of fears associated with personal and school problems. Schizophrenia is one
example, as are anxiety and mood disorders.

6.) Mentally Gifted Giftedness: Gifted children possess demonstrated or potential

abilities that give evidence of high performance capabilities in areas such as intellectual,
creative, academic, or leadership ability or visual or performing art. For that reason, these
children require activities or services not provided ordinarily by schools. Gifted and
talented children tend to be highly motivated, learn to read early, and perform well
academically.

7.) Multiple Disabilities