Brief Table of Contents
Unit I Setting the Stage
Chapter 1 Perspectives on Disability
Chapter 2 Issues in Assessment and Identification
Chapter 3 Issues in Instruction and Placement
Unit II Who Are the Learners with Mild Disabilities?
Chapter 4 Learners with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Chapter 5 Learners with Learning Disabilities
Chapter 6 Learners with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders
Chapter 7 Learners with Difficulties in Attention, Communication, and Physical and Sensory Functioning
Chapter 8 Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Unit III What Are Learners with Mild Disabilities Like?
Chapter 9 Cognitive and Perceptual Characteristics
Chapter 10 Language Characteristics
Chapter 11 Academic Learning Characteristics
Chapter 12 Social–Emotional Characteristics
Detailed Table of Contents
Unit I Setting the Stage 1
Chapter 1 Perspectives on Disability 3
Meet Benny 3Studying High-Prevalence Disabilities 5
Mild Does not Mean “not Serious” 7
The Power of Language 8
Labeling, Classifying, and Identifying 9
To Classify or Not to Classify 10
Additional Thoughts on Labeling 13
The Historical Context of Disability 13
Early History of Disability 14
The Middle Ages, the Renaissance,
and the Enlightenment 14
Disability Services in the United States (1800–1950) 16
Eugenics in Europe and the United States 17
The Testing Movement in Europe and the United States 18
Serving Children Identified as Having Disabilities 19
Disabilities in the United States from 1950 to the Present 19
Legislative and Legal Supports 22
Overview of the IDEA Principles 22
History of Rights Won in U.S. Courts 24
Special Needs Education Internationally 26
Trends in History 27
A Case Study Patty 28
Chapter 2 Issues in Assessment and Identification 30
Meet Jeffrey 30
Assessment and Evaluation Requirements in Idea 31
Universal Design and Assessment 32
Purposes of Assessing Students with Special Educational Needs 34
Types of Assessment Instruments and Techniques 34
Norm-Referenced Assessment 34
Criterion-Referenced and Curriculum-Based Assessment 35
Performance Assessment 36
Portfolio Assessment 36
Functional Behavioral Assessment 37
Reporting on Student Progress: The Report Card 37
Best Practices in Assessment of Learners with Disabilities 38
Issues in Disability Identification 39
Categories as Social Constructions 42
Noncategorical Models of Service as an Alternative? 43
Response to Intervention: A Noncategorical Strategy For Assessment and Identification 44
Response to Intervention 44
A Prevention Framework as Support 46
A Case Study Sharon 48
Chapter 3 Issues in Instruction and Placement 50
Meet Enrico 50
Curriculum and Learners with Mild Disabilities 51
Alternatives to Instructional Accommodations 53
Instructional Strategies to Enhance Curricular Access 57
Explicit Teaching 58
Peer-Mediated Instruction 59
Cognitive Strategies 59
Positive Behavioral Supports 60
Instruction and Individualized Education Program Planning 60
Alternative Curricula and Assessments 61
Idea 2004 and the Location of Services 61
Least Restrictive Environment 63
Models of Service Commonly Used for Students with Mild
Disabilities 67
Inclusion: A Continuing Issue in Special Education 68
A Case Study Angie 71
Unit II Who Are the Learners with Mild Disabilities? 73
Chapter 4 Learners with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 75
Meet Caroline 75
Naming This Group of Learners 76
Historical Foundations of Intellectual Disabilities 77
Development of the Definition of Intellectual Disabilities in the United States 78
Idea Definition of Intellectual Disabilities 79
Additional Perspectives on Defining Intellectual Disabilities 81
The New Generation of AAMR/AAIDD Definitions 81
Developmental Disabilities and Delay 82
An Alternative Definition with an Instructional Perspective 83
Levels of Severity 84
Educational Terminology 84
Supports and Intensity of Support Needs 85
Prevalence of Intellectual Disabilities 86
Conditions Associated with Risk of Intellectual Disabilities 89
Biomedical Risk Factors 89
Environmental (Social, Behavioral, Educational) Risk Factors 91
Nature or Nurture? 92
Typical Characteristics of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities 93
A Case Study Donald 95
Chapter 5 Learners with Learning Disabilities 98
Meet Peter 98
Naming this Group of Learners 99
Historical Development of the Concept of Learning Disabilities 100
IDEA Definition of Specific Learning Disabilities 101
Assessment and Identification Issues 102
Issues with Discrepancy Determination (1965–2004) 103
IDEA 2004 and Changes in Identification Procedures 104
Response to Intervention as an Identification Process 104
An Alternative Definition of Learning Disabilities 105
Prevalence of Learning Disabilities 106
Conditions Associated with Learning Disabilities 109
Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities 109
A Case Study Grace 112
Chapter 6 Learners with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders 115
Meet Nicki 115
Terms to Refer to This Group of Learners 116
Historical Foundations of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 117
Idea Definition of Emotional Disturbance 119
Social Maladjustment: Definition and Exclusion 120
An Alternative Definition of Emotional or Behavioral Disorders 121
Assessment and Identification Issues 123
Response to Intervention 125
Levels of Severity 125
Prevalence of Emotional or Behavioral Disorders 127
Factors Associated with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders 130
Biological Factors 130
Family Factors 131
Environmental, Social, and School Factors 132
Types of Emotional or Behavioral Disorders 133
A Case Study Carter 134
Chapter 7 Learners with Difficulties in Attention, Communication, and Physical and Sensory Functioning 137
Meet Nancy 137
Learners With Attention Problems 138
Naming This Group of Learners 138
Historical Development of the Concept of ADHD 139
ADHD and the IDEA 139
Current ADHD Definition in the DSM-5 140
Identification of Learners with ADHD 140
Presentations of ADHD 142
Levels of Severity 143
Prevalence of ADHD 143
Factors and Conditions Associated with ADHD 144
Characteristics of Individuals with ADHD 146
Issue: Should ADHD Be a Separate Category in IDEA? 148
Communication Disorders 150
Physical And Sensory Disabilities 151
Physical and Health Disabilities 151
Sensory Disabilities 152
Traumatic Brain Injury 153
Medication: A Persistent Issue 154
A Case Study Frank 155
Chapter 8 Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders 158
Meet Jacob 158
Naming This Group of Learners 159
Historical Development of The Concept of Autism Spectrum Disorders 160
IDEA Definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders 161
The Psychiatric/Medical Definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders (DSM-5 ) 162
Assessment and Identification Issues 163
Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders 165
Levels of Severity 167
Conditions Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders 167
Characteristics of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 168
Social Communication and Interaction 168
Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors, Interests, or Activities 169
Other Related Characteristics and Behaviors 170
Diagnostic Conditions Previously Included on the Spectrum 171
A Case Study Sara 172
Unit III What Are Learners with Mild Disabilities Like? 175
Chapter 9 Cognitive and Perceptual Characteristics 177
Meet Robert 177
Cognitive Theory and Approaches to Mild Disabilities 178
Constructivist Perspectives 179
Piaget and Biological Constructivism 179
Vygotsky and Social Constructivism 181
Cognitive Styles Research 183
Field Dependence/Independence 183
Impulsivity and Reflectivity 184
Information-Processing Theory 185
Structural Storage Components 186
Strategic Control Components 191
Executive Functions 204
A Case Study Charlene 206
Chapter 10 Language Characteristics 208
Meet Tom 208
Definition of Language 209
Impairments in Speech and Language 210
Language Components and Skills 210
Phonology 211
Morphology 212
Syntax 213
Semantics 213
Pragmatics 215
Receptive and Expressive Language Channels 218
Language Functions 219
Listening 219
Speaking 220
Reading 221
Writing 221
Common Language Characteristics of Learners With Mild Disabilities 224
Language Difference or Disability? 226
Implications of Language Characteristics for Thinking and Learning 231
A Case Study Gavin 233
Chapter 11 Academic Learning Characteristics 236
Meet Barbara 236
What Is Learning? 237
Stages of Learning 237
Acquisition and Reversion 238
Proficiency and Automaticity 238
Maintenance 240
Generalization 240
Adaptation 240
Critical Learning Needs of Students with Disabilities 241
The Role of Motivation 242
Extrinsic Motivation 243
Intrinsic Motivation 243
Locus of Control and Attributions of Success or Failure 246
External Causal Attributions and Locus of Control 247
Internal Causal Attributions and Locus of Control 248
Spirals of Failure or Success 249
Learned Helplessness 249
Adolescents with Disabilities in Behavior and Learning 251
Self-Determination 254
Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences 256
Learning Styles 256
Multiple Intelligences 257
Universal Design for Learning 258
Instructional Needs of Learners with Disabilities 258
Time Allowed for Instruction 259
Persistence or Motivation 259
Pupils’ Aptitude for Instruction 261
Ability to Understand Instruction 261
Quality of Instruction 261
A Case Study Allison 262
Chapter 12 Social–Emotional Characteristics 264
Meet Eddie 264
Perspectives on Social–Emotional Characteristics 265
Developmental Perspectives 265
Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development 266
Emotional Development 267
Development of Social Perspective Taking 269
Social Competence and Cognitive Development 271
Social Intelligence 273
Emotional Competence 274
Social Cognitive Delay 275
The Relationship Between Problems in Behavior and Problems in Learning 277
Behavior from an Ecological Perspective 279
Risk and Resilience 280
Maladaptive Behavior 283
Patterns of Maladaptive Behavior 284
Externalizing Behaviors 284
Internalizing Behaviors 286
Idea 2004 and Serious Discipline Problems 288
A Case Study Sammy 290