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Media Evaluation Paper: Profoundly Normal

Rosalyn Dunevant-Ashley

Educational Leadership Department, Lamar University

SPED 5301-Z21 Survey of Exceptional Learners

Dr. Debbie Troxclair

March 10, 2024

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Media Evaluation Paper: Profoundly Normal

My choice of the film Profoundly Normal was motivated by its portrayal of a genuine

account of a couple with intellectual disabilities who defy societal opposition to find love, get

married, and build a life together. As an educator, I witness my middle school students

experiencing love for one another on a daily basis. This leads me to contemplate the

possibilities for their future and ponder the question of whether, despite the challenges they

face, they can still discover true love and navigate a society that often stands in their way. The

film revolves around two individuals who were previously referred to as "mentally retarded," a

term that is now considered inappropriate. On October 5, 2010, President Obama enacted

"Rosa's Law," which officially replaced the term mentally retarded with intellectual disability in

all federal contexts (Rosa's Law, 2009 as cited in Friend 2018, p. 323).

Characteristics of Exceptionality in the Movie

Physical characteristics of the character with the exceptionality in the movie:

The physical characteristics of Donna and Ricardo in the movie are normal physical

characteristics. Both Donna and Ricardo have intellectual disabilities. However, they do not

have any characteristics that would prove developmental delay. Most students with mild

intellectual disabilities do not show any abnormal signs. In the movie are depicted as younger

and older intellectual delayed people. Their behavior seems organic and natural. Ricardo is

African American male and approximately 6 feet tall. Dark complexion, with a small afro and

beautiful smile. He slumped a little as he walked and talked slowly. He was well dressed, his

shirt buttoned up to his neck. Donna is a white female, approximately 5’5” tall. Her hair is
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shoulder length with bangs. Wear knee-length dresses and sweaters. She spoke slowly and

monotonously.

Cognitive characteristics: of the character with the exceptionality in the movie:

An intellectual disability is diagnosed only when a person's IQ score is approximately 2

standard deviations or more below the mean or average of 100 (Friend, M., 2018). Ricardo and

Donna are portrayed as mildly retarded, with an IQ of less than 70, while the world's average IQ

is only 100. Still, they learned to live outside the walls of Forest Haven, the institution where

they grew up and met. The doors to Forest Haven were eventually closed by court order. When

this happens, Donna and Ricardo are faced with a whole new challenge - how to take care of

themselves.

Donna and Margaret (her roommate) embarked on the journey of independent living

after leaving Forest Haven, where they found an apartment together. Donna's transition also

involved starting her first job at McDonald's and learning how to navigate the bus system,

which initially felt overwhelming. These were just a few of the hurdles she faced as an

individual classified as intellectually disabled, which significantly impacted her cognitive

abilities. Similarly, Ricardo had previously worked in the cafeteria at Forest Haven before

moving to a group home. In his new living arrangement, he secured a position as a Processor at

the Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Both Donna and Ricardo encountered numerous challenges

in their fresh beginnings, including managing finances, writing checks, and taking care of

themselves. However, they were fortunate to have an advocate - a former intake worker from

Forest Haven - who supported their decision to live independently and celebrated their

accomplishments, despite being aware of the cognitive challenges they would encounter.
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Soon, they embark on the journey of marriage, assuming the roles of husband and wife.

As time goes on, they embrace the responsibilities of parenthood, learning to navigate the

intricacies of being a father and mother. Everyday activities, like reading and cooking, become

part of their routine., and caring for a baby, were enormous obstacles for them to overcome.

Social and emotional characteristics of the character with the exceptionality in the movie:

It has been observed that individuals with intellectual disabilities often encounter

challenges when it comes to forming social connections (Forts & Luckasson, 2011; Hughes et al.,

2012). Donna possesses a captivating persona that exudes a combination of warmth, humor,

and unique charm. At times, her emotions may overpower her, causing her to act impulsively.

She possesses a childlike quality that is endearing, yet she can also display a stubbornly

immature side. Her vibrant personality serves as an inspiration for her to strive for personal

growth and kindness.

Ricardo possesses a distinct nature, contrasting Donna in every way. While Donna tends

to act on impulse, Ricardo exercises caution and thoughtfulness, serving as the stabilizing force

to her occasionally unsteady demeanor. His disposition is consistently cheerful and optimistic.

Margaret, a character in the film, faced significant challenges in managing her emotions

and struggled with social interactions. As Donna's former roommate at Forest Haven, she

displayed extreme shyness and preferred solitude, except when in Donna's company. The

transition to independent living proved to be a difficult adjustment for Margaret, as the less

structured environment often triggered intense emotional outbursts and even confrontations.

Consequently, she eventually expressed a desire to be relocated to a more controlled setting.

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Characteristics of Exceptionality in the Literature

Physical characteristics of the character with the exceptionality in the literature:

The text states, as a student’s cognitive impairments become more pronounced, the

likelihood of having serious physical problems and medical conditions needing intervention

increases (Friend, 2018, p. 245). For educators, knowing about students’ health and medical

needs is important for several reasons. Some of the most obvious signs are the physical

characteristics of certain disorders that cause intellectual disability. These physical signs are

very obvious and easily recognized at birth. This includes unique facial features. For example,

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a leading cause of intellectual disability. Facial features of FAS

include small eyes, a small head, a flat face, and a thin upper lip. However, physical

characteristics vary depending on the cause of disability. Some people with intellectual

disabilities appears completely normal (MentalHelp.Net, 2019).

Cognitive characteristics: of the character with the exceptionality in the literature:

In traditional classification systems, people are divided into different groups based on

their degree of cognitive impairment. For intellectual ability, this dimension follows the

traditional method of classifying intelligence test scores. Cognitive characteristics of students

with intellectual disabilities significantly affect multiple dimensions of cognitive functioning

(Bergeron & Floyd, 2006, cited in Friend, 2018, p. 240), including memory, generalization,

metacognition, motivation, language, and academic skills. People with cognitive impairment

have problems with memory, such as which tasks they should start performing first or when.

Additionally, students with intellectual disabilities may not adapt well to sudden changes.
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Students with intellectual disabilities are most successful when they don't have to judge for

themselves what to do next; otherwise they might get into trouble.

Social and emotional characteristics of the character with the exceptionality in the literature:

The quality of our lives is greatly influenced by our ability to interact with others in a

balanced and healthy manner, as well as our capacity to appropriately respond to our own

emotions. This combination of social and emotional well-being is a fundamental aspect of

personal development, encompassing our need to form connections with others and our ability

to understand and regulate our inner feelings and experiences (Montie, J. (n.d.). The presence

of an intellectual disability has the potential to impact an individual's development in the

realms of both social and emotional aspects, resulting in challenges with relationships,

communication, and behavior. Those with intellectual disabilities may encounter obstacles in

their social development as a result of impaired communication skills and a limited

understanding of social norms. Additionally, this disability can hinder emotional growth by

creating barriers in the areas of emotional expression and comprehension.

Analysis of Characteristics

How is the main character in the movie similar to the description of the exceptionality in

professional sources?

The capacity to acquire new knowledge, communicate effectively, adapt, and

independently tackle challenges may be hindered by an intellectual disability. This condition

can generate feelings of strain and susceptibility for both the individual and their network of

support (Mental Health and Psychosocial Disability, n.d.). There are some similar incidents in

the movie that speak to the above statement. The first time Donna rode a bus alone, she was
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scared and unsure of her abilities. She wants her social worker to be with her. She voiced her

concerns and almost shut down out of fear. Friend (2018) mentions, "many students with

intellectual disabilities have immature behaviors that make other students want to avoid them"

(p. 242) The second incident occurred in a grocery store, where onlookers may have wanted to

avoid the characters. Donna and Margaret are grocery shopping, but Margaret gets confused

and starts screaming at the supermarket attendant because they don't know what to buy for

dinner, where it is in the store, or how to pay at the checkout. The cashier asked if they were

"food stamp recipients," a question Margaret couldn't really understand.

How is the main character in the movie different from the description of the exceptionality in

professional sources?

In the quest to discern any disparities between the portrayal of the main character in

the film and the depiction of someone with intellectual disabilities, it proved to be quite

challenging. The individuals in the movie exhibited traits commonly associated with intellectual

disabilities, but they also exhibited traits that could be considered "normal" based on the

information provided in both the text and the film. Their extent or level of intellectual disability,

as measured by severity or IQ, remained unknown. However, certain observations can be

made. For instance, it is evident that Donna struggles academically, as demonstrated when her

son, Ricky, quizzes her on basic addition problems involving one or two digits. Additionally,

Ricardo remarks on the difficulty of teaching his son about places he has never been to or even

heard of. Despite these challenges, the characters display impressive functional skills. They

successfully advocate for their right to marry by petitioning the court, manage their household,
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hold jobs and pay bills, care for a newborn baby, and even travel independently to visit their

former institution.

Determination of the accuracy of the media’s representation of the exceptionality

The film Profoundly Normal provides an accurate portrayal of individuals with

intellectual disabilities, specifically focusing on Donna and Ricardo. Both characters exhibit

common traits associated with intellectual disabilities, such as difficulties in learning and

processing information, struggles with abstract thinking, and challenges in social interactions,

albeit to varying degrees. According to Shepherd, Hoban, and Dixon (2014), their approaches to

social situations may be deemed inappropriate (cited in Friend, 2018, p. 240). In the movie,

Ricardo demonstrated a higher cognitive ability to grasp social cues compared to Donna. For

instance, during Donna's party, she served mustard-covered cheese balls as hors d'oeuvres due

to the absence of cheese sauce, failing to comprehend why no one was consuming them.

Ricardo, on the other hand, understood the situation and recognized that nobody desired to

eat mustard-covered cheese balls, including himself. Consequently, he took it upon himself to

order pizza as a more enjoyable and appetizing alternative.

Implications for Future Practice

Profoundly Normal, a film grounded in reality, chronicles the experiences of two

individuals who face intellectual disabilities. It showcases their remarkable journey through life,

undeterred by societal expectations. Their love for each other remains unwavering, as does

their determination to demonstrate their equality with others. I have previously utilized this

cinematic masterpiece with my colleagues in the department. By screening this movie, we

provide newcomers with a profound understanding of the fact that our students are just as
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ordinary as anyone else. They are individuals with aspirations, dreams, and talents, mirroring

those of the general population.

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References

Bergeron, R., & Floyd, R. (2006). Broad cognitive abilities of children with mental retardation:

An analysis of group and individual profiles. American Journal on Mental Retardation,

111, 417–432

Forts, A. M., & Luckasson, R. (2011). Reading, writing, and friendship: Adult implications of

effective literacy instruction for students with intellectual disability. Research and Practice

for Persons with Severe Disabilities (RPSD), 36, 121–125

Friend, M. (2018). Special education: Contemporary perspectives for school professionals(5ed.).

New York, NY: Pearson

Hughes, C., Kaplan, L., Bernstein, R., Boykin, M., Reilly, C., Brigham, N., ... Harvey, M. (2012).

Increasing social interaction skills of secondary school students with autism and/or

intellectual disability: A review of interventions. Research and Practice for Persons with

Severe Disabilities, 37, 288–307

Mental health and psychosocial disability. (n.d) What is the impact of living with intellectual

disability and a mental health condition? Www.health.nsw.gov.au.

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/psychosocial/foundations/Pages/

coexistingintellectual.aspx#:~:text=An%20intellectual%20disability%20may%20affect

MentalHelp.Net (March 25, 2019). Intellectual Disabilities. , www.mentalhelp.net/intellectual-

disabilities/about/#:~:text=The%20facial%20features%20of%20FAS,a%20perfectly

%20normal%20physical%20appearance
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Montie, J. (n.d.). Impact | Volume 24, Number 1 | Social and Emotional Well-Being of Children

and Youth with Disabilities: A Brief Overview. Publications.ici.umn.edu.

https://publications.ici.umn.edu/impact/24-1/social-and-emotional-well-being-of-

children-and-youth-with-disabilities-a-brief-overview

Shepherd, A., Hoban, G., & Dixon, R. (2014). Using slow-motion to develop the social skills of

primary school students with mild intellectual disabilities: Four case studies.

Australasian Journal of Special Education, 38, 150–168