Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools, 6e ISBN: 0135027012 © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 7 Understanding

Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools, 6eISBN: 0135027012

© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All rights reserved.

Chapter 7Understanding Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools, 6eAnn Turnbull, Rud Turnbull, and Michael WehmeyerISBN: 0135027012

© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter 7 Objectives

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

Identify and define the characteristics of students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Compare and contrast externalizing and internalizing behaviors.

Describe the causes of emotional and behavioral disorders.

Articulate services and instructional approaches for students with emotional or behavioral disorders.



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Defining Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

IDEA Definition of Emotional Disturbance Over a long time, to a marked degree, that

adversely affects a child’s educational performance

Accompanied by one or more of 5 characteristics

Includes: schizophrenia, but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted unless they also meet the other criteria for having an emotional disturbance.



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Defining Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

One or more of 5 characteristics Inability to learn that cannot be explained by

intellectual, sensory, or health factors Inability to build or maintain satisfactory

interpersonal relationships with peers or teachers

Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

A general, pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression

A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems



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Approximately 0.7 percent of all student ages 6 - 21 in special education

Debate over accuracy of amount Gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic

factors influence prevalence White males more than white females Black females more than white females Black males highest disproportionately

Prevalence of EBD



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Emotional Characteristics of EBD

Anxiety disorder Separation

anxiety Generalized

anxiety disorder Phobia Panic disorder Obsessive-

compulsive disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Mood disorder Depression Suicide Bipolar disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder

Conduct disorder Schizophrenia



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Behavioral Characteristics of EBD

Externalizing behaviors Aggression, Acting out Noncompliant

behaviors

Internalizing behaviors Withdrawal Depression Anxiety Obsessions Compulsions

Can occur simultaneously



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Cognitive and Academic Characteristics of EBD

Below grade level in reading, math, and writing

Rated low on self-control social skills measures

Higher rates of being held back in a grade

Many have expressive and/or receptive language disorders



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Determining the Causes

Biological Causes Environmental considerations

School factors Family

factors/considerations



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Determining the Presence Rating scales, personality inventories, and observations.

They did not always follow the IDEA definition Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance

Follows 5 elements from IDEA Inability to learn Inability to build or maintain satisfactory

relationships Inappropriate behavior Unhappiness or depression Physical symptoms or fearsAdditionally: Student involvement in antisocial behaviors in

environments outside of school



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Wraparound services: School, community, mental health, and other services are

“wrapped around” the student instead of compartmentalized Ten key principles

Voice and choice Team-based Natural supports Collaboration Community-based Culturally competent Individualized Strengths-based Persistence Outcomes-based

Partnering for Special Education and Related Services



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Wraparound services: Four phases of wraparound (Box 7.1)

Engagement and Team preparation Initial Plan Development Implementation Transition

Partnering for Special Education and Related Services



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Classwide, peer-assisted, self-management Students learn how to define self-management and why

it is effective Explore how it might benefit them Learn the relationship among antecedents, specific

behaviors, and the consequences Discuss how to respond appropriately and

inappropriately Reverse-role tutoring

Using students with emotional or behavioral disorders as tutors to nondisabled peers

Determining Supplementary Aids and Services



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Use a computer with word processing software

Reduces frustration Increases students’ willingness to edit

and correct their work Results in clean, legible products

Talking word processors, alphabetical keyboards, or word prediction software may allow for less frustration when writing

Planning for Universal Design for Learning



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Planning for Other Educational Needs

More than half drop out of high school Statistics two years later show low

employment rate for dropouts Reasons for dropout rate Several interventions have been

identified to reduce the dropout rate



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Establish a student advisory program Establish and involve students in

extracurricular activities Systematically monitor risk factors

associated with dropping out Develop “schools within schools” or smaller

units Establish school-to-work programs Engage in community-based learning Use the “check and connect” strategy Provide vocational education

Preventing Dropouts



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Early Childhood Students Classroom-centered intervention

Mastery learning Good-behavior game

Family-school partnership intervention Multicomponent intervention

Student-directed learning strategies Social Stories An apron storyboard



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Service Learning Instructional activities that integrate

teaching activities with community service

Designed to teach civil responsibility

Reinforces lessons in the classroom in the context of real life

Improves communities

Elementary and Middle School Students



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Conflict Resolution Students learn:

Effective communication Anger management Taking another’s perspective

Conflicts usually occur because of resources, needs, or goals

Teaches problem solving and successful decision making

Secondary and Transition Students



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Mastery learning (or mastery training) Frequently assess students’ mastery of

content, determining whether to move on to the next concept

To monitor mastery, effective teachers will: Ask questions of the whole class Use a cooperative learning strategy such

as “think-pair-share” Social Skills

Use of social skills rating system Socio-metric ratings for rankings

Measuring Students’ Progress



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Making Accommodations for Assessment

Students in alternative school settings need to progress in the general education curriculum so that they may return to their neighborhood schools

Students with EBD may be more likely to have difficulty with testing, due to heightened anxiety

Appropriate testing accommodations include: Extended time for testing Individual test administration Breaks during testing

Documents

Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools, 6e ISBN: 0135027012 © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 7 Understanding