MODULE 6
Prepared by:
ROSALINDA R. CADIZ
College Instructor
Term: MidTerm
Introduction:
To address the instructional needs of learners with special conditions, a
classroom teacher must understand the different impairments that may affect the ability of
the children to learn. It is imperative that he or she must be able to identify the signs and
symptoms of the impairment or learning disabilities, this ability to diagnose the condition
of the learner will help the teacher device, plan and manage the children with special
needs. Inclusive education compels the teacher to include them in the class even
mainstreamed in regular classes, hence this module will provide basic information about
the physical impairments and other learning disabilities. This is aimed to provide teachers
with the understanding of the subject matter/topic and for them to establish its relevance
to their role as facilitator of learning.
Objectives:
1. To identify physical (orthopaedic and other health impairment)
 ADHD
 Deaf-blindness, Deafness, Hearing Impairment
 Traumatic brain injury Visual Impairment
 Visual Impairment
2. To identify other learning disabilities

Dyslexia,

Dyscalculia

Dysgraphia and other Learning Issues
3. To understand the special needs of learners with health impairment and other
learning disabilities
4. To establish relevance of the topic with the teacher’s role as facilitator of learning
Definition of Terms:
1. Orthopaedic - relating to the branch of medicine dealing with the correction of
deformities of bones or muscles.
2. Impairment - a condition in which a part of your body or mind is damaged and does
not work well
3. Symptoms- aphenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or
disorder and serves as an indication of it.
4. Signs - an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the
probable presence or occurrence of something else.
CONTENT 1 : Physical (Orthopaedic and other health impairment)
1. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD)
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of
childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood.
Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive
behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly
active
Signs and Symptoms
It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time
or another. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors.
The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home,
or with friends.
A child with ADHD might:
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daydream a lot
forget or lose things a lot
squirm or fidget
talk too much
make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
have a hard time resisting temptation
have trouble taking turns
have difficulty getting along with others
Types
There are three different types of ADHD, depending on which types of
symptoms are strongest in the individual:

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to
organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or
conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and
talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing
homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual
feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may
interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times.
It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with
impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.

Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present
in the person.
Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over
time as well.
Causes of ADHD
Scientists are studying cause(s) and risk factors in an effort to find better ways
to manage and reduce the chances of a person having ADHD. The cause(s) and
risk factors for ADHD are unknown, but current research shows that genetics
plays an important role. Recent studies of twins link genes with ADHD.1
In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk
factors including:
 Brain injury
 Exposure to environmental (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young
age
 Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy
 Premature delivery
Types
 There are three different types of ADHD, depending on which types of
symptoms are strongest in the individual:
 Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to
organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow
instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets
details of daily routines.
 Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets
and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing
homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The
individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is
impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at
inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to
directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and
injuries than others.
 Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally
present in the person.
 Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change
over time as we
 Low birth weight
Managing Symptoms: Staying Healthy
Being healthy is important for all children and can be especially important
for children with ADHD. In addition to behavioral therapy and medication, having
a healthy lifestyle can make it easier for your child to deal with ADHD symptoms.
Here are some healthy behaviors that may help:
 Developing healthy eating habits such as eating plenty of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains and choosing lean protein sources
 Participating in daily physical activity based on age
 Limiting the amount of daily screen time from TVs, computers, phones,
and other electronics
 Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night based on age
2. Deaf-blindness, Deafness, Hearing Impairment
A. Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that affects a
person's ability to communicate, access information and get around.
It's also sometimes called "dual sensory loss" or "multi-sensory impairment".
A deafblind person won't usually be totally deaf and totally blind, but both senses
will be reduced enough to cause significant difficulties in everyday life.
These problems can occur even if hearing loss and vision loss are mild, as the
senses work together and one would usually help compensate for loss of the other.
Signs of deafblindness
Deafblindness most commonly affects older adults, although it can affect
people of all ages, including babies and young children.
In older people, it may develop gradually and the person themselves may
not realise their vision and/or hearing is getting worse at first.
Signs of a problem can include:
 needing to turn up the volume on the television or radio
 difficulty following a conversation
 not hearing noises such as a knock at the door
 asking others to speak loudly, slowly and more clearly
 needing to hold books or newspapers very close, or sitting close to the
television
 difficulty moving around unfamiliar places
 If someone already has either a hearing or vision problem, it's important to
look out for signs that suggest the other sense may be getting worse too.
B. Deafness or hearing impairment
Deafness or hearing impairment can:
 happen at birth – this is congenital deafness or hearing impairment
 start after birth – this is acquired or progressive deafness or hearing
impairment.
There are two main types of deafness or hearing impairment – conductive and
sensorineural.
 Conductive hearing impairment is when sounds from outside your
child’s ear have trouble getting to or going through the different parts
inside the ear. Conductive hearing impairment is usually caused by
middle ear fluid from middle ear infections, and is usually temporary.
 Sensorineural hearing impairment is when the nerves that are in
charge of receiving sound and sorting out what it means don’t work
properly. Sensorineural hearing impairment can be mild, moderate,
severe or profound. Sensorineural hearing impairment usually lasts for
life and can get worse over time.
Mixed hearing loss is when a child has both conductive and sensorineural
hearing impairment.
Learning to Communicate:
If the child is deaf or hard of hearing, he might use spoken language, sign
language or a combination of sign and spoken language to talk.
Even with the best technology, learning to communicate with spoken
language for children with severe or profound deafness is really hard work,
takes many years and doesn’t always succeed. The most important thing for
your child’s development, and for your relationship with your child, is being
able to communicate.
It is better to teach deaf or hearing impaired child to both speak
and sign, regardless of whether the child can use spoken language. If this is
you’re the case, the teacher and the rest of their family need to learn sign
language too.
3. Traumatic brain injury - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of
death and disability in children. TBI in children result in a range of traumatic
injuries to the scalp, skull, and brain that are comparable to those in adults but
differ in both pathophysiology and management.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may create significant changes in a person’s lifestyle
and goals for the future, but a head injury does not have to be a barrier for a student’s
educational aspirations. The majority of students who suffer from a TBI return to
the classroom, either in traditional school settings or through specialized programs.
Students of all ages—from elementary to college—have resources available for
continuing their academic journeys. Keep reading to learn about these resources,
organizations and programs that can help students perform academically after a head
injury. Parents and teachers will find a variety of tools they can use to support their
students as well.
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Students
Traumatic brain injuries come with a lot of uncertainties, as no two injuries are
identical. The location of the injury, the medical and rehabilitative care after the
initial injury, the age of the individual and more can all affect how a traumatic
brain injury heals and what effects linger. For some, including mild traumatic
brain injuries—also known as concussions—the effects may be temporary. For
others, the impact can be lifelong. Here are some common causes and effects of
traumatic brain injuries in students:
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
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Fall or physical assault
Strike to the head with an object
Sport-related injury
Traffic accident
Blast or other combat-related event
Common Effects & Symptoms In Students
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Behavioral, emotional and personality changes such as increased anxiety, lack of
motivation, increased impulsiveness and poor judgment.
Cognitive changes such as shortened attention span, difficulty recalling short- and
long-term memories, problem-solving and comprehending new information. Many of
these effects are similar to learning disorders, and in fact many children with TBI
are instead diagnosed with learning disorders.
Loss of senses such as vision, hearing and balance.
Physical changes such as difficulty walking or completing physical tasks.
Sleeping difficulties such as sleeping too much or too little
Academic Impact
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Shortened attention span and impulsivity
Difficulty or inability to read, write, or listed
Difficulty comprehending or retaining new material; difficulty recalling old material
Increased disorganization in thoughts
Reduced social skills
After a Traumatic Brain Injury: Transitioning Back to Class
No matter the age of the student, going back to school following a traumatic
brain injury can present challenges. Though there is no one-size-fits-all list of
solutions, there are many resources to help students with traumatic brain injuries
successfully transition back into the classroom. From innovative study systems to
navigating social situations, a TBI may force students to reassess their strengths,
weaknesses and acclimate to aspects of their personality that might be different. Take
a look at some common challenges students might face coming back to the classroom
after a TBI with age-appropriate resources designed to help.
K-12 Students
Though the age spectrum is wide, K-12 students who are recovering from
traumatic brain injuries typically have one thing in common: they are still supported
by their parents. This section is not only designed to be helpful for K-12 students after
a TBI themselves, but their parent and teacher allies as well.
4. Visual Impairment
Visual impairment is any visual condition that impacts an individual’s
ability to successfully complete the activities of everyday life. Students with visual
impairments are infants, toddlers, children and youths who experience
impairments of the visual system that impact their ability to learn.
There are three classification systems for individuals with visual
impairment that are used by education professionals. To be declared legally blind,
an individual must have visual acuity of 20/200 or less, or have a field of vision
restricted to 20 degrees or less at the widest point. However, this federal
classification system is used primarily to determine eligibility for adult agency
services.
For educational purposes, a specially trained teacher must determine that
the visual impairment impacts the child’s ability to learn, and this professional
determination, with the agreement of the IEP team ensures access to special
education services. To implement appropriate classroom accommodations for
students with visual impairment, these students are also classified according to
their level of functional vision:
1. Low vision – students use their vision as their primary sensory channel
2. Functionally blind – students can use limited vision for functional tasks but
need their tactile and auditory channels for learning
3. Totally blind – students use tactile and auditory channels for learning and
functional tasks
A third classification system exists is based on the advent of the visual impairment
itself:
Congenital – occurs during fetal development, at birth or immediately
following birth; visual impairment is present before visual memory has been
established
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Adventitious – occurs after having normal vision either through a
hereditary condition or trauma; visual memory may remain.
Students with congenital visual impairment typically have more difficulty
mastering visually strengthened concepts such as spatial orientation and many
environmental concepts.
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Characteristics
Visual impairment is essentially an umbrella term used to describe the loss
of sight that can be a consequence of a number of different medical conditions.
Some common causes of visual impairment are glaucoma, retinopathy of
prematurity, cataracts, retinal detachment, macular degeneration, diabetic
retinopathy, cortical visual impairment, infection and trauma. These are just a
handful of dozens of conditions impacting sight, and each condition has its own
unique characteristics and clinical features. In addition, the impact of the visual
impairment on individual learning is also tied to the onset, the severity, and the
type of visual loss, as well as to any coexisting disabilities that may be present in
the child. For this reason, all classroom accommodations, modifications, and
strategies must be designed with the individual needs of each student with a visual
impairment in mind. There is no one-size-fits-all model.
In addition to decreased visual acuity and visual field, a number of other
vision problems may also impact the visual functioning of the student with visual
impairment. There may be issues with sensitivity to light or glare, blind spots in
their visual fields, or problems with contrast or certain colors. Factors such as
lighting, the environment, fatigue, and emotional status can also impact visual
functioning in many of these students throughout the day. Students who have the
same visual condition may use their sight quite differently. To ensure accessibility
to classroom instruction, it is essential that you know how your student is using
his/her vision. A specially trained teacher of students who have visual
impairments, working with the IEP team members, can help determine the best
adaptations and learning media to use with each student.
Impact on Learning
One characteristic that is shared by all students with visual impairment is
that these students have a limited ability to learn incidentally from their
environment. It is through sight that much of what we learn is received and
processed. It is believed that up to 80% of what children without visual
impairments learn is through visual cues. The other senses do not fully compensate
for the loss of sight. Touch and hearing can be ineffective substitutes for many
individuals.
Children with visual impairments must be taught compensatory skills and
adaptive techniques in order to be able to acquire knowledge from methods other
than sight. The presence of a visual impairment can potentially impact the normal
sequence of learning in social, motor, language and cognitive developmental areas.
Reduced vision often results in a low motivation to explore the environment,
initiate social interaction, and manipulate objects. The limited ability to explore the
environment may affect early motor development. These students cannot share
common visual experiences with their sighted peers, and therefore vision loss may
negatively impact the development of appropriate social skills. As a result, these
students may experience low self-esteem that limits their sense of mastery over
their own lives. It is not enough to just provide instruction in the general core
curriculum. Students with visual impairments also need specialized instruction in a
number of other essential skill areas. These areas, called the expanded core
curriculum, include communication skills, social interaction skills, orientation and
mobility, independent living skills, recreation and leisure skills, use of assistive
technology, visual efficiency, and career education skills, and self-determination.
Mastery of these skills is essential for students’ long-range educational and life
outcomes.Students with visual impairments can learn at roughly the same rate as
other children but require direct interventions to develop understanding of the
relationships between people and objects in their environment.
Teaching Strategies
Classroom accommodations will be quite varied and should be individualized
according to the specific needs of the student. However, there are some basic best
practices that can guide the development of the most effective adaptations.
One thing to always consider is that it is often difficult for these students to
become as fully independent as they are capable of being. The classroom teacher
should encourage independence as often as possible to avoid the trap of “learned
helplessness.” Encourage the student to move independently through the classroom,
and organize your classroom accordingly. Materials, desks, and other objects in the
classroom should be maintained in consistent locations. Ensuring that cabinets are
fully closed, chairs pushed in, and doors are not left half ajar will help with safety in
navigating the classroom. Part of becoming independent for students with a visual
impairment is learning when to advocate for assistance. Not all instructional tasks
will be immediately possible for a student with a visual impairment, even with
accommodations. The key is to design your instruction so that the student has the
most opportunity to act independently. The student’s orientation and mobility
specialist and teacher of students with visual impairments can assist with room
arrangements and room familiarization.
Adapting your classroom to accommodate a student with a visual impairment is a
relatively easy task—it just requires an awareness of the student’s level of visual
functioning (how the student sees) and how the student works and learns. For
example, for the student with low vision, make sure that he is near the front of the
room where he can see the blackboard. Control lighting variables when presenting
learning materials to those students who are sensitive to light and glare. Use verbal
cues with those students who cannot see body movements or physical cues. A
trained teacher of students visual impairments can help you make a few simple
changes to classroom design that may mean all the difference in the education of the
student with a visual impairment.
One key accommodation that is absolutely essential is access to textbooks and
instructional materials in the appropriate media and at the same time as their
sighted peers. For students who are blind this may mean braille and/or recorded
media. For the student with low vision, this may mean large print text or the use of
optical devices to access text and/or recorded media while in class. Working closely
with a student’s teacher of students with visual impairments in advance helps
ensure accessible materials and availability of these materials in a timely manner.
SAQ #1
Fill in the table below with information (20 points)
Physical Impairment
Causes
Signs /Symptoms
Strategies that can be
applied
CONTENT 2 : Other Learning Disabilities
A. Dyslexia - is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to
problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and
words (decoding). Also called reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the
brain that process language.
Signs and symptoms of dyslexia
 Delayed early language development
 Problems recognizing the differences between similar sounds or
segmenting words.
 Slow learning of new vocabulary words
 Difficulty copying from the board or a book.
 Difficulty with learning reading, writing, and spelling skills
 A child may not be able to remember content, even if it involves a favorite
video or storybook.
 Problems with spatial relationships can extend beyond the classroom and
be observed on the playground. The child may appear to be uncoordinated
and have difficulty with organized sports or games.
 Difficulty with left and right is common, and often dominance for either
hand has not been established.
Guided Reading Activities for Students with Dyslexia
Many teachers feel that while they know how to teach early reading skills,
they don’t know how to best reach children with dyslexia.[ But luckily, with the right
learning strategies for students with dyslexia, you can help every child in your
classroom thrive and develop strong reading skills.
Use these five activities, teaching strategies, and accommodations for
dyslexia to help struggling students learn to read:
 Try engaging all of the student’s senses when teaching them to read,
like giving them magnet letters to put together words. Multisensory
activities are shown to significantly help students with dyslexia
develop literacy.
 Help students with dyslexia access resources like audiobooks,
dictation programs, or spell-checking software.
 Encouragement can help students who have dyslexia find the
confidence they need to succeed in school. Give your students praise
when they master a challenging skill and celebrate milestones they
reach along the path to literacy.
 Set mutually agreed-upon reading goals with children diagnosed with
dyslexia to promote student engagement.
 Some students with reading difficulties may need extra help outside of
the classroom. Refer students to remediation or learning disorder
specialists, if needed .
B. Dyscalculia - Dyscalculia is a learning disability in math. People will have
trouble with math at many levels. They often struggle with key concepts like
bigger vs. smaller. And they can have a hard time doing basic math problems
and more abstract math.
5 Strategies for Managing Dyscalculia
Many students struggle with math and math anxiety, but for those with
dyscalculia, a math-related learning disability, math classes and tests present
seemingly insurmountable obstacles that can affect academic success and lower
self-esteem.
People with dyscalculia have a deficit in the brain’s ability to process
number-related information. They may have trouble with math operations,
memorizing multiplication tables and understanding math concepts. In a broader
sense, they have difficulties with sequencing information, budgeting time and
keeping schedules.
Grounding abstract mathematical information in the physical world can help
dyscalculic students succeed. Here are five strategies for making math concepts
from basic arithmetic to advanced algebra easier to understand and remember.
1. Talk or Write Out a Problem
For the dyscalculic student, math concepts are simply abstracts, and numbers
mere marks on a page. Talking through a problem or writing it down in sentence
form can help with seeing relationships between the elements. Even restating
word problems in a new way can help with organizing information and seeing
solutions.
2. Draw the Problem
Drawing the problem can also help visual learners to see relationships and
understand concepts. Students can “draw through” the problem with images that
reflect their understanding of the problem and show ways to solve it.
3. Break Tasks Down into Subsets
Dyscalculic students can easily get overwhelmed by a complex problem or
concept, especially if it builds on prior knowledge — which they may not have
retained. Separating a problem into its component parts and working through
them one at a time can help students focus, see connections and avoid overload.
4. Use “Real-Life” Cues and Physical Objects
Relating math to the practicalities of daily life can help dyscalculic students
make sense of concepts and see the relationships between numbers. Props like
measuring cups, rulers and countable objects that students can manipulate can
make math concepts less abstract.
5. Review Often
Because dyscalculic students struggle to retain math-related information, it
becomes hard to master new skills that build on previous lessons. Short, frequent
review sessions — every day, if necessary — help keep information fresh and
applicable to the next new task. Creating written or drawn references such as
cards or diagrams can help with quick reviews.
Like other learning disabilities, dyscalculia affects student success both in
and out of the classroom. Study strategies that bring the abstract world of
mathematics down to earth with visual and verbal cues and physical props can
help dyscalculic students overcome obstacles to making sense of math.
 Dysgraphia - Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing abilities.
It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble
putting thoughts on paper. Because writing requires a complex set of motor and
information processing skills, saying a student has dysgraphia is not sufficient. A
student with disorders in written expression will benefit from specific
accommodations in the learning environment, as well as additional practice learning
the skills required to be an accomplished writer.
What are the warning signs of dysgraphia?
Just having bad handwriting doesn't mean a person has dysgraphia. Since
dysgraphia is a processing disorder, difficulties can change throughout a lifetime.
However since writing is a developmental process -children learn the motor skills
needed to write, while learning the thinking skills needed to communicate on paper
- difficulties can also overlap.
If a person has trouble in any of the areas below, additional help may be
beneficial.
 Tight, awkward pencil grip and body position
 Illegible handwriting
 Avoiding writing or drawing tasks
 Tiring quickly while writing
 Saying words out loud while writing
 Unfinished or omitted words in sentences
 Difficulty organizing thoughts on paper
 Difficulty with syntax structure and grammar
 Large gap between written ideas and understanding demonstrated through
speech.
What strategies can help?
There are many ways to help a person with dysgraphia achieve success.
Generally strategies fall into three categories:
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Accommodations: providing alternatives to written expression
Modifications: changing expectations or tasks to minimize or avoid the
area of weakness
 Remediation: providing instruction for improving handwriting and writing
skills
Each type of strategy should be considered when planning instruction and
support. A person with dysgraphia will benefit from help from both specialists
and those who are closest to the person. Finding the most beneficial type of
support is a process of trying different ideas and openly exchanging thoughts on
what works best.
SAQ # 2 Enumerate, Define and provide learning activities /strategies for 3
Learning Disabilities: (15
Learning Disability
Definition
Activities/ Strategies
SUMMARY
The teachers ability to identify the conditions that learners with special
needs manifest inside the classroom will ultimately enable him or her to
facilitate the learning process of these very special children and this is the real
meaning of inclusivity of education to all.
References:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/deafblindness/
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249285#hearing-loss-vs-deafness
4. https://raisingchildren.net.au/disability/guide-to-disabilities/assessmentdiagnosis/hearing-impairment#hearing-impairment-deafness-and-hard-of-hearingwhat-these-terms-mean-nav-title
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5341344/
6. https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/students-traumatic-braininjury/#:~:text=Behavioral%2C%20emotional%20and%20personality%20changes,solvi
ng%20and%20comprehending%20new%20information.
7. http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/visual-impairments/
8. https://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm
9. https://www.waterford.org/education/dyslexia-in-schools/
10. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learningdisabilities/dyscalculia/what-is-dyscalculia
11. https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/2016/02/5-strategies-for-managingdyscalculia
12. http://www.ldonline.org/article/12770/
Evaluation (15 points)
Explain: 1. Why do you need to know about the different physical impairment?
2. How will you as a teacher effectively implement special education in
an inclusive setting?
3. Give an example of particular condition of a learner and discuss how
you will manage instructions in a regular or mainstreamed classroom.
Prepared and submitted:
ROSALINDA R. CADIZ
Teacher