Intellectual Disabilities

Deborah M. Johnson, Ed. S.Virginia Department of Education

December 9, 2015

Intellectual Disability

Subaverage General

Intellectual Functioning

Manifested during

Developmental Period

Deficits in Adaptive Behavior

Components of DefinitionGeneral Intellectual Functioningalso called intelligence, refers to general mental capacity such as learning, reasoning, problem solving, and understanding.

Adaptive BehaviorCollection of conceptual, social and practical skills that are learned in order to function in everyday life situations.

Developmental PeriodThere is evidence of the disability during the developmental period or the onset of the disability occurs before the age of 18.

Prevalence of Intellectual Disabilities

• Studies show that somewhere between one and three percent of Americans have intellectual disabilities.

(http://www.thearc.org/learn-about/intellectual-disability)

• In Virginia, over 9,000 students with IEPs have been identified with an Intellectual Disability (VDOE, Dec. 1 Child Count for 2014-15). 

Causes of Intellectual Disabilities

• Biological/genetic (Perinatal)– Chromosomal disorders– Single Gene defects– Abnormalities of brain development

• Insults that occur during first and second trimesters – Substance abuse– Infections– Other problems

• Insults that occur during third trimester – Fetal deprivation due to preeclampsia, placental damage or hemorrhage– Postnatal brain damage

(Children with Disabilities-7th Edition, Batshaw)

Comorbid Conditions

These are often associated with Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability

• Cerebral palsy• Seizure disorders • Communication disorders• Sensory impairments (hearing and/or vision)• Psychological/behavioral disorders

CharacteristicsCognitive Social Adaptive Emotional

• difficulties with working memory

• difficulty with applying a learned skill or idea in a new environment

• difficulty with adapting to unexpected challenges

• learned helplessness may lead to passiveness

• difficulty learning abstract concepts

• learning often requires harder work and longer practice

• difficulty forming relationships with peers

• often behave immaturely and/or inappropriately

• difficulty picking up on social cues and interpreting others' actions

• communication• self-care• social skills• home living/

management• leisure• health and

safety• self-direction• community use• work

• experience more loneliness than typically developing people

• experience same emotions and have same mental health needs as typically developing people

Impact of an Intellectual Disability

• Varies considerably, just as the range of abilities varies among all people.  

• Children may take longer to learn to speak, walk, learn academics and take care of personal needs, (e.g., dressing or eating).

• As adults, some are able to lead independent lives in the community without paid supports and a small percentage will have serious, lifelong limitations in functioning.  

(http://www.thearc.org/learn-about/intellectual-disability)

Intellectual Disability Evaluation/Determination

AAIDD• Consider functioning within the context of community

environments typical of the individual's age, peers, and culture.

• Use valid assessments sensitive to cultural and linguistic diversity as well as differences in communication, sensory, motor, and behavioral factors.

• Identify limitations to facilitate development of a profile of needed supports.

Intellectual Disability Evaluation/Determination

Other Information to Consider

• Developmental milestones or history• Medical history• Parental concerns• Education history• Hearing

EligibilityThe group may determine that a child has anintellectual disability if:

The definition of “intellectual disability” is met in accordance with 8VAC20-81-10;

There is an adverse effect on the child’s educational performance due to one or more documented characteristics of an intellectual disability and

The child has:• significantly impaired intellectual functioning, • concurrently, significantly impaired adaptive behavior; and• developmental history that indicates significant impairment

in intellectual functioning and a current demonstration of significant impairment.

Significant Cognitive Disabilities and the Virginia

Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP)

VAAP Participation Criteria1. Does the student have a current IEP or one that is being

developed?2. Does the student demonstrate significant cognitive

disabilities?3. Does the student's present level of performance indicate

the need for extensive, direct instruction and/or intervention in a curriculum based on Aligned Standards of Learning?

4. Does the student require intensive, frequent, and individualized instruction in a variety of settings to show interaction and achievement?

5. Is the student working toward educational goals other than those prescribed for a Modified Standard Diploma, Standard Diploma, or Advanced Studies Diploma?

State Assessment Decision• IEP teams must review, consider, and discuss a

variety of sources of information for evidence of a significant cognitive disability-including• psychological assessments • observations• achievement test data• curricular content

• IQ scores alone are insufficient • Focal point of discussion is the impact of the

cognitive disability.

State Assessment Decision• Poor performance on state assessments

and/or poor reading scores does not qualify a student as having a significant cognitive disability.

• Group of students referred to in the IDEIA and ESEA as having “significant cognitive disabilities” constitutes less than one percent of the student population.

State Assessment Decision• Disability categories that make up one

percent include moderate and severe intellectual disabilities as a primary, secondary and/or tertiary disability as well as classifications of multiple disabilities, autism and Deaf/Blindness where intellectual disabilities are moderate and /or severe.

(http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/disabilities/intellectual_disability/guidance_significant_cognitive_disabilties.pdf)

Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Learner Characteristics• communication difficulties• uneven learning patterns in all domains• multiple disabling conditions along with an intellectual

disability• motor impairments• difficulty learning new tasks and maintaining new skills• individualized methods of accessing information

Significant Cognitive Disabilities

At least two or more of the following impairments in adaptive behavior• Conceptual• Social • Practical

Students with significant cognitive disabilities probably have difficulty both learning most or all of these skills and using or transferring the skills across different settings.

Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Cognitive

• Mild Intellectual Disability (SS: 50-55 to 70)• Moderate Intellectual Disability (SS: 35-40 to 50-55)• Severe Intellectual Disability (SS: 25 to 35-40)• Profound Intellectual Disability (SS: Below 20-25)

Case Studies

Mark

Charles

VAAP State Data for Last Three Years by Disability Category

Disability Spring 2013 Spring 2014 Spring 2015SD 4

(.04%)11 (.12%) 2 (.02%)

MD 1295 (14%)

1323 (15%)

1305 (14%)

OI 52 (.58%)

35 (.39%)

35 (.10%)

VI 12 (.13%)

7 (.08%)

8 (.09%)

HI 23 (.26%)

24 (.27%)

22 (.22%)

SLD 202 (2%)

162 (2%)

156 (2%)

ED 70 (.78%)

70 (.77%)

67 (.74%)

SLI 13 (.15%)

28 (.31%)

25 (.28%)

OHI 564 (6%)

578 (6%)

594 (7%)

D/B 8 (.09%)

9 (.10%)

9 (.10%)

AUT 2550 (28%)

2724 (30%)

2852 (32%)

TBI 59 (.66%)

65 (.72%)

61 (.67%)

DD 6 (.07%)

6 (.07%)

5 (.06%)

ID 4102 (46%)

3957 (44%)

3909 (43%)

Total 8960 8999 9050

Accountability: 1% Cap for VAAP

Federal regulations limit the number ofproficient and advanced proficient scoreson alternate assessments based onalternate achievement standards within theVirginia Alternate Assessment Program(VAAP) that may be counted towardVirginia's Accountability System to onepercent of the tested grade levels.

Purpose of the 1% CapThis regulation is to ensure that studentswith the most significant cognitivedisabilities participate fully in the standardsand accountability under the Elementaryand Secondary Education Act (ESEA), andthat schools receive credit for makingprogress with these students.

So What Happens if Over the 1% Cap for VAAP?

All divisions where the number of passing VAAP scores exceeds 1% of the tested population must designate which of those scores will be counted as failing for Virginia's Accountability System.

Impact of Participation in VAAP Assessment

• Students cannot graduate with a standard diploma

• Divisions and high schools annual Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) objective for graduation-Federal Graduation Indicator (FGI) could be affected.

Leadership Opportunities

• Professional development for IEP teams on the determination of significant cognitive disabilities.

• Work with key leaders in your division (principals, DDOT) in meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Instructional Resources

• http://ttaconline.org/disability-related-information

• http://ttaconline.org/teaching-process

• http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/resources

Resources

• http://aaidd.org/• http://doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/disabilities/in

tellectual_disability/guidance_significant_cognitive_disabilties.pdf

• http://www.partnership.vcu.edu/• http://centerontransition.org/• http://www.thearc.org/learn-about/intellectual-d

isability

QUESTIONS?