Lecture%2020%20&%2027%20 sept%20disabilities %20conceptual%20framework[1]

Study unit 7,8 & 9:

Disabilities and Learning

difficulties. A conceptual

framework

20 & 27 September 2012

Many students in secondary schools also experience a disability or learning difficulty and often require help (Donald, Lazarus & Lolwana, 2010).

Differentiate between a “disability” and “learning difficulty”

The focus of the study units 7,8 and 9 is on a conceptual framework to understand disabilities and learning difficulties. The reading material for this unit is Chapters 13, 14 and 15 (pages 279 to 343) in the prescribed book.

D Sekhukhune & T Makoelle 20 & 27 September

Disabilities and Learning difficulties: A Conceptual Framework

CHAPTER 13:• Children with developmental disabilities represent a

particular vulnerable group.• Health risks and disability cycles: Malnutrition,

disease, and infection are common in context of poverty.

• Table 13.1 on page 281: Lists the different kinds of disabilities and learning difficulties and the estimated prevalence in South Africa in comparison to USA.


Disabilities and Learning difficulties in social context

• We need to look more closely at how disabilities and learning difficulties interact with resources , values and practices in different social contexts, and how this interaction results in different needs.

• Resources: Cycles of poverty and poor educational resources can cause, aggravate, and maintain disabilities and learning difficulties.

• Values and practices: People in different social contexts view and address disabilities and learning difficulties in different ways.


Principles of intervention with disabilities and learning difficulties

(pp.289 – 300)

1.Inclusion and health promotion

2.Facilitating resilience

3.Prevention

4.Curriculum development and support

5.Remediation

6.Life-skills education

7.Counselling

8.Parent/caregiver involvement


DISABILITIES CHAPTER 14:

Five main areas:

1.Physical disabilities

2.Sensory disabilities

3.Neurological disabilities

4.Intellectual disability

5.Chronic diseases and infections affecting students

D Sekhukhune & T Makoelle 25 October

1. Physical disabilities: Causes, characteristics, and accommodation

• Generally caused by congenital factors, the after-effects of specific diseases, or injuries from accidents and violence.

• Most of these causes are much more common in disadvantaged social contexts than in more advantaged contexts especially through a lack of adequate health and safety measures in the communities concerned.

• Physical disabilities that you are most likely to come across in teaching:

1. Disabilities affecting mobility

2. Disabilities affecting the use of the hands


2. Sensory disabilities: Causes, characteristics, and accommodation

(pp.306 - 308)

• Most common causes are either congenital or the after-effects of specific diseases and infections, many of which might have been prevented or treated in the first place.

• Appropriate health measures and health education in terms of both prevention and treatment of these conditions are vitally important.

1. Visual disabilities

2. Hearing disabilities:

Two main types of hearing loss:

a) Sensorineural hearing loss: This occurs where the neural mechanisms of hearing (particularly the cochlea – where sound waves are translated into neural messages – and the neural pathways of the brain) have not developed adequately, or have become damaged.

b) Conductive hearing loss: This occurs where there is some obstruction, infection, or other interference with the physical transmission or conduct of sound waves through the outer and middle ear.


3. Neurological disabilities: Causes, characteristics, and accommodation

• Disabilities in this area relate to the physical functioning of the brain and nervous system.

The two common disabilities:

a) Cerebral palsy: This disability is due to permanent damage to the cerebral cortex of the brain. The damage may be caused by head injuries, birth problems, or particular diseases and infections (e.g. tubecular meningitis) in early development.

b) Epilepsy: Damage to different areas of the brain may cause epilepsy. It is more commonly caused by factors that have deprived the brain of sufficient oxygen.

There are two broad and very different forms of epilepsy:

Refer to page 310 for definitions

i. Generalised tonic/clonic seizure.

ii. Absence seizures


4. Intellectual disability: Causes, characteristics, and accommodation

• Intellectual disability, or what is basically a general problem experienced in the broad areas of understanding, remembering, reasoning, and other higher cognitive functions, is one of the most urgent areas of specific learning need in South Africa.

3 Causes:

i. Physical causes

ii. Familial causes

iii. Contextual causes (p.312)

Levels of intellectual disability and their characteristics:

a) Mild intellectual disabilities

b) Moderate intellectual disability

c) Severe intellectual disability (pp.316 – 318)


5. Chronic diseases and infections affecting students

• Although students who suffer from chronic diseases and infections are not disabled, they are included here because their physical condition affects learning and adjustment in school in lasting and significant ways.

• Chronic conditions that are common and of particular concern amongst children in southern Africa:

1) Malnutrition and undernutrition

2) HIV and AIDS

3) Tuberculosis (TB)

4) Chronic middle-ear infection

5) Parasite infection

6) Epilepsy

(pp.318 - 322)


Learning difficulties

CHAPTER 15

A.Specific learning difficulties

B.Communication difficulties

C.Emotional difficulties


A. Specific learning difficulties: Causes and characteristics

• Causes (pp. 326-327):

a) Inherited factors

b) Neurological factors

c) Educational factors• Characteristics (327-333):

1. Specific language difficulty

2. Specific reading difficulty

3. Specific spelling difficulty

4. Specific coordination and handwriting

5. Specific mathematical difficulties


Remedial approach to specific learning difficulties

Accurate observation and identification of the specific difficulty, followed by giving the appropriate help.

Seek further specialised assistance (e.g. DBST).

You can do with the help of the colleagues.

Appropriate teaching for those with specific learning disabilities – It should closely follow the remedial cycle as set out on pp. 292-295.

Understanding the underlying factors and the differences between the 5 areas of specific learning disabilities. This understanding needs to be incorporated into each of the observation, identification, outcome setting, remedial intervention, and evaluation phases of the general remedial cycle (pp.333-334).


B. Communication difficulties: Causes and characteristics

Two main dimensions to communication are: Reception and Expression (Refer to Figure 15.1 on p.334).

Causes: Neurological; May be secondary to intellectual disability, hearing disability, and cerebral palsy Quality of language stimulation through the familyHow teachers intentionally mediate and encourage active language development in the classroom.•Thus it is important to make a distinction between communication difficulties that are due to extrinsic, contextual factors than to intrinsic factors.

Characteristics:

a)Difficulties in language development

b)Difficulties in speech production


C. Emotional difficulties: Understanding their complexity, causes and characteristics

(pp.336-340)

Two broad categories or groups:

1. Internalising reactions (turned inwards):

Some relatively common difficulties which broadly fit under internalised reactions, and that you are likely to encounter at school level, include:Depression; Grief; Withdrawn or dependent behaviour; Petty stealing, lying, and avoiding behaviour.

2. Externalising reactions (directed outwards):

Two fundamentally different kinds of problem in this group are basic:

a)Patterns of under-socialised behaviour

b)Patterns of inappropriately socialised behaviour


Prescribed book

Donald, D., Lazarus, S. & Lolwana, P. (2010). Educational Psychology in Social Context. Cape Town: Oxford


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