Chapter 7: Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
Chapter-At-A-Glance
Instructor’s Overview and Outline
Chapter 7 is the second of three chapters that address the specific learning disabilities and other high-
incidence special needs that students in schools may have. It presents an introduction to the characteristics
and needs of students with high-incidence disabilities, including learning disabilities, mild intellectual
disabilities, emotional disturbance, and communication disorders. First, the characteristics of students
with communication disorders are presented, along with suggestions for differentiating instruction for
these students in general education classrooms. Next, the learning and social emotional needs of students
with learning and behavior disabilities are introduced and addressed through the application of the
INCLUDE strategy.
A. What are high-incidence disabilities?
B. What accommodations can you make for students with communication disorders?
1. Understanding speech problems
Learning Objectives
Instructor’s Resources
Media Resources
Describe prevalence, key
elements, and definitions
of high-incidence
disabilities
communication disorders;
differentiation with
o Expressive language
o Receptive language
o Speech articulation
Key Terms & Concepts
o High-incidence disabilities
o Emotional disabilities
o Speech or language disabilities
o Learning disabilities
o Mild intellectual disabilities
Activities #1, 6, 8
o http://www.ldanatl.org
o http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/i
ep/iep.html
o NICHY http://www.nichcy.org
3. Accommodations for students with communication disorders
a. Create an atmosphere of acceptance
C. Who are students with learning and behavioral disabilities and what are their academic needs?
1. Reading skills
2. Written language skills
4. Learning skills
a. Attention
5. Learning styles
D. What are the social and emotional needs of students with learning and behavior disabilities?
1. Interpersonal skills
2. Personal and psychological adjustment
E. What accommodations can you make for students with learning and behavioral disabilities?
2. Addressing social and emotional needs
F. Wrapping it up
2. Summary
3. Applications in Teaching Practice: “Using the INCLUDE Strategy with Students with High–
Incidence Disabilities”
Learning Objectives
1. Define high-incidence disabilities, their prevalence, and key elements
2. Describe characteristics of students with communication disorders, and how to use INCLUDE
strategies for them
Key Terms and Concepts
Academic survival skills
Attribution retraining
Behavior contract
Communication
Dyslexia
Activities and Discussion Questions
1. The process of determining whether a student has a behavioral disorder is not clear-cut and the
interpretation of student behavior can vary depending on the individual. Ask your students to think
about students who are about 10–13 years of age and to pick five behaviors that in their judgment
would be a source of concern if they were to occur in class. “Source of concern” is defined as
2. Ask students to work individually or in pairs to examine the student work sample in Figure 7.3 in
3. Have students identify local agencies for students with high-incidence disabilities and their families.
4. Ask students to work in small groups to research and create a list of recommended instructional
supports for students with high-incidence disabilities. Each group might select a specific high-
5. The INCLUDE strategy handouts can be used to provide students with practice in applying the first
four steps in the INCLUDE strategy for students with high-incidence disabilities. Break your
students into small groups and distribute copies of the handout to each group. Direct each group to
6. In small groups or as an individual activity, ask students to study the assistive technology products
7. Guest speakers:
• Invite a speech/language pathologist to visit your class. Ask him or her to discuss how they
8. Lead a discussion about the problem of bogus interventions and treatments for disabilities, as well
9. If your students spend time in a classroom as part of your course, ask them to arrange to visit a
literacy specialist’s or a mathematics specialist’s classroom and/or interview the specialist to learn
more about specialized instruction they provide to students.
Web Links
Instructor Resources
Web Content Resources
• National Center for Stuttering. The National Center was established in 1976. Its purposes are to
provide up-to-date information about stuttering, continuing education for speech pathologists, a
• International Dyslexia Association (formerly Orton Dyslexia Society). The International Dyslexia
Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and treatment of the learning disability,
• Behavior Advisor is Dr. Tom McIntyre’s (Hunter College) website. It contains resource information
for general classroom management, as well as specific management strategies.
http://www.behavioradvisor.com/
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, an OSEP Center, provides extensive information
about implementing a tiered model of behavioral supports. The site also provides information about
how PBIS and RTI are connected. http://www.pbis.org/
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). Fact sheets and research
briefs on specific disabilities as well as special education law. Information is available in English and
Spanish. http://www.nichcy.org
Additional Readings
Adlof, S. M., Catts, H. W., & Lee, J. (2010). Kindergarten predictors of second versus eighth grade
reading comprehension impairments. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43, 332–345.
Allsop, D. H., McHatton, P. A., & Farmer, J. L. (2010). Technology, mathematics PS/RTI, and students
with disabilities; What do we know, what have we tried, and what can we do to improve
outcomes now and in the future? Learning Disability Quarterly, 33, 273–288.
181-198.
Voltz, D. L., Sims, M. J., Nelson, B., & Bivens, C. (2005). M2ECCA: A framework for inclusion in the
context of standards-based reform. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(5), 14–19.
Wilkins, J., & Ratajczak, A. (2009). Developing students’ literacy skills using high-tech speech-
generating augmentative and alternative communication devices. Intervention in School and
Clinic, 44(3), 167–172.
Wixson, K. K, & Valencia, S. W. (2011). Assessment in RTI: What teachers and specialists need to
know. Reading Teaching, 64, 466–469.