Knowing The Difference, As You Make A Difference With Special Learners Maureen Butler Mountain Lakes School District mbutler@mlschools.org
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ithin the field of education, it can be difficult to stay current with changes in terminology as new trends emerge. This is also the case with special education, as new research informs and changes the way we think and teach. There may even be some terms we’ve encountered along the way that we find confusing. Here are some explanations to clarify terminology as you navigate through the world of special learners. ADD or ADHD More experienced teachers will remember when students were diagnosed with either Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADD is now considered an outdated term, and ADHD is in current clinical use, since it refers to the two key behaviors of inattention and hyperactivity. Additionally, there are three subtypes of ADHD: • Predominantly Inattentive Type: Students have difficulty maintaining concentration and attention, exhibit a lack of focus and organization, and are easily distracted. • Predominantly HyperactiveImpulsive Type: Students seem to be always moving, frequently talk at inappropriate times, and exhibit lack of impulse control.
• Combined Type: Students exhibit a combination of both inattentive and hyperactiveimpulsive behaviors. Knowing these classifications will help you make accommodations for all three types of students. In our classes, it may be easy to determine which students are hyperactiveimpulsive, and not as easy to determine which students have attention deficits. If students are already diagnosed, this information can be found in their IEP or 504 plans. Since we see students for much less time than the classroom teacher, we have to be on the lookout for the behaviors that may suggest undiagnosed attention deficits, and respond accordingly. Additionally, network with your colleagues (the other special subject teachers, classroom teachers) when you suspect students of having these deficits, and contribute to your school’s referral plans. Understanding the challenges our students face will improve the likelihood of positive musical experiences for them. Auditory Processing Disorder or Hearing Loss A diagnosis of an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) does not mean a student has a hearing loss. Rather, this term refers to the inability of the brain to correctly process and interpret sounds. A student with APD
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has normal hearing but has difficulty with such tasks as discriminating between similar speech sounds, tuning out background noise, remembering what was heard (including song lyrics) and following directions. It may seem that the child cannot hear you or has not been paying attention, but in reality they have difficulty processing what they’ve heard. There are two main types of hearing loss: sensorineural, in which the auditory nerve and cochlea do not function; and conduction hearing loss, in which something (an incorrectly formed middle or outer ear, for example) physically blocks sound from traveling to the inner ear. Students with sensorineural loss may be completely deaf, may exhibit a range anywhere from a mild to a profound loss, and may use hearing aids or cochlear implants to access sound, with varying results. Students with a conduction loss hear near normal levels with a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA). Students with APD and those with hearing loss may all need accommodations and modifications; knowing the difference will help you structure your learning environment to maximize their learning potential. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Asperger Syndrome (AS) Although AS was first identified OCTOBER 2019
