Disability

Characteristics
ADHD
Autism
CD
EBD
LD
OHI

Specific Learning Disabilities occur within the

abilities to read, write, and calculate information.
(Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia )
Academic

Characteristics:
*Difficulty in hearing and understanding words
*Otherwise very intelligent and mainstream this
child my struggle in school work due to an LD
*potential difficulty in following language related
tasks
*Difficulty hearing/spelling similarly sounding words
*Spacing, spelling, writing may be difficult for
teacher to read see or understand
*letter reversals, b vs. d

Specific Learning
Disabilities
Behavioral Characteristics:
May have an extended wait time to
questions as they are processing
instructions
Avoidance of paperwork assignments
because reading may be difficult and
hand may be tired
eyes hurt and itch, head hurts from
concentrating on blurry letters

Specific Learning
Disabilities
Social

Characteristics
*May not understand or hear what a
peer is saying to them
*may have difficulty explaining to peers
what they are trying to say
(this may cause a feeling of rejection by
peers)

Specific Learning
Disabilities
Strengths:
All

students want to learn and all

students want to be accepted
*Very verbal in class discussions
*Gathers large picture because details
may be difficult to perfect

Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
Academic

Characteristics:
May display inability or disinterest in
concentrating on academia
*May display distaste for figure of
authority
*Expects simple and clear individualized
rules and may profit from a strict routine

Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
Behavioral

characteristics
May be generally pessimistic or disinterested.
*Searching for a comfortable environment this
childs mood may take on a range of behaviors
happy to sad to mad in the matter of minutes
*Child may have difficulty following any set of rules
*Child may react to over or undereating of food and
may carry a high sensitivity around meal times
*child may be drawn to a specific object touching
or counting it repetitively

Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
Social Characteristics
*Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine or events that
happen after an event.
*May be inappropriately aggressive or loud peers may
begin to fear this student
*May display under aged emotions in reaction to an
event
*High anxiety may cause this student to avoid peer
interaction
*may need support in building lasting peer relationships,
seeks modeling
Difficulty understanding social norms

Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
Strengths
*Child

may expect a set of realism that

will allow an adult to bond with these
children
*Potentially very aware and
communicative of what they need

Attention Deficit Hyperactive

Disorder (ADHD)
Academic Characteristics
*While listening perfectly well student may be
moving his/her body around a lot, tapping body parts
*Simple mistakes in work
* Potential messy work or doodles present
*May blurt out responses during class
*Difficulty completing instructions
*May be a student who puts work off or forgets
something seemingly obvious
Inability to multitask information gets lost

ADHD
Behavioral

Characteristics:
*Very active body and inability to control body
movements and words
*Potential inability to follow multi-step
directions as on their way to first step another
step becomes more interesting.
*Can be very loud in times and spaces of quiet
*Anxiety. When is recess, when is lunch,
Processing so many time periods at once

ADHD
Social

Characteristics:
very handsy with peers pushing and
touching when unwanted
*May seem to not listen to peers and
hold one sided conversations very
talkative
*Difficulty waiting turn or playing a
game a friend wants to play

ADHD
Strengths
*

Works quickly when motivated

*Very active and imaginative
*Can be very helpful to peers
*Can be very helpful to teacher

Communication Disorder
(Speech/Language)
Academic

Characteristics
*When receptive and expressive
language does not match, teacher may
have difficulty assessing childs true
potential.
*Child may have difficulty in
participating in group discussions

Communication Disorder
(Speech ad Language)
Behavioral

Characteristics:
*May have texture issues with food or
non-food items that should or should not
go in their mouths
*May be reserved during class
discussions or keep to themselves so
they dont have to verbally
communicate

Communication Disorder
(Speech and Language)
Social

Characteristics:
*Difficulty in expressive and receptive
language can cause frustration from
peers or lack of fitting in.
*extra support in speech and language
may ostracize them from their peers as
more time is spent outside of the
classroom

Communication Disorder
(Speech and Language)
Strengths:
*Can be a very good listener
*Ability to pick up on social and non-verbal
cues when the language isnt making sense
*Can develop exquisite patience as always
being asked to repeat themselves
Speech is the only disability that can be
cured

Highly Functioning Autism

Academic Characteristics
*Difficulty performing tasks by teachers exact
expectations
*Potential language delay
*Observant in noticing patterns (primarily with numbers)
*Very intensely educated on a topic of pleasure
*Reaches academic goal in quickest way possible
*Work may be disorganized or very very neat.
* Time difficult to comprehend responds potentially to a
sound to keep time
Difficulty in transitioning and changes

Highly Functioning Autism

Behavioral

Characteristics
Responding to noises and textures in
environment extreme while response to
pain is low
Repetitive movements with body parts,
entire body, words and phrasing
Desires comfort item
High frustration level

Highly Functioning Autism

Social

Characteristics
Very intrinsic and slow to develop relationships.
*Unaware to social norms or common sayings
*Enjoys personal space yet high difficulty of
respecting anothers personal space
*Does not always take turns. (Academic trait as
well)
*May not respond in socially acceptable way.
Laughs instead of cry. Cry at small issue

Highly Functioning Autism

Strengths
*Observant

to variances in routine.
(Alert adult of others behaviors)
*Very realistic (Avoids pretend)
*Very organized
* Keeps teacher honest in promises
Ability to make strong analogies
Strong attention to detail

Other Health Impairments & Orthopedic

Impairments OHI (skeletal and muscular)
Academic

Characteristics:
*potential difficulty in participation
academic exposure time (medical
appointments, transition time)
*potential inability to communicate in a
classroom (raise hand with a question
etc.) communicate correct answers on a
test

OHI
Behavioral

Characteristics:
*potential reservation because of pain
caused by wide arrangement of burns,
impairments from fractures birth
differences or diseases
*potential refusal of offered help or
learned helplessness in expectation of
someone to do it for them.

OHI
Social

Characteristics
*Potential language difference and
inability to be understood
*potential depression or grew up faster
than peers
*looks different may be ignored or
automatically treated differently by peers
*potential lack of understanding of social
norns due to lack of exposure to peers

OHI
Strengths:
*technologically advanced due to
immobility
*recognizes the power of the mind in
others beyond physical attributes (a good
friend)
*Persistent to reaching and overcoming
goals
Strong awareness of self-care