Definition
Mild Intellectual
Disabilities (MIDs) are classified as being a high incidence exceptionality and
arises prior to the age of 18 (Hutchinson & Martin, 2011). MIDs are characterized as a learning
disorder where an individual may be limited in their intellectual
abilities and/or adaptive behaviour.
Intellectual
abilities encompasses skills
like “reasoning, planning, solving problems, thinking abstractly,
comprehending complex ideas, learning quickly and learning from experience”
(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2011). An
IQ or intelligence quotient test are used to score individuals. If an individual has a score ranging from
71 to 79, the individual may have a MID (Lacène & Reinhardt 2009). Individuals may learn and process
information slower than other people who do not have a MID.
Adaptive
behaviours are learned
“conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills” which individuals use in
day-to-day life (Hutchinson & Martin, 2011, p.76).
- Conceptual skills include “language, reading and writing, and money, time, and number concepts”
- Social skills include “interpersonal skills, social responsibility, self-esteem, gullibility, naïveté, following rules/obeying laws, actively avoiding being victimized, and social problem solving”
- Practical adaptive skills include “activities of daily living, occupational skills, use of money, safety, health care, travel/transportation, schedules/routines, and use of the telephone”
(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities, 2011)
The Ontario Ministry
of Education (2001) describes MIDs as “a learning disorder characterized by:
a) An ability to
profit educationally within a regular class with the aid of considerable
curriculum modification and supportive service;
b) An inability to
profit educationally within a regular class because of slow intellectual
development;
c) A potential for
academic learning, independent social adjustment, and economic self-support.”
(p. A20)
Causes
Intellectual
disabilities may be caused by different reasons some include:
Genetic problems
that occur during development:
The genetic material from the parents in the form of the sperm or egg cell may
have undergone abnormal cell division or abnormal cell division may occur after
the formation of the zygote/embryo and thus leads to errors in the genetic
makeup of an individual. An example of a genetic condition where individuals
have extra genetic material on a particular chromosome is called Down syndrome.
Problems that
occur during pregnancy: The
fetus may not be able to develop within the mother’s womb due to abnormal cell
division. Mother’s who may drink alcohol or drugs may put their child at risk
for MIDs since those substances can affect a developing fetus's brain, organs and
body development. Also, infections during pregnancy may impact fetal development such as
rubella or the measles.
Problems that
occur during birth: If the
baby experiences oxygen deprivation during labour or delivery can have a
serious impact on brain functioning.
Problems that
occur during childhood:
“Diseases like whooping cough, the measles, or meningitis can cause
intellectual disabilities. They can also be caused by extreme malnutrition (not
eating right), not getting enough medical care, or by being exposed to poisons
like lead or mercury”.
(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities, 2011)
Incidence
 |
| Figure 1. Ontario statistics for publicly funded schools where students were identified with the mild intellectual disabilities outlined by the IPRC (Identification, Placement, and Review Committee) process. For the 2006-07 school year, the total number of students with exceptionalities were 198 385 which was assumed for the 2005-06 school year as well (Hutchinson & Martin, 2011). For the 2009-10 school year, 192 530 students were identified with exceptionalities which was assumed for the 2008-09 school year as well (Special Education Policy & Programs Branch, 2011). |
Figure 1 shows a gradual decline in
the number of students identified with MIDs in publicly funded Ontario schools throughout the progression of the school years.
Prevalence
Currently, in
Ontario for the school year 2009-10 a total of 192 530 students are identified
with exceptionalities and of those students, 10.5% or 20 216 students are identified with
MIDs (Special Education Policy & Programs Branch, 2011).
Statistics Canada
found that 0.7% of the total population in 2006 were identified as having
intellectual disabilities according to the Participation and Activity Limitation
Survey (PALS) (Crawford, 2008).
For the age group
of 0-14 year olds, 1% of the total population had intellectual disabilities, for 5-14 year
olds it was 1.4% and for 15 years and older it was 0.5%. The age
group of 5 to 14 year olds is the highest percentage, which is most likely due to the fact that
the MIDs are more identifiable once children begin school. Note that the
statistics are not solely based on MIDs rather include developmental
disabilities like autism also.
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References
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities. (2011). FAQ on
the AAIDD Definition on Intellectual
Disability. Retrieved from http://www.aaidd.org/intellectualdisabilitybook/content_7473.cfm?navID=366.
Crawford, Cameron. (2008). No Place Like Home: A Report on
the Housing Needs of
People with Intellectual
Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.communitylivingbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/NoPlaceLikeHome.pdf.
Hutchinson, N. L., & Martin, A. K. (2011). Inclusive
Classroom in Ontario Schools.
Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada Inc.
Lacène, K., & Reinhardt, K. (2009). Mild Intellectual
Disabilities (MID). Retrieved from
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2001). Special Education: A
Guide for Educators.
Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/specedhandbooke.pdf.
Special Education Policy & Programs Branch. (2011). Building
Futures: A Day of
Learning & Resources For
Teacher Candidates [Pamphlet]. Ontario, CAN: Ontario Ministry of Education.
