Understanding Disabilities and Vulnerabilities PDF

CHAPTER -ONE UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES AND VULNERABILITIES  1.1 Definitions of Basic Terms (Impairment, Disability and Handicap) Impairment- Impairment means a lack/abnormality of an anatomic, physiological or psychological structure or f...

CHAPTER -ONE UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES AND VULNERABILITIES  1.1 Definitions of Basic Terms (Impairment, Disability and Handicap) Impairment- Impairment means a lack/abnormality of an anatomic, physiological or psychological structure or function or deviation on a person. Disability--The term disability is ambiguous as there is no single agreement on the concept (Mitra, 2006) – It is not synonymous with AKAL-GUDATENGA (የአካል ጉዳተኛ) meaning impairment – The concept of disability is complex, dynamic, multidimensional, and contested (WHO and World Bank, 2011).  The full inclusion of people with impairments in society can be inhibited by: – 1. Attitudinal (societal barriers, such as stigma) – 2. Physical barriers (environmental barriers, such as absence of stairs), and – 3. Policy barriers (systemic barriers), Where all together can create a disabling effect and inhibit disability inclusive development. They are disabling factors.  If these problems addressed, impairment may not lead to disability Where all together can create a disabling effect and inhibit disability inclusive development. Societal, environmental, and systemic barriers are the most popular disabling factors: What is the difference between – Disabled persons and – Persons with disability What is disability? Definitions of Disabilities by different Models 1. Medical Approach Disability is pathology (physiological, biological and intellectual). Disability means functional limitations due to physical, intellectual or psychic impairment, health or psychic disorders on a person (WHO,1996). The medical definition has given rise to the idea that people are individual objects to be – treated, – changed" or – improved" and – made more normal. The medical definition views people with disability as needing to ―fit in rather than thinking about how society itself should change.  The social definition of disability: Disability is a highly varied and complex condition with a range of implications for social identity and behavior. Disability largely depends on the context and is a consequence of discrimination, prejudice and exclusion. Emphasizes the shortcomings in the environment and in many organized activities in society, for example on information, communication and education, which prevent persons with disabilities from participating on equal terms.  Causes of disability What do you think is the causes of disability? Some people, especially in the past times, wrongly believe that disability is a punishment from God. There are some who still believe that disability is a form of personal punishment for individual with disability, a kind of karma for their past mistakes, which is totally unacceptable now days.  Disability can be caused by the following factors. Genetic Causes – Abnormalities in genes and genetic inheritance can cause intellectual disability in children. – In some countries, Down syndrome is the most common genetic condition. Sometimes, diseases, illnesses, and over-exposure to x-rays can cause a genetic disorder. Environmental – Poverty and malnutrition in pregnant mothers can cause a deficiency in vital minerals and result in deformation issues in the unborn child. – After birth, poverty and malnutrition can also cause poor development of vital organs in the child, which can eventually lead to disability.  The use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, the exposure to certain toxic chemicals and illnesses, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella and syphilis by a pregnant mother can cause intellectual disability to the child. Childhood diseases such as a whooping cough, measles, and chicken pox may lead to meningitis and encephalitis. This can cause damage to the brain of the child. Toxic material such as lead and mercury can damage the brain too. Unfortunate life events such as drowning, automobile accidents, falls and so on can result in people losing their sight, hearing, limbs and other vital parts of their body and cause disability.  Unknown Causes The human body is a phenomenal thing. Scientists have still not figured out what and how some things in the body, cells, brain, and genes come about. Humans have still not found all the answers to all the defects in the human body Inaccessible environments Sometimes society makes it difficult for people with some impairment to function freely. When society develops infrastructure such as houses, roads, parks and other public places without consideration to people with impairment, the basically make it impossible for them to take care of themselves  Some type of disabilities: 1. Visual impairment :- Visual impairment in general designates two sub- classifications. These are blindness and low vision. Blindness:- The term blindness typically refers to vision loss that is not correctable with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Blindness may not mean a total absence of sight, however. Some people who are considered blind may be able to perceive slowly moving lights or colors.  Low vision: The term low vision is used for moderately impaired vision. People with low vision may have a visual impairment that affects only central vision—the area directly in front of the eyes—or peripheral vision—the area to either side of and slightly behind the eyes.  2.Hearing Impairment Pasonella and Carat from legal point of view, define hearing impairment as a generic term indicating a continuum of hearing loss from mild to profound, which includes the sub- classifications of the hard of hearing and deaf.  Hard of Hearing: "A hearing impairment, whether permanent of fluctuating, which adversely affects a child's educational performance but which is not included under the definition of 'deaf'." Whelan, R. J. (1988). This term can also be used to describe persons with enough (usually with hearing aids) as a primary modality of acquisition of language and in communication with others.  Deaf: Those who have difficulty understanding speech, even with hearing aids but can successfully communicate in sign language. Cultural definitions of deafness, on the other hand, emphasize an individual‘s various abilities, use of sign language, and connections with the culturally deaf community. 3.Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to o listen, o think, o speak, o read, o write, o spell, or o to do mathematical calculations.  The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.  Learning disabilities should not be confused with learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages. Generally speaking, people with learning disabilities are of average or above average intelligence.  There often appears to be a gap between the individual‘s potential and actual achievement. This is why learning disabilities are referred to as ―hidden disabilities‖: the person looks perfectly ―normal‖ and seems to be a very bright and intelligent person, yet may be unable to demonstrate the skill level expected from someone of a similar age. A learning disability cannot be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong challenge. However, with appropriate support and intervention, people with learning disabilities can achieve success in school, at work, in relationships, and in the community.  Types of Specific Learning Disabilities 1. Auditory Processing Disorder/APD/ Also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder, this is a condition that adversely affects how sound that travels unimpeded through the ear is processed or interpreted by the brain. Individuals with APD do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. They can also find it difficult to tell where sounds are coming from, to make sense of the order of sounds, or to block out competing background noises.  A/Dyscalculia Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that affects a person‘s ability to understand numbers and learn math. Individuals with this type of LD may also have poor comprehension of math symbols, may struggle with memorizing and organizing numbers, have difficulty telling time, or have trouble with counting.  B/ Dysgraphia Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects a person‘s handwriting ability and fine motor skills. Problems may include illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing, poor spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and difficulty composing writing as well as thinking and writing at the same time.  C. Dyslexia Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing kills. The severity can differ in each individual but can affect reading fluency; decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Language- Based Learning Disability.  D. Language Processing Disorder Language Processing Disorder is a specific type of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in which there is difficulty attaching meaning to sound groups that form words, sentences and stories. While an APD affects the interpretation of all sounds coming into the brain, a Language Processing Disorder (LPD) relates only to the processing of language. LPD can affect expressive language and/or receptive language.  E. Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities is a disorder which is usually characterized by a significant discrepancy between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial and social skills. Typically, an individual with NLD (or NVLD) has trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language, and may have poor coordination.  F. Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit is a disorder that affects the understanding of information that a person sees, or the ability to draw or copy. A characteristic seen in people with learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia or Non-verbal LD, it can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/hand coordination.  4.Speech and Language Impairments Speech and language impairment means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. It is disorder that adversely affects the child's ability to talk, understand, read, and write. This disability category can be divided into two groups: speech impairments and language impairments.  4.1 Speech Impairments There are three basic types of speech impairments: 1. Articulation disorders, 2. Fluency disorders, and 3. Voice disorders Articulation disorders – Omissions: (bo for boat) – Substitutions: (wabbit for rabbit) – Distortions: (shlip for sip)  Fluency disorders – Stuttering: rapid-fire repetitions of consonant or vowel sounds especially at the beginning of words, prolongations, hesitations, interjections, and complete verbal blocks – Cluttering: excessively fast and jerky speech  Language Impairments There are five basic areas of language impairments: – phonological disorders= are defined as the abnormal organization of the phonological system, or a significant deficit in speech production or perception. – morphological disorders= are defined as difficulties with morphological inflections (inflections on nouns, verbs, and adjectives that signal different kinds of meanings). – semantic disorders= are characterized by poor vocabulary development, inappropriate use of word meanings, and/or inability to comprehend word meanings. – syntactical deficits= Syntactic deficits are characterized by difficulty in acquiring the rules that govern word order and others aspects of grammar such as subject-verb agreement – pragmatic difficulties= Pragmatic difficulties are characterized as problems in understanding and using language in different social contexts.  5.Autism Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance.  Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in – repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, – resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and – unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child‘s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below.  Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder defined by impairments in social and communication development, accompanied by stereotyped patterns of behaviour and interest (Landa, 2007). Autism is pervasive developmental disorder characterized by lack of normal sociability, impaired communication and repetitive obsessive behaviour such as politeness, turn-taking (Young & Nettlebeck , 2005). Characteristics of Autism a. Social Characteristics  Severely impaired verbal and non verbal communication skills.  Inability to communicate with words or gestures. b. Emotional Characteristics  Many students with autism are visual learners.  Some of them are skillful in drawing, music and mathematics. c/ Language /Communication characteristics Severely impaired verbal and non verbal communication skills Inability to communicate with words or gestures d. Learning/ academic Characteristics  Many students with autism are visual learners.  Some of them are skillful in drawing, music and mathematics.  6. Emotional and Behavioural Disorders According to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the term Emotional and Behavioral Disorders means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance  1) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; 2) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; 3) Inappropriate types of behaviour or feelings under normal circumstances; 4) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or 5) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.  An individual having behavioral or emotional disorders can exhibit widely varied types of behavior. Therefore, different classification systems of behavioral and emotional disorders can be used for special education. Different professionals have developed a classification system, which shows some promise for educational practice. These include:  Types of Emotional and behavioural disorder Conduct disorder: individuals may seek attention, are disruptive and act out. The disorder is classified by type: overt (with violence or tantrums) versus covert (with lying, stealing, and/or drug use). Socialized aggression: individuals join subculture group of peers who are openly disrespectful to their peers, teachers, and parents Attention problems These individuals may have attention deficit, are easily destructible and have poor concentration.  Anxiety/Withdrawn- These individuals are self-conscious, reserved, and unsure of themselves. They typically have low self- esteem and withdraw from immediate activities. They are also anxious and frequently depressed. Psychotic behaviour:These individuals show more bizarre behavior. They may hallucinate, deal in a fantasy world and may even talk in gibberish. Motor excess: These students are hyperactive. They cannot sit nor listen to others nor keep their attention focused.  Kauffman (1993) conclude that emotion or behavioural disorders fall into two broad classifications: 1) Externalizing Behaviour: also called under controlled disorder, include such problems disobedience, disruptiveness, fighting, tempers tantrums, irresponsibility, jealous, anger, attention seeking etc… 2) Internalizing Behaviour: also known as over controlled disorders, include such problems anxiety, immaturity, shyness, social withdrawal, feeling of inadequacy (inferiority), guilt, depression and worries a great deal  Causes of behavioral and emotional disorders Biological- Family factors- Cultural factors- Environmental factors-  7.Intellectual Disability Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18. An individual is considered to have an intellectual disability based on the following three criteria:. 1. Sub average intellectual functioning: – It refers to general mental capacity, such as learning, reasoning, problem solving, and so on. One way to measure intellectual functioning is an IQ test. Generally, an IQ test score of around 70 or as high as 75 indicates a limitation in intellectual functioning 2. Significant limitations exist in two or more adaptive skill areas: It is the collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that are learned and performed by people in their everyday lives.  Conceptual skills—language and literacy; money, time, and number concepts; and self- direction.  Social skills—interpersonal skills, social responsibility, self-esteem, gullibility (Trustfulness), innocence (i.e., suspicion), social problem solving, and the ability to follow rules/obey laws and to avoid being victimized.  Practical skills—activities of daily living (personal care), occupational skills, healthcare, travel/transportation, schedules/routines, safety,  People with intellectual disabilities academic learning can be affected, as well as their ability to adapt to home, school, and community environments are presented under the following sub-headings:  General Cognition:  Learning and Memory:  Attention:  Adaptive Skills:  Speech and Language:  Motivation:  Academic Achievement:  Physical characteristics:  Levels of support for individuals with intellectual disabilities Levels of support range from intermittent (just occasional or ―as needed‖ for specific activities) to pervasive (continuous in all realms of living).  8. Physical disability/Orthopedic Impairment and Health impairment Physical disability is a condition that interferes with the individual‘s ability to use his or her body. Many but not all, physical disabilities are orthopedic impairments. (The term orthopedic impairment generally refers to conditions of muscular or skeletal system and sometimes to physical disabling conditions of the nervous system). Health impairment is a condition that requires ongoing medical attention. It includes asthma, heart defects, cancer, diabetes, hemophilia. HIV/AIDS, etc Classification and Characteristics How can you classify physical impairment? Physical disabilities:- based on the impact of physical disability on mobility and motor skills, it is divided into three. These are:- A. Mild physical disability:- these individuals are able to walk without aids and may make normal developmental progress. B. Moderate physical disability:- individuals can walk with braces and crutches and may have difficulty with fine-motor skills and speech production. C. Severe physical disability:- these are individuals who are wheel-chair dependent and may need special help to achieve regular development.  The physical disability could be broadly classified in to two I. The neurological system (the brain ,spinal cord & nerve) related problems.  with a neurological condition like cerebral palsy or a traumatic brain injury, the brain either sends the wrong instructions or interprets feedback incorrectly. II. Musculo skeletal system ( the muscles, bones and joints) are deficient due to various causes.  Epilepsy:-is disorder that occurs when the brain cells are not working properly and is often called a seizure disorder. Spinal bifida and spinal cord injury:- damage to the spinal cord leads to paralysis and loss of sensation in the affected areas of the body. The spinal blfida is a birth defect of the backbone (spinal column). The cause si unknown but it usually occurs in the first twenty-six days of pregnancy. II. Musculoskeletal system: - -1. it includes the muscles and their supporting framework and the skeleton. 2. Progressive muscle weakness (muscular dystrophy); 3. Inflammation of the joints (arthritis), or 4. Loss of various parts of the body (amputation)  A. Muscular dystrophy:- B. Arthritis:- C. Amputation:- Other muscle-skeletal disorders are:- D. Marfan syndrome E. Achondroplasis:- torso (upper body, chest)  Polio:- Club foot:- - is a major orthopedic problem affecting about 9,000 infants each year. This term is used to describe various ankle or foot deformities, i.e – Twisting inward (equino varus), the most severe form – Sharply angled at the heel (calcanel vaigus), most common – The front part of the foot turned inward.  Health Impairments Any disease that interferes with learning can make students eligible for special services. These disease caused problems are as follow. 1. Heart disease:- this is common among young people. It is caused by improper circulation of blood by the heart some of the disorders are congenital (present at birth);others are the product of inflammatory heart disease. Some students have heart value disorders; others have disorders of the blood vessels. His time heart implantation helps children to get cured.  2. Cystic fibrosis:- is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and pancreas. It leads to recurrent respiratory and digestive problems including abnormal amounts of thick mucus, sweet and saliva. The disease is so progressive and few who have it survive beyond age 20. Children with such disease often spend significant timeout of school.  3. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS):- is a very severe disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and transmitted primarily through exchange of bodily fluids in transfusions or unprotected sex, and by contaminated needles in addictive drug use.  4. Hemophilia:- is a hereditary disease in which the blood clots very slowly or not all. The disorder is transmitted by sex-linked recessive gene and nearly always occurs in males. 5. Asthma: is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by repeated episods of breathing difficulties especially while exhaling.  6. Diabetes: Developmental or hereditary disorder characterized by inadequate secretion or use of insulin 7. Nephrosis & Nephritis: Kidney disorders or diseases caused by infections, poisoning, burns, accidents or other diseases  8. Sickle-cell anemia Hereditary and chronic blood disease (occurring primarly in African Americans) characterized by red blood cells that are distored and that do not circulate properly 9. Leukemia: Disease characterized by excessive production of white blood Cells 10. Lead poisoning Disorder caused by ingesting lead-based paint chips or other substances containing lead  11. Rheumatic fever Disease characterized by painful swelling and inflammation of the joints that can spread to the hear and central nervous system. 12. Tuberculosis Infectious disease that commonly affects the lungs and may affect other tissues of the body. 13. Cancer Abnormal growth of cells that can affect any organ system 9. Vulnerability