Self-Checks areas such as intellectual, creative,

I. Who are learners with exceptionalities? academic, or leadership ability or visual or

The term learners with exceptionalities performing art. For that reason, these
refers to individuals whose physical, children require activities or services not
behavioral, or cognitive performance is so provided ordinarily by schools. Gifted and
different from the norm that additional talented children tend to be highly
services are required to meet the individual’s motivated, learn to read early, and perform
needs. Disability and handicap are not well academically.
interchangeable terms. Disability refers to a
functional limitation a person has that Physical disabilities: This can include any of
interferes with the person’s physical or a number of disabilities, such as orthopedic
cognitive performance, like ADHD, whereas impairments (e.g., clubfoot or cerebral
handicap refers to a limitation imposed upon palsy) or other health impairments like
a person with a disability by society, such as asthma, hemophilia, or lead poisoning.
lack of access for people in wheelchairs.
Visual disabilities: Visual disabilities can be
Labeling is an important issue with respect divided into low vision and blindness.
to learners with exceptionalities. When Individuals with low vision can function but
students are identified with exceptionalities, with assistance of optical or non-optical
stereotyping becomes easy, such as "the deaf devices and environmental modifications
student." However, when people come and/or techniques. Blindness refers to being
before exceptionalities, stereotyping may without functional use of vision and reliance
not be so automatic, such as "the student on other sensory systems for education.
with a hearing deficit/loss." Keep in mind
two rules with respect to labeling; people Hearing disabilities: Hearing disability can
come before labels, and avoid making the be sub-divided into hard of hearing or
person equal the disability. profoundly hard of hearing or deaf. People
in the latter two groups cannot rely on
The Learners with Exceptionalities: audition as a primary avenue for assessing
Mental retardation: Mental retardation refers information, even with the use of hearing
to substantial limitations in present aids. Those classified under the former
functioning characterized by significantly rubric can process auditory information,
sub-average intellectual performance and usually with help of a hearing aid. Hearing
limitations in a number (two or more) of loss is measured in decibels (amplitude of
adaptive living skills, such as home living or sound waves, a measure of loudness),
social skills. ranging from mild hearing loss (inability to
hear a whispered conversation in a quiet
Giftedness: Gifted children possess atmosphere, 15-40 dB) to profound hearing
demonstrated or potential abilities that give loss (cannot hear speech and perhaps hears
evidence of high performance capabilities in only extremely loud noises such as a chain
saw).
Learning disabilities: Learning disability Language problems relate to language code.
refers to a disorder in one or more of the They are either expressive or receptive.
basic psychological processes in the Students with receptive language problems
understanding or using of language, written cannot understand language code (e.g.,
or spoken, which may manifest itself in semantics or grammar). A person with
difficulty performing basic tasks like expressive language problems has not
arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, or mastered language code substantially to
attention. Causes can include brain damage, communicate thoughts, ideas, or feelings
dyslexia, or perceptual difficulties. completely.
However, the term learning disabilities does
not include problems resulting from Autism: Autism refers to a developmental
conditions like mental retardation, disability affecting verbal and non-verbal
environmental disadvantage, or motor, communication and social interaction.
visual, or hearing disabilities. Autism is generally apparent prior to the age
of three and is characterised by repetitive
Emotional/behavioral disorders: The term behaviors, difficulty adapting to new
emotional/behavioral disorder refers to a environments, and unusual responses to
condition lasting an extended period of time sensory stimulation.
and to a marked degree adversely affects a
child’s educational performance. It has the
characteristics of an inability to learn,
inexplicable by health, intellectual, or
sensory factors; inability to build or sustain
satisfactory interpersonal relationships with
peers or teachers; inappropriate behaviors
displayed under normal circumstances;
pervasive mood of unhappiness or
depression; and a tendency to develop
physical (sympathetic) symptoms of fears
associated with personal and school
problems. Schizophrenia is one example, as
are anxiety and mood disorders.

Speech disorders: People with speech

problems can understand language code
(rules governing word construction,
meaning, grouping, and pragmatics) but are
nevertheless unable to communicate with
clarity due to stuttering or rough, hoarse, or
nasal-sounding voices.