KNOW YOUR DISABILITY

ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a neurologically based disorder that impacts upon learning and behavior. Specifically, the disorder may involve attention deficits, impulsivity, hyperactivity, mood swings, low stress tolerance and difficulty in following rules. It is a hidden disability which often impacts upon an individual's performance in the early school years, college and throughout life. 

Behaviors displayed may include inability to consistently perform: concentrating; listening; starting, organizing, and completing tasks; following directions; making transitions; interacting with others; producing work at a consistently normal level; organizing problems that involve multiple steps.

For a list of helpful strategies for ADD students, click here.

Emotional

Emotional impairment refers to a wide range of psychiatric/psychological disorders such as neuroses, psychoses, personality disorders, dissociate disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

Behaviors displayed may include poor concentration, low motivation, inability to tolerate stress, episodes of lower academic performance, sleep disturbances, and side effects of medications.

Emotional concerns may manifest themselves in negative or apathetic attitudes and behavior. It may be helpful to remember that these students have as little control over their disabilities as students with physical disabilities.

For more detailed information, download this PDF.

Hearing

A hearing impairment refers to any type or degree of auditory impairment; deafness is an inability to use hearing as a means of communication. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, or profound.

A person who is born with a hearing loss may have language deficiencies and exhibit poor vocabulary and syntax. People with acquired deafness may have excellent speech. Some students with hearing loss may use hearing aids and rely on lip reading. Many students learn communication through American Sign Language (ASL) and will require an interpreter.

For more detailed information, download this PDF.

Learning

Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that interfere with a person's ability to store, process, or produce information, and create a "gap" between one's ability and performance. Individuals with learning disabilities are generally of average or above average intelligence.

Learning disabilities can affect one's ability to read, write, speak, or compute math, and can impede social skills. Learning disabilities can affect one or more areas of development. Individuals with learning disabilities can have marked difficulties on certain types of tasks while excelling at others.

Sometimes overlooked as "hidden handicaps", learning disabilities are often not easily recognized, accepted or considered serious once detected. Learning disabilities affect children and adults. The impact of the disability ranges from relatively mild to severe. Learning disabilities often run in families.

Learning disabilities are NOT the same as the following handicaps: mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, behavioral disorders. Nor are learning disabilities the result of economic disadvantage, environmental factors or cultural differences. Attention deficits and hyperactivity sometimes co-occur with learning disabilities, but not always.

Learning disabilities are not cured and do not go away, but individuals can learn to compensate for and even overcome areas of weakness.

Physical

A wide range of conditions may limit mobility and/or hand function. Common ones are paraplegia or quadriplegia, amputation, arthritis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, cardiac conditions, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, stroke, and respiratory diseases. Functional limitations and abilities vary widely even within the same type of disability.

Students may have difficulty getting to or from class, performing in class, and managing out-of-class assignments and tests. Accommodations vary greatly and can only be determined on an individual basis.

For more detailed information, download this PDF.

Vision

Visual impairments vary greatly. Disorders in the sense of vision typically result in acuity less than 20/200 in the better eye after correction or in a limit in the field of vision to less than a 20 degree angle. Impaired vision may be the inability to see clearly, see the entire field of vision, perceive color or use both eyes to see. Limitations vary widely.

Most persons who are legally blind have some vision. Those with low vision may rely on residual vision and adaptive equipment.

For more detailed information, download this PDF.

More information on various disorders:

Psychological Disabilities

Traumatic Brain Injury