Multiple Disabilities
Students with severe and/or multiple disabilities may exhibit any number or combination of the following characteristics depending on the severity of cognitive delay and/or additional disabilities such as vision and hearing impairments, communication difficulties and physical disabilities affecting mobility, coordination, and/or fine motor skills. (http://www.nsnet.org/start/severe.pdf)
- Language delay and/or speech problems
- Limited or no verbal communication skills
- Lack of basic physical mobility
- Problems with attention, perception, memory, and problem solving
- Poor retention skills, slow rate of learning
- Self-stimulation
- Self- injurous behavior
- Inability to relate to people
- Medical problems such as seizures, cerebral palsy and scoliosis
Organizational Resources
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/multiple
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities lost their funding on September 30, 2013, but their website and its resources are available until September 30, 2014. This site provides information on multiple and severe disabilities. It includes definitions, characteristics, incidence, and other health implications.
Project IDEAL
http://www.projectidealonline.org
Project IDEAL’s website provides information on multiple and severe disabilities. It includes facts on these disabilities along with teaching strategies and information on organizations that support individuals who are living with these disabilities.
http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/multiple
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities lost their funding on September 30, 2013, but their website and its resources are available until September 30, 2014. This site provides information on multiple and severe disabilities. It includes definitions, characteristics, incidence, and other health implications.
Project IDEAL
http://www.projectidealonline.org
Project IDEAL’s website provides information on multiple and severe disabilities. It includes facts on these disabilities along with teaching strategies and information on organizations that support individuals who are living with these disabilities.
Documents
Strategies
- Peer tutoring.
- Assistive technology.
- Engage in oral language activities regularly.
- Monitor the student’s response to stimuli.
- Provide frequent changes of position and orientations for the student.
- Allow the student to make choices. Do not always decide for them, even if waiting for choices takes more time.
http://www.nsnet.org/start/severe.pdf