The document discusses emotional disturbances, behavioral disorders, and physical challenges. It defines emotional disturbances and behavioral disorders, noting they have similar but distinct characteristics. Emotional disturbances negatively impact educational performance through inability to learn, difficulty with relationships, inappropriate behaviors, unhappiness, and physical symptoms or fears of school. Behavioral disorders are more external through acting out or aggression. The document also discusses various physical disabilities like cerebral palsy and strategies for teaching students with these conditions, including a focus on activities of daily living, assistive technology, and collaboration between teachers and therapists.

1. Emotional Disturbances, Behavioral Disorders and
Physical Challenges.
According to the Council for Exceptional children Behavior Disorders/Emotional
Disturbances In recent years’ behavioral disorders have gained more attention than
emotional disturbances. The term Behavioral has less of a negative connotation than
Emotional disturbance does. There are distinct differences between the two however.
IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) defines emotional disturbance as
a condition that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics; Emotional
disturbances adversely affects educational performance: inability to learn, difficulty with
interpersonal relationships with peers or teachers. Inappropriate behaviors under normal
circumstances, unhappiness and feelings of depression. These individuals develop
physical symptoms or fears of school and personal relationships.
The Individual that exhibits Behavioral disorders are similar but some of the
characteristics are: external in nature (acting out, aggressive and disruptive) The Internal
behaviors are (withdrawn, anxious and depressed). Individuals with behavioral disorders
also demonstrate personality disorders (withdrawal, anxiety, physical complaints and
immaturity. These individuals are also frequently involved with socialized Delinquency
(involvement in gangs). Emotional disturbances and behavioral disorders have many of
the same characteristics but the terminology behavioral is not viewed as negatively as the
terminology emotional. It is difficult to define a physical disability because there are
many different types. Cerebral Palsy, Muscular dystrophy, Spina bifida, Rhetts syndrome
(only seen in girls) to name a few. Cerebral Palsy is seen very frequently in school
settings and is sometimes classified as a multiple disability because there may or may not
be mental challenges. Cerebral Palsy can be complex because there are different types.
Spastic cerebral palsy is an individual that has a high muscle tone they are stiff. Flaccid
cerebral palsy is a low muscle toned individual they appear to be floppy. Athetoids have
difficulty sitting upright because of mixed muscle tone. Mixed cerebral palsy is when
muscle tone is low in some limbs and too high in other limbs.
Cerebral Palsy individuals can also be Quadriplegic which means all four limbs are
impaired the arms and legs. Hemiplgia one side of the body is impaired the right arm or

2. leg for example. Finally Diplegia Cerebral Palsy the disability is much more severe in the
legs.
The Chart
Teaching strategies For Emotional Teaching Strategies for Students with
Disturbances and Behavioral Disorders. Physical Challenges.
The key to teaching these students is Activities of daily living are very important
collaboration between the counselor, for these individuals ie; hand washing, face
Special Education Teacher, Speech washing, putting on and taking off coat etc.
Therapist if there is one, and the parents. The Special Education Teacher,
The classroom teacher is the most Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist
important provider besides the parent and Speech Therapist should all collaborate
because the student spends 75% of their to help this student with ADL skills. The
time in this setting and this is the place Speech Therapist should be available to
where the most peer interaction takes place. help with ADL vocabulary expansion skills
The Speech Therapist can collaborate on the Occupational Therapist should help the
pragmatic and social interaction skills in student implement these skills and the
the speech room, but the ideal situation classroom teacher should teach these skills.
would be for the Speech Therapist to The physical Therapist should be available
provide services in the classroom. The to help with the best position for this
counselor can’t work in the classroom student while these skills are being taught.
because of confidentiality issues, but the All team members should work in the
counselor can collaborate through team classroom if possible.
meetings with the providers. The parent is
the primary provider because without their
input the IEP can’t be implemented.
Pragmatics and social skills should be Assistive Technology is essential for these
worked on by the counselor and Speech individuals the use of a computer by using
Therapist mainly but collaboration should a switch to use the computer if accessing
occur with all of the team members. These with the hand is possible that is great, but
students need to learn how to interact with may of these students access with another
peers and staff appropriately. body part of the body like the head. If

3. accessing is an issue then the occupational
and physical therapist need to be available.
Some students may need Augmentative
Alternative communication.
Communication boards and electronic
voice output devices are available for these
students to communicate. These students
can take part in all academic areas with the
help of Assitive Technology.
Academic support needs to be available at What is a voice output device? A device
all times because if these individuals have that talks for the student with either a
academic problems some of their negative recorded human voice or synthesized voice.
behaviors will be displayed because of Pictures or symbols are used for any
frustration about academic failure. academic or communicative theme.
Electronic devices go under the category of
Augmentative communication.
Assistive Technology can help The use of a Alternative communication are items such
word processor can improve spelling, a as communication boards that don’t use
word processor that reads while the student voice they can be made out of oak tag and
is typing can help this student so much. Mayer Johnson symbols or google photos
Academic success is what these students can be placed on the board for the student
need most to decrease negative behaviors. to communicate. Communication symbols
can be placed in a students classroom to
help with hand washing, clothing,
identification and scheduling of their day.
Alternative communication symbols should
be encouraged by all providers because
visual stimulation along with the spoken
word increases the student’s abilities.
The community is a very important step Lastly there are different types of
toward the growth of students with communication electronic devices on the
Emotional Disturbances and Behavioral market. This is based on the student’s

4. Disorders. Trips to the Post office, abilities cognitively. Low Tech Devices are
Supermarket, and other community 1, 2 or 4 message devices. High Tech
settings. Allow these students to order food Devices are 8-32 or more symbols with
at restaurants because the more that they voice that the student can use academically
are encouraged to communicate the more and communicatively.
appropriate their interpersonal relationships
will improve with the outside world. They
must not be isolated but instead should be
encouraged to move freely around the
community with the support of the school
staff.