Intellectual Disability

Question 1: Who are the students in this group?

In the United States, 4.9% of the population is considered intellectually disabled. In other words, from a base population of 287,572,700 people, 14,144,300 of them have an intellectual disability. In the state of South Carolina, 5.6% of the population has an intellectual disability. This means from a base population of 4,311,200, an estimated 242,600 are considered to have an intellectual disability. This survey included all ages, races, all genders, and all education levels (“Disability Statistics”).

Intellectual disability is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. This covers many social and practical skills used in everyday life. This disability manifests before the age of 18. Intellectual functioning is used interchangeably with intelligence. It refers to mental capacities such as learning, reasoning, and problem solving. A common way to to assess intellectual functioning is through an IQ test. An IQ score of 70-75 or below often indicates limited intellectual functioning. Adaptive behavior includes skills that are learned and used in everyday life. These include conceptual skills, such as literacy, money, and time, social skills, and practical skills, such as personal care and occupational skills. Standardized tests are also used to determine proficiency in adaptive behaviors (“Intellectual Disability” AAIDD).

There are many causes of intellectual disabilities. Factors may be physical, genetic, and/or social. Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are syndromes commonly linked with intellectual disability. Many common causes occur during pregnancy or at the time of birth. For example a mother w...

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...lities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)." Questions & Answers about Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). USA.gov, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

Sharpe, Michael and Maureen Hawes. “Collaboration Between General and Special Education: Making it Work.” Examining Current Challenges in Secondary Education and Transition. NCSET, July 2003. Publication of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.

Zais, Mick. “Standards for Evaluation and Eligibility Determination”. SC State Department of Education. Office of Exceptional Children. 2011. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. “Thirty-five Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA”. Washington, D.C., 2010.