Understanding Students with AD/HD

ED 222 Fall 2009

Essential Outcomes

• Gaining factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, trends)

• Learning fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories

• Developing a clearer understanding of, and commitment to, personal values

Important Outcomes

• Learning to apply course material (to improve thinking, problem solving, and decisions)

• Developing specific kills, competencies, and points of view needed by professionals in the filed most closely related to this course

• Acquiring skills in working with others as a team

Defining AD/HD

• The condition most adversely impact the student’s academic performance to receive services

• Students usually receive services under ‘other health impairments’ since there is no IDEA category for ADHD

• APA definition:– Persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-

impulsivity more frequent and severe than typical– Manifest before age 7, duration of at least 6 months,

present in 2 or more settings, not attributed to other disability

Prevalence of AD/HD

• Approximately 3 to 8% of school-age children have AD/HD

• 4.2% of preschoolers• More boys than girls• Latinos less likely to receive AD/HD diagnosis

Three Subtypes of AD/HD• Predominantly inattentive type

– Trouble paying attention, forgetful, easily distracted, selective attention

– Students may appear lethargic, apathetic or hypoactive (move to slowly).

– May be overlooked.• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type

– Cannot seem to sit still, talk excessively, difficulty playing quietly– Few adolescents or adults have the HI type

• Combined Type– Combines features of inattention and hyperactivity– The majority of students with AD/HD are combined type

Intellectual Functioning and Academic Achievement

• IQ ranges of students with ADHD tend to be 7-19 points below the norm (IQ 100)

• Approximately 21% of elementary students with ADHD have also been identified as having intellectual disabilities (IQ score 70 and below)

• Approximately 20% of students with ADHD are also identified as having a learning disability

• Five percent also have a speech/language disorder• Students with ADHD often have impairments

associated with motivation, memory, and goal-directed behavior

Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Characteristics

• May have a co-existing condition, including:– Anxiety disorder, conduct disorder or obsessive-

compulsive disorder• Specific challenges may include:– Conflicts with parents, teachers, and peers– Low self-esteem– Increased risk-taking behaviors– Higher rates of using alcohol, tobacco and substance

dependence– Significantly higher likelihood of receiving behavior

management programs, mental health services, social work services, and family counseling

Determining the Causes• Does NOT cause AD/HD– Lack of self control– Poor parenting– Too much television or video games– Too much sugar– Living in a fast-paced culture

• Heredity– Focus on dopamine

• Brain differences• Other biological causes

Determining the presence

• AD/HD determined by a pediatrician and a psychiatrist or psychologist

• Teachers may be asked to complete a behavior rating checklist as part of the evaluation– Conner’s Rating Scale-R

• Once presence is determined, there are assessments to help to determine the nature and extent of services

• ADDES-3

Partnering for Sp.Ed., and related services

• Not every student with AD/HD qualifies for IDEA services– They may be able to receive services through Section

504• One role of the IEP or 504 team is to develop

educational plans that may or may not be used in conjunction with medication– Team members should never suggest a child needs

medication. Only a doctor can make that determination

– Teams also cannot make taking medication a requirement of attending school.

Determining Supplementary Aids and Services

• Arrange the classroom in a consistent manner• It is not always best to seat students with peers• Seat the student in close proximity to the teacher• Do not seat students with hyperactivity/impulsivity

close to highly distracting areas• Clearly post daily and weekly schedules• Arrange the classroom to facilitate smooth

transitions between classroom activities• Minimize classroom clutter

Planning for UDL

• Planning for Universal Design for Learning– Students need to learn organization and neatness– Goal setting can improve organization skills• Identify and define a goal• Develop a series of objectives or tasks• Specify actions necessary to achieve desired outcomes• Make goals challenging but obtainable

– Planning for other Educational Needs• Teachers should play a role in monitoring children on

medication for changes or side effects

Early Childhood Services

• Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program– Multimodal treatments• Medication• Parent Training• Classroom Behavioral Management Interventions

Elementary and Middle School Students

• Errorless learning– Presents discriminative stimuli and arranged the

delivery of prompts in a learning situation in such a way as to ensure that the students give only correct responses (or only a few incorrect responses)

– Prompts can be physical, verbal or visual– Premise is that learning that occurs with mistakes is

stronger and lasts longer– Uses “most to least” prompting, most intrusive at

first, the, as task is mastered, prompts fade

Secondary and Transition Students

• Cognitive behavioral and self-control strategies– Teach the use of inner speech, “Self-Talk”– The purpose of cognitive behavioral strategies is

to modify behavior and thinking patterns– Possible benefits of this method are increased

capacity to self-control and self-regulate behavior

Measuring Student Progress

• Progress in the general curriculum– Curriculum based management– Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) process

• Progress in Addressing Other Educational Needs– Monitoring progress in areas such as social skills,

self-control, medication management– T-charts– checklists

Making Accommodations for Assessment

• Issues include attention and concentration problems– May qualify for extra breaks– May need multiple testing sessions– May request a reduced-distraction testing

environment