Activity 3

We talked about intellectual disabilities, starting with a definition (see http://justiceforall.ca) and moving on to characteristics.

Then we asked you to describe any other characteristics of intellectual disabilities. Here's what you told us:

• Some learners have difficulties getting past a crisis - they never seem to get over it and can't move past it.
• They may have difficulty with the concept of time - what happened fifteen years ago might seem like yesterday.
• Structure, routine and habit are important; they can help provide a sense of stability and comfort.
• On the other hand, life is full of change so if we focus too much on routine, etc. we aren't supporting learners with adapting to real-life situations.
• Learners may have difficulty making decisions; it can help to provide two or three choices and let them pick.
• Learners may be unable to discriminate between their private and public lives; they may share more than is appropriate.
• Some learners with ID may "look" different, causing people to treat them differently, perhaps even like children instead of like adults.
• Life skills / social skills are often an issue. For example, some learners may speak too loudly and disrupt other learners.
• There may be physical accessibility issues.