Severe and Multiple Disabilities: Definition

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Severe and Multiple Disabilities Definition

• No single definition coves all conditions.
• IDEA definition of multiple disabilities-
  concomitant impairments, the combination of which
  causes such severe educational problems that they
  cannot be accommodated in special education
  programs solely for one of the impairments.

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Multiple Disabilities Definition

• No single definition coves all conditions.
• IDEA definition of multiple disabilities-
  concomitant impairments, the combination of which
  causes such severe educational problems that they
  cannot be accommodated in special education
  programs solely for one of the impairments.

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Severe Disabilities Definition

• No single definition covers all conditions.
• IDEA definition of severe disabilities- The term
  refers to children with disabilities who, because
  of the intensity of their physical, mental, or
  emotional problems, need highly specialized
  education, social, psychological, and medical
  services in order to maximize their full
  potential.

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Severe and Multiple Disabilities Characteristics

• Six Categories
• Intellectual functioning- most have severe
  impairments
• Adaptive skills- especially self-care and social
  skills
• Motor development- significant delays in fine
  and gross motor skills
• Sensory impairments- hearing and visual
  impairments are common

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• Health care needs- medical procedures, medical
  aids, medications
• Communication skills- challenges requiring
  augmentative and alternative communication

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Causes and Prevalence

• Causes
• 30-40 percent have no identifiable cause
• Prenatal biomedical factors
• Disorder of brain formation
• Genetic Metabolic Disorders The most common
  associated with multiple disabilities interferes
  with necessary enzyme production
  (phenylketonuria).
• Prevention
• Prenatal diagnosisamniocentesis, chorionic,
  etc
• Maternal education

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• Prevalence
• Multiple disabilities- 0.18 percent of all
  students ages 6 to 21 who are served in IDEA
  programs
• Severe disabilities- No data provided on the
  prevalence because IDEA does not identify severe
  disabilities as a separate category.

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Recessive Gene Transmission
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Dominant Gene Transmission
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Evaluation Process

• Determining the Presence of a Disability
• Detected at birth
• Screening process by a physician (Apgar Test-
  Evans, 1997)
• Nature and Extent of a Special Education and
  Related Services
• Ecological Assessment- examines environments,
  then identifies activities and skills needed
  (task analysis)
• Making Action Plans (MAPs)- Customizing
  students educational program (visions,
  strengths, needs)

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Ecological Assessment

• Five Phases
• Identify the curriculum domains
• Identify and survey current and future natural
  environments
• Divide the relevant environments into
  sub-environments
• Inventory the sub environments for the relevant
  activities performed there
• Determine the skills required for performance of
  the activities

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MAPS

• The facilitator uses the following eight
  questions to help brainstorm of ideas
• What is MAPS?- they explain the purpose
• What is your history?- family and student share
  background information
• What are your dreams?- expectations
• What are your nightmares?- fears
• Who are you?- use as many adjectives as possible
• What are your strengths, gifts, and talents?
• What do you need?- to meet expectations
• What is the plan of action?- includes specific
  steps

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Progress in the General Curriculum

• Research A synthesis of 19 research studies
  found 5 themes related to successful inclusion
• 1) Collaborating at all levels.
• 2) Teaching new skills in general education
  classes.
• 3) Promoting friendships in inclusive settings.
• 4) Facilitating positive outcomes for classmates
  with disabilities.
• 5) Adapting the students curriculum.

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Progress in the General Curriculum

• Curricular Goals
• Increase priority skills related to ecological
  assessment
• Expand relationships with schoolmates and foster
  school and community memberships

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• Implement Instruction
• Instructional adaptations
• Multilevel curriculum and curriculum overlapping
• Universal design
• Three state-of-the-art strategies
• Partial participation and use of adaptations
• Cooperative learning
• Peer tutoring

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Programs and Practice

• Early Childhood Years- Circle of Inclusion-
  offers desirable social and communicative
  environment.
• Elementary Years- utilizes a collaborative
  problem-solving process and a critical friend
  to facilitate the action research process.
• Middle and Secondary Years- Whittier H.S. removed
  negative special education labels and all
  students were grouped heterogeneously.
• Transition and Postsecondary Years- students can
  attend Asbury College and receive high school
  credit.

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• Foster Collaboration
• Professional- focus on cooperative learning,
  multilevel learning, and peer support
• Student and family- arrange for the student to
  be read to and to play games with classmates