Intellectual Disabilities & Autism

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES DEFINED

1. Significantly subaverage IQ (less than 70)
2. Significant deficits in adaptive behaviour -- outside of school
- ie. difficulty with buttons or zippers
3. Occurs before age 18

* As a teacher, model how to interact with these students


CHARACTERISTICS (overlap with Autism)

1. Memory

• Short term memory = LOW
• Long term memory = Average

Repeat, repeat, repeat -- start young and make sure it is worth learning.

2. Language

• Expressive = LOW
• Receptive = Average

3. Motor Skills

• Gross motor (large muscles) = Average
• Fine motor = LOW

4. Other health problems:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Obesity

(Dr. Kathy Heikkila, UBC EPSE 317, Fall 2011)