MILD MENTAL RETARDATION AND FUNCTIONAL ACADEMICS
Purpose of this Website
The purpose of this website is to provide an informational source for teachers, parents, and anyone else who works with students with mild mental retardation (MMR). The site will primarily focus on strategies to improve functional academics, but includes a vast array of helpful information in the area of MMR. I genuinely hope that you will find it useful in your endeavor to learn more about your student or child with MMR.
Also included in this site are instructional strategies for the teacher and parents, as well as the references substantiating their use. The Family Bibliography encompasses other references that may be used by teachers or families to help with the education of the child. Links to other websites affecting the MMR are provided, along with a discussion concerning the causes and impact mild mental retardation on families and teachers. I hope you enjoy the site and find it most useful in working with your child.
Introduction to Mental Retardation
The ability to truly define mental retardation has eluded educators and government officials since the beginning. The definition has evolved and changed over the decades to the currently accepted version published by the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR).
In 1992, the AAMR published the following definition:
Mental retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioning. It is characterized by significantly sub-average intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with related limitations in two or more of the following applicable adaptive skill areas: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, community use, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure, and work. Mental retardation manifests before age 18.
In the book, Teaching Students with Mental Retardation: A Life Goal Curriculum Planning Approach (Glen E Thomas, 1996) a discussion of the regional variations in the identification of Mental Retardation reveals that in many areas, these students are being misidentified. The variation in the identification procedure was 0 to 2.11 percent. It is assumed that the misidentified students are being served in some other area of special education. In many instances, these students are being taught in regular education elementary classrooms, receiving no additional help, and later dropping out due to frustration with their abilities.
When dealing with IQ's, the definition of Mental Retardation, creates categories based on scores. The current classifications are:
50-55 to 70-75 Mild Mental Retardation
35-40 to 50-55 Moderate Mental Retardation
20-25 to 35-40 Severe Mental Retardation
Below 20-25 Profound Mental Retardation
These IQ scores are merely a general guideline and must take other aspects of the child's abilities into consideration. Many times related health problems, vision, and distractibility may actually cause the student to test lower on standardized IQ tests, therefore, not giving a true indication of the child's actual intelligence level. Hearing, speech loss, and inability to focus could have a tremendous impact on the child's score. It is important that a child is given more than one type of test to accurately test their mental abilities.
Impact on families
Generally, children with mild mental retardation show only mild developmental delays in areas other than academics. This is definitely a concern for parents because mild MR may not be identified until the child begins school. Even then, it usually takes several years to identify the problem. Early identification and intervention is the key to success. Once a child is identified as MR, the parent should become involved in the education choices for their child. The parent should be as involved and active in the academic process as possible throughout the entire education of the student.
Impact on teaching
Students with mental retardation are individuals, just as all other students and should be treated as individuals. It is imperative that teachers modify instruction to meet the individual needs of the students. It is a teacher's obligation to ensure a successful and quality education for the student. Strategies necessary for teaching students with MR are include:
· Use material that is age appropriate and interesting to the student
· Provide information in small, shorter segments
· Review the information frequently
· Teach practical life skills as much as possible
When teaching students with mental retardation is important to remember that even small tasks may be forgotten. Therefore, it is important that if the student does not understand a lesson the teacher may need to go back to the previous lesson and re-teach some fundamental skills again.
This may need to be done several times until the student has mastered the necessary skills.
Causes of Mental Retardation
There is no one exact cause of Mental Retardation and there is still a lot to learn about mental retardation that makes the exact cause unknown. There are numerous conditions that could cause mental retardation. However, the cause of 1/3 of the people affected is unknown. The three main causes of MR as Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and Fragile X. Other frequently recorded possibilities are:
* Inadequate prenatal care
* The age of the mother and pregnancy history
* The mother's malnutrition
* Substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, smoking and second hand smoke)
* Chromosomal Aberrations and Genetic Errors
* Infections
* Illnesses the mother may have suffered during pregnancy
* More than 500 genetic disease are associated with MR
* Neurological damage due to HIV positive mothers
* Low birth weight or premature birth
* Childhood diseases such as whooping cough, chicken pox, & measles
* Blow to the head or near drowning.
* Lead, mercury & other environmental toxins.
* Malnutrition
Instructional Strategies
Computers
Computers have proven to be a very effective device when teaching mildly mentally retarded students. Reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, math, writing and communication are but a few of the skills that can be learned on a computer. Through repetition of a subject that has been taught, students can gain an understanding of a concept or subject. Computer based programs play an essential part in providing additional "learning" practice for the students. There are many programs available to assist students with the needed reinforcement in a particular subject area. But, it is necessary to warn teachers and parents that too much computer can isolate the child and hinder his or her social interaction.
Connors, F.A. (1990). Aptitude by treatment interactions in computer-assisted word learning by mentally retarded students. American Jouranal on Mental Retardation, 94(4), 387-397.
Dube, W.V., McDonald, S.J., McIvane, W.J., and MacKay, H.A. (1991). Constructed-response matching to sample and spelling instruction. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24(2),
305-317.
Iacono, T.A., Miller, J.F. (1989). Can microcomputers be used to teach communication skills to students with mental retardation? Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 24(1), 32-44.
Thorkilsen, R. and Hofmeister, A. (1984). Interactive video authoring of instruction for the mentally handicapped. Exceptional Education Quarterly, 4(4), 57-73.
Direct Instruction
Direct instruction has proven to be very effective in the teaching of mildly mentally retarded students. It is a technique where the teacher presents a scripted lesson to the students and is instructed to follow the script word for word without any deviations. Many teachers chose to modify the script to fit their particular situation and level of class. A direct instruction program that is commonly used by Exceptional Education teachers is the DISTAR program. This program, which is scripted, also provides instructions on presenting the lesson, student responses and correcting procedures.
Adams, G. L., & Engelmann, S.E. (1996). Research on Direct Instruction: Twenty-five
years beyond Distar. Seattle: Educational Achievement Systems.
Carnine, D., Silbert, J., and Karmeenui, E. (1996). Direct Instruction Reading. Prentice Hall.
Engleman, S. (1980). Direct Instruction. Educational Technology Publications.
Engleman, S., and Bruner, E. (1988). Reading mastery I (resource kit): Distar reading.
Chicago: Science Research Associates.
Ruder, J. (1990). Effectiveness of the DISTAR Reading Program for Children with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 23(1), 69-71.
Phonetic Approach
In order for an individual to learn to read or write they must first master the phonetic sounds of letters. The first step to learning to read is identifying the sounds of letters and then arranging them in the correct sequence to form words. Once an individual has mastered the phonetics they are able to form words and sentences. It is imperative that a child be able to recognize the sounds of the letters and then to develop the skills to correctly put them together in order to form words. Children with mild mental retardation have benefited greatly from the phonetic system of spelling and reading.
Hoogeveen, F.R., Smeets, P.M., and Van der Houven, J. E. (1987). Establishing letter sound correspondences in children classified as trainable mentally retarded. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 22(2), 77-84.
Grossen, B. and Carnine, D. (1993). Phonics Instruction: Comparing Research and Practice. Teaching Exceptional Children, 25(2), 22-25.
Engleman, S. and Bruner, E. (1988). Reading mastery I (resource kit): Distar Reading. Chicago: Science Research Associates.
Mnemonic Strategies
Students with mild mental retardation exhibit problems with remembering information.
Mnemonic strategies teach them to associate the new information with something that they already know. Building on prior knowledge creates a sense of accomplishment for the students. Connecting new information to already known information has proven to be extraordinarily effective (Mastropieri, Scruggs, Bakken, & Brigham, 1992). Over and over again, mnemonic strategies have been proven to be extremely effective in helping people remember things (Bulgren, Schumaker & Deshler, 1994; Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1989). Mnemonic strategies have been shown to help memory problems across different content areas (Fulk et al., 1985; McLoone et al., 1986).
Bulgren, J.A., Schumaker, J. B., & Deshler, D. D. (1994). The effects of a recall enhancement routine on the test performance of secondary students with and without learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 9, 2-11.
Mastropieri, M. A.,& Scruggs, T.E., Bakken, J., & Brigham, F. J. (1992). A complex mnemonic strategy for teaching states and capitals: Comparing forward and backward associations. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 7, 96-103.
McLoone, B. B., Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A., & Zucker, S. (1986). Mnemonic
Instruction and training disabled adolescents. Learning Disabilities Research, 2, 45-53
Problem Solving Strategies
Teaching individuals with mild mental retardation strategies to solve problems is an excellent way to teach a variety of skills. It is imperative that a student learn to think for themselves. By teaching a person a step-by-step process of solving a problem, you will likely ensure that individual will understand/comprehend the final answer. Even if the answer is wrong, they will be able to identify the steps they took to get that answer. By teaching the student strategies that involve a thought process, we are helping him or her to develop "thinking" skills and at the same time applying what they have already learned.
Howett, J. (1989). Math Master One: Strategies for Computation and Problem Solving.
Prentice Hall.
Kaplan, J. (1986). Strategies for Solving Math Word Problems. Educational Design, Inc.
Mastropieri, M.A., Scruggs, T.E., and Shian, R.L. (1997). Can Computers Teach
Problem-Solving Strategies to Students with Mild Mental Retardation? A Case Study. Remedial and Special Education.
Family Bibliography
The following references are a collection of books and organizations that will assist parents and teachers in teaching children with mild mental retardation. The books are available through book stores such as B. Dalton, Barnes & Nobles, and Books-a-Million. Many of the books are also available through you local library.
Books
Advances in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities: Strategies for Teaching
Students with Mild Mental Retardation, Vol. 5. Robert A. Gable (Editor) /Hardcover/ Taylor & Frances, Inc./April 1993.
An Introduction to Nature and Needs of Students with Mild Disabilities: Mild Mental
Retardation, Behavior Disorders and Learning Disabilities. Carroll J. Jones, Carroll J. Jones/Paperback/Charles C. Thomas Publisher/Limited/November 1996.
Different, Not Dumb, Marek, M., New York: Franklin Watts Publishing Co., 1985.
Introduction to Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities W. L. Williams/High Tide Press/February 1, 1999.
Strategies for Teaching Students with Mild to Severe Mental Retardation, Robert A. Gable; Steven F. Warren/Paperback/Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Co., April 1,1993.
Teaching Students with Mental Retardation: Providing Access to the General Curriculum Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., October 1, 2001.
Why is My Child Having Trouble in School? Novick, B., and Arnold, M., New York:
Villard Books, 1991.
Organizations
Center for Mental Health Services
Office of Consumer, Family, and Public Information
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15-81
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-2792
This new national center, a component of the U.S. Public Health Service, provides a wide range of information on mental health, treatment, and support services.
Life After High School: A Blueprint for School to Community Transition
Product Number 10190
Florida Blueprint for School to Community Transition
Florida State University
Center for Policy Studies in Education
Tallahassee, FL
CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities)
University of South Florida MHC2113A
13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612-3899
1-800-333-4530
Council for Exceptional Children
11920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091
(703) 620-3660
Provides publications for educators. Can also provide referral to ERIC Clearinghouse for handicapped and gifted children.
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-7710
Provides information, support, and referrals through federation chapters throughout the country. This national parent-run organization focuses on the needs of children with broad mental health problems.
HEATH Resource Center
American Council on Education
1 Dupont Circle, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
(800) 544-3284
A national clearinghouse on post-high school education for people with disabilities.
Learning Disabilities Association of America
4156 Library Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15234
(412) 341-8077
Provides information and referral to state chapters, parent resources, and local support groups. Publishes news briefs and a professional journal.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
1291 Taylor Street, NW
Washington, DC 20542
(202) 707-5100
Publishes Talking Books and Reading Disabilities, a fact sheet outlining eligibility requirements for borrowing talking books.
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Children and Adolescents Network (NAMICAN)
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 302
Arlington, VA 22201
(800) 950-NAMI
Provides support to families through personal contact and support meetings. Provides education regarding coping strategies; reading material; and information about what works--and what doesn't.
National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Children
1522 K Street, NW Suite 1032
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 408-3338
Provides referrals to private special education programs.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
(800) 695-0285 or 202-884-8200
Publishes newsletters, arranges workshops. Advises parents on the laws entitling children with disabilities to special education and other services.
Links/Resources
This is a comprehensive list of websites I have researched for this project as well as collected for my own use of the past few years. I hope you find them helpful in further exploring the world of mild mental retardation.
Alva Access Group
5801 Christine Ave. Suite 475
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 923-6280
www.aagi.com/docs/oS-Mdesc.html
American Association of Mental Retardation
444 N. Capitol Street NW, Suite 846
Washington, D.C., 20001
800-424-3688
www.aamr.org
ARC Organization
1010 Wayne Ave., Suite 650
Silver Springs, MD 20910
301-565-3842
www.acr.org
Association on Higher Education and Disability
PO Box 21192
Columbus, OH 43221
(614) 488-4972
www.ahead.org
Council for Exceptional Children
1110 North Glebe Rd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-5704
800-CEC-SPED
www.cec.org
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Florida Department of Labor and Employment
Security
Building A
2002 Old St. Augustine Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0696
1-800-451-4327
www.state.fl.us/vocrehab
National Information Center for Children/Youth with Disabilities
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, D.C.
1-800-695-0285
www.nichcy.org
Tools for Understanding
1500 N. Warner
Tacoma, WA 98416
www.ups.edu/community/tofu/
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, D.C., 20202-0498
www.askeric.org
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