Scott Dollen

Dr. Duchaine
SPED 5326
1/26/2016
Matrix

Specific Learning Disabilities (LD)

a Academic
i Imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, write, spell or do mathematical
calculations
ii Difficulty learning to read by first grade
iii Difficulties understanding word structure
iv Difficulty paraphrasing
v May not understand jokes
vi Slow to figure out rhymes, letters, numbers, colors or shapes
vii Difficulty with number concepts
viii Struggle with multiple step problems
ix Dyscalculia (problems with arithmetic and math concepts)
x Can have trouble paying attention
xi Poor memory
xii Following directions is challenging
xiii Slow to respond
xiv Off topic comments
xv Oral reading difficulties
xvi Difficulty with reading comprehension
xvii Word recognition
xviii Handwriting, composition, and spelling errors
xix Can fall up to four years behind, and will remain behind academically
b Social behavioral
i Not good at nonverbal cues
ii Low social status
iii Might not understand jokes, sarcasm, etc
iv Might not take turns
v Might have non-verbal learning disability
vi Issues with empathy
vii Unaware of when bother others
viii Seen as overly dependent by peers
ix Difficulty making friends
c Physical
i Motoric dysfunction
ii Lack of coordination
iii Poor fine motor skills
iv Poor visual spatial skills
v Sensory dysfunction

Emotional Disturbance (ED) also known as Behavioral Disorders (BD) or EBD

a Academic
i Anxiety can impact learning
ii Organization and time management issues
iii May struggle with school strategies
iv At risk for dropping out
b Social and Behavioral
i Depression
ii May avoid interaction
iii Few friends
iv Covert aggression
v Relational aggression
vi Cannot relate to others perspectives
vii Acting out in class
viii May not seem to care about class
ix Immaturity, poor coping skills
x Isolated
xi Impulsivity
xii Affective disorders
1 Depression, anxiety, bipolar, ODC, psychotic disorder
2 Medication can be prescribed
c Physical
i Eating disorders
ii Physical aggression with peers and classmates
iii Physical symptoms of affective disorders
1 Weight loss, nervous habits, poor hygiene
2 Weight gain, hair loss
iv Physical symptoms relating with personal or school problems
1 Increased heart rate, breathing, sweating, panic attacks
d

Possible strengths
i Overcoming LD can result in high levels of perseverance
ii A sense of drive in order to accomplish things
iii Possibly very industrious in order to accomplish tasks, can lead to being
thought of as having a good work ethic
iv Dyslexic students can be very creative

Possible strengths
i May have above average academic achievement
ii Can be very motivated to work alone
iii Might have a very introspective view on life
iv Can be creative
v Often brilliant people suffer from ED
vi
Mild Intellectual Disability

Academic
i Delayed in foundational reading and math skills
ii Language skills are delayed, further impacting other areas
iii Achievement is lower
iv Learn basic computational skills, but struggle with solving problems
v Can share characteristics with students with LD
vi Struggle with attention, completing tasks
vii poor short term memory
1 Must orient themselves to the memory
2 Have trouble figuring out memory strategies
viii Difficulty seeing things in new contexts
ix
Social behavioral
i Difficulty with verbal interactions
ii Difficulty maintaining attention in social situations
iii Lower social status in classrooms
iv Alienation
v They may feel unimportant
vi May behave inappropriately
vii Must often by taught social skills, instead of understanding them
viii May have little interactions with peers due to separate classrooms
Physical
i Can learn physical skills more slowly than others
ii Might struggle with fine motor skills
iii Delays in speech development
iv Difficulty bathing, dressing, etc
v May be clumsy
vi Hygiene may be poor
vii
Possible strengths
i Can have a certain niche strengths
1 System based, or empathy based
ii Can be creative
iii Can have a childlike sense of morality

Autism (High-functioning with average to high intellect)

a Academic
i Can have trouble transitioning between subjects
ii May be overlay active
iii Seems to be in their own worlds
iv May not do well with group work
v Has trouble with empathy
vi Less likely to make any sort of effort to share experiences
vii All physical symptoms can manifest as
b Social behavioral
i Sharing emotions is difficult

ii Tunes others out

iii Rarely share attention with others
iv Doesnt t take turns
v Eye contact is lacking
vi May not respond to own name
vii Uncooperative
viii Difficulty in making friends
c Physical
i Unusual tone of voice
ii Avoids eye contact
iii Finger flicking, spinning, rocking
iv May repeat certain actions over and over againt
v May be sensitive to certain sensory experiences
vi High levels of anxiety( and accompanying symtpoms) around specific things
vii Odd movement patterns
viii Can be very sensitive to stimuli
ix Walk on his or her toes
x Atypical tantrums
d Strengths
i Success as accountants, mechanics, computer programmers
ii Enjoy time alone
iii Exceptional memory
iv Detail oriented
v Dont discriminate
vi Often dont manipulate others
Communication Disorders (includes both speech and language disorders)
a Academic
i May have a learning disability
ii Improper use of words
iii Inability to follow directions
iv May not understand words they see
v Asks questions incorrectly
vi Grammar issues
vii Pronoun issues
viii Retelling stories is difficult
ix Cannot make predictions
x Composition of writing is difficult
xi Uses gestures
xii Word problems for math are difficult
xiii Trouble forming sounds
xiv
b Social behavioral
i Hesitates to do speaking activities
ii Easily frustrated
iii Doesnt maintain eye contact
iv Inattentive

v Isolate themselves from social situations

vi Has to be show what to do
vii Acts impulsively
c Physical
i Trouble forming sounds
ii Poor speaking volume
iii Abnormal rate of speech
iv Unintelligible speech or sounds
v Whining quality
vi Breathy or harsh voice
vii Echolalic
viii Cleft palate
ix Allergy problems
x Oral muscular coordination is slow
xi Might be generally clumsy
xii Hearing loss, ear surgery, facial abnormalities, or congenital birth disorders
might be present
d Possible strengths
i Strong tactile and visual learners
ii Can be good with computers
iii Very good non verbal communicators
1 Expressive
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) also known as ADD
a Academic
i Cant stay focused on school work
ii Dont follow through with school work
iii Organization issues
iv Easily distracted
v Losing school work and materials
b Social behavioral
i Talk too much
ii Have trouble playing quietly
iii Dont wait their turn
iv Butt in on others games
v Unsure of oneself at school and at home
vi Interrupt others
vii Fidgeting
c Physical
i Fidgety
ii If taking medication, can be shaky, sweating
iii Often active in class
iv Can me more physical than other students
d Strengths
i Tend to seek new things
ii More playful and physical
iii Movement based careers, with high stimulations

Other health Impairments (OHI other than ADHD)

a Academic
i Can be distracting from school work
ii Wide range of academic implications, depending on disease
iii Most of all, probably distracting or painful, and can make it difficult to make
academics a priority
b Behavioral social
i Can leave students isolated by peers
ii Can make them less likely to be included
iii Can affect their self esteem
c Physical
i Too many physical characteristics to list
ii However, some include:
1 requiring insulin shots, require an epilepsy dog, require regular doctors
visits, might lose their hair due to chemo, Require an inhaler,
d Strengths
i These students often have little cognitive impairment
ii Can be motivated students, who behave not dissimilarly from other students in
the classroom
iii Can have a positive outlook on life and learning, especially if their condition
is serious and they want to make the most of their time
Orthopedic Impairments (OI = physic impairments involving the muscles and/or
skeleton)
a Academic
i Trouble getting around the classroom and school
ii Earning physical education credit
iii Transportation to and from school
iv Difficulty communicating
b Behavior social
i Could feel isolated from other students due to symtpons or inability to
communicate
ii Could have low self esteem, anger, or depression
iii Any number of affective psychological conditions could be present
c Physical
i Coulld be wheelchair bound, might have scars, physical differences on the
face or body
ii Could have trouble walking, speaking, eating, or simply any other physical
ability
iii The definition of an OI is a physical difficulty that could effect the academic
environment
d Strengths
i Cognitively might be no different than other students
ii
Deaf / Hard of Hearing (DHH)
a Academic

i Will need an aid or a specially designed classroom in order to relay

instructions
ii Visual cues are especially important for DHH students
iii Rarely follows leads
iv Can grow frustrated
v Have to learn how to use their technology
b Behavior social
i Some difficulty with general interpersonal skills
ii Fear of rejection over hearing aids or inability to communicate
iii Can feel lonely
iv Difficulty making friends
v Can feel alienated by the hearing community
c Physical
i Might have had ear surgery
ii Might have congenital birth defects
iii Voice might sound different or louder, or unable to understand
iv Might have hearing aids or implants
d Strengths
i Visual learners
ii Often have other strong sensory abilities to compensate
10 Visually Impaired (VI)
a Academic
i Almost everything is done via sight in the academic world
ii Will need brail, or adapted texts or screens in order to see
iii Will often have an aide accompanying them
iv Will have to learn their assistive technology
v Might need to be at the front of the classroom
vi Classroom will have to be arranged in the best way for that student
b Social behavioral
i Low motivation to explore environment
ii Low initiation to explore social interaction
iii Cannot share the same experiences with their peers, and suffer because of that
iv Low self esteem can develop from these experiences
c Physical
i Might have sunglasses on in class
ii Might be sensitive to light and glare
iii Sometimes poor fine motor skills
d Strengths
i Often other senses are strong
ii Can be good auditory learners
iii Can be very musically gifted and creative
iv Are very tactile