Understanding Students Understanding Students with AD/HDwith AD/HDED 222 Spring 2011

Defining AD/HDDefining AD/HD• The condition most adversely impact

the student’s academic performance to receive services

• Students usually receive services under ‘other health impairments’ since there is no IDEA category for ADHD

• APA definition:– Persistent pattern of inattention and/or

hyperactivity-impulsivity more frequent and severe than typical

–Manifest before age 7, duration of at least 6 months, present in 2 or more settings, not attributed to other disability

Prevalence of AD/HDPrevalence of AD/HDApproximately 3 to 8% of school-

age children have AD/HD4.2% of preschoolersMore boys than girlsLatinos less likely to receive

AD/HD diagnosis

Three Subtypes of AD/HDThree Subtypes of AD/HD• Predominantly inattentive type– Trouble paying attention, forgetful, easily

distracted, selective attention– Students may appear lethargic, apathetic or

hypoactive (move to slowly).– May be overlooked.

• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type– Cannot seem to sit still, talk excessively,

difficulty playing quietly– Few adolescents or adults have the HI type

• Combined Type– Combines features of inattention and

hyperactivity– The majority of students with AD/HD are

combined type

Intellectual Functioning and Intellectual Functioning and Academic AchievementAcademic Achievement• IQ ranges of students with ADHD tend to be

7-19 points below the norm (IQ 100)• Approximately 21% of elementary students

with ADHD have also been identified as having intellectual disabilities (IQ score 70 and below)

• Approximately 20% of students with ADHD are also identified as having a learning disability

• Five percent also have a speech/language disorder

• Students with ADHD often have impairments associated with motivation, memory, and goal-directed behavior

Behavioral, Social, and Behavioral, Social, and Emotional CharacteristicsEmotional Characteristics• May have a co-existing condition, including:– Anxiety disorder, conduct disorder or

obsessive-compulsive disorder• Specific challenges may include:– Conflicts with parents, teachers, and peers– Low self-esteem– Increased risk-taking behaviors–Higher rates of using alcohol, tobacco and

substance dependence– Significantly higher likelihood of receiving

behavior management programs, mental health services, social work services, and family counseling

Determining the CausesDetermining the Causes• Does NOT cause AD/HD–Lack of self control–Poor parenting–Too much television or video games–Too much sugar–Living in a fast-paced culture

• Heredity–Focus on dopamine

• Brain differences• Other biological causes

Determining the presenceDetermining the presence• AD/HD determined by a pediatrician

and a psychiatrist or psychologist• Teachers may be asked to complete

a behavior rating checklist as part of the evaluation–Conner’s Rating Scale-R

• Once presence is determined, there are assessments to help to determine the nature and extent of services

• ADDES-3

Partnering for Sp.Ed., and Partnering for Sp.Ed., and related servicesrelated services• Not every student with AD/HD

qualifies for IDEA services–They may be able to receive services

through Section 504• One role of the IEP or 504 team is to

develop educational plans that may or may not be used in conjunction with medication–Team members should never suggest a

child needs medication. Only a doctor can make that determination–Teams also cannot make taking

medication a requirement of attending school.

Determining Supplementary Determining Supplementary Aids and ServicesAids and Services• Arrange the classroom in a consistent

manner• It is not always best to seat students with

peers• Seat the student in close proximity to the

teacher• Do not seat students with

hyperactivity/impulsivity close to highly distracting areas

• Clearly post daily and weekly schedules• Arrange the classroom to facilitate smooth

transitions between classroom activities• Minimize classroom clutter

Planning for UDLPlanning for UDL• Planning for Universal Design for

Learning–Students need to learn organization and

neatness–Goal setting can improve organization skills• Identify and define a goal• Develop a series of objectives or tasks• Specify actions necessary to achieve desired

outcomes• Make goals challenging but obtainable

–Planning for other Educational Needs• Teachers should play a role in monitoring children on

medication for changes or side effects

Early Childhood ServicesEarly Childhood ServicesMultidisciplinary Diagnostic and

Training Program◦Multimodal treatments

Medication Parent Training Classroom Behavioral Management

Interventions

Elementary and Middle Elementary and Middle School StudentsSchool Students• Errorless learning–Presents discriminative stimuli and

arranged the delivery of prompts in a learning situation in such a way as to ensure that the students give only correct responses (or only a few incorrect responses)–Prompts can be physical, verbal or visual–Premise is that learning that occurs with

mistakes is stronger and lasts longer–Uses “most to least” prompting, most

intrusive at first, the, as task is mastered, prompts fade

Secondary and Transition Secondary and Transition StudentsStudentsCognitive behavioral and self-

control strategies◦Teach the use of inner speech, “Self-

Talk”◦The purpose of cognitive behavioral

strategies is to modify behavior and thinking patterns

◦Possible benefits of this method are increased capacity to self-control and self-regulate behavior

Measuring Student Measuring Student ProgressProgress• Progress in the general curriculum–Curriculum based management–Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) process

• Progress in Addressing Other Educational Needs–Monitoring progress in areas such as

social skills, self-control, medication management–T-charts–checklists

Making Accommodations for Making Accommodations for AssessmentAssessmentIssues include attention and

concentration problems◦May qualify for extra breaks◦May need multiple testing sessions◦May request a reduced-distraction

testing environment