Human Exceptionality Chapter 7

LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ATTENTION
DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

©2011 Cengage Learning.
All Rights Reserved.

Focus 1
Cite four reasons why definitions of learning disabilities
have varied.
Focus 2
Give two current estimated ranges for the prevalence of
learning disabilities.
Focus 3
Identify seven characteristics attributed to those with
learning disabilities, and explain why it is difficult to
characterize this group.
Focus 4
List four causes thought to be involved in learning
disabilities.


Focus 5
Identify three types of interventions or treatments
used with people who have learning disabilities.
Focus 6
Identify three behavioral symptoms commonly
associated with ADHD.
Focus 7
Identify two ways in which the behavior of children
with DHD detrimentally affects instructional
settings.


Focus 8
Identify the three major types of ADHD according
to DSM-IV.
Focus 9
Identify two prevalence estimates for ADHD that
characterize the difference in occurrence by
gender.
Focus 10
Identify three categories of characteristics that
present challenges for individuals with ADHD.
Focus 11
Identify three possible causes of ADHD.


 Undergraduate psychology student with
learning disabilities
 Inability to memorize information and
difficulty reading
 Math of special concern due to lack of basic
fact rote memory ability and fear of
performing poorly when called on by teacher


 Testing in higher education uncovered
information processing differences
 Processing speed
 Deficit in short-term memory
 Fluid reasoning issues
 Specific strategies could support
compensation for neurological wiring pattern
differences.


 As an infant was fussy and cried a lot
 Could get out of crib by 1st birthday
 Child safety latches and gates proved
inadequate
 At 3 years old tried to flush cat down toilet at
4:30 a.m.
 Pediatrician felt she needed to mature and
saw her simply as active and inquisitive.


 In kindergarten had short attention span and
high levels of impulsivity
 Pushed down a level to pre-kindergarten due
to poor performance
 Described as developmentally immature;
performance did not improve
 Psychological and medical evaluation in 2nd
grade confirmed attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder


 A relatively new area of exceptionality that
has only recently been identified and defined
 Learning disabilities can occur at all
intelligence levels.
 Learning disabled = heterogeneous group of
individuals with highly variable, complex
characteristics, and needs


 IDEA ’04 and Joint Committee Definitions

◦ IDEA - a disorder of one or more of the basic
psychological processes involved in understanding
or using language, spoken or written, which may
manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen,
think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical
calculations.
◦ Includes perceptual disabilities, brain injury,
minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and
developmental aphasia


 IDEA ’04 and Joint Committee Definitions
◦ Does not include learning problems which are
primarily the results of visual, hearing, or motor
disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional
disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or
economic disadvantage

◦ The IDEA definition describes primarily what are not
learning disabilities.

◦ The IDEA definition is also ambiguous in its
description of how to measure the disability.


 Estimates vary from 2.7% to 30%
 A reasonable estimate of prevalence is 5% to
10% of the school age population.
 2.6 million children served under IDEA (nearly
50%)
 Variations due to public and educational
policy and assessment accuracy


 Recent focus to identify subgroups, subtypes,
or severity levels
 Subtype and comorbidity research are
appearing in literature at increasing rates.
 Subtype research investigates the
characteristics of youngsters to identify
distinctive groups.
 Comorbidity research investigates the degree
of multiple disabilities or conditions.


 Students with learning disabilities tend to be
below their age mates in achievement, but
they also perform below what would be
expected based on their measured potential.


 Above average or near average intelligence
 Secondary behavioral or emotional concerns
 Variability between measured intelligence and
performance
 Intraindividual differences between skill areas


 The way a person acquires, retains, and
manipulates information
 Some score lower than peers on memory
tests
 Differing rather than uniformly deficient
cognitive abilities
 Attention problems
– Short attention spans
– Selective attention

 ADHD - a set of symptoms that can
accompany other conditions
◦ became the focus of attention during 1990s

 Learning Disabilities comorbid with ADHD
from 25% to 70%


 People with ADHD may exhibit a variety of
characteristics
◦ Impulse control
◦ Executive functioning

 Symptoms may interfere with life activities

 ADHD is a life long condition


 DSM IV Definitions
◦ ADHD, combined type: Inattention, hyperactivity,
and impulsivity are present for at least six months.

◦ ADHD, Predominately Inattentive Type: Inattention
present for at least six months
◦ ADHD, Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive Type:
Hyperactivity and impulsivity are present for at least
six months.


 3-7% school-aged children may have ADHD.
 Males outnumber females.
 Different symptoms and need different
interventions
 Variation between subgroups by age, gender,
and comorbidity
 Substantial growth in services under IDEA (OHI)


 Self-Regulation, Impulsivity and Hyperactivity
◦ Self-regulation - the ability to think through one’s
actions to see what the consequences will be.
◦ Hyperactivity must be present for at least six
months and must be of such severity to cause
maladaptive problems.


 Neurological brain injuries or chemical
imbalances
◦ Abnormalities in frontal lobes, basal ganglia and the
cerebellum
◦ Chemical functioning of the brain may be a causal
agent.
 Environmental factors:
◦ Lead exposure
◦ Poor maternal or fetal health
◦ Poor prenatal care
◦ Fetal exposure to tobacco or alcohol
 Heredity and ADHD ©2011 Cengage Learning.

 Targeted behavior modification seems more
successful than cognitive-behavioral
interventions.
 Structuring pedagogy and the classroom
setting can lead to academic improvement.
 Academic interventions must target the area
where the child is experiencing difficulty.


 Strategies involving structure along with
explicit instruction may be beneficial.

 A multimodal approach is more effective
◦ Both drug and behavior therapies
◦ Communication


Human Exceptionality Chapter 7

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