Transcript Learning Disability Awareness

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The government white paper “Valuing People” defined learning disability
as:
A significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information
and to learn new skills (impaired intelligence – i.e. IQ less than 70)
Coupled with
A reduced ability to cope independently (impaired adaptive/social
functioning)
And
Is either present from birth, or emerges through a child’s early
development years.
Approximately 1.5million people in the UK have a learning disability.
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Learning disabilities are many and varied. Most people
recognise some of the better known syndromes such as
Down’s syndrome, Rett syndrome and Fragile X, but
there are lots more and some people may not have a
name or known cause of their learning disability.
You can’t tell if someone has a learning disability just by
looking at them. Although people with some conditions
such as Down’s may have common features, this is not
true of most learning disabilities.
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A learning disability happens when a person's brain development is
affected, either before they are born, during their birth or in early
childhood.
Several factors can affect brain development, including:
the mother becoming ill in pregnancy
problems during the birth that stop enough oxygen getting to the
brain
 the unborn baby developing certain genes
 the parents passing certain genes to the unborn baby that make
having a learning disability more likely
 illness, such as meningitis, or injury in early childhood
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Sometimes there is no known cause for a learning disability.
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A number of learning difficulties are mistakenly confused with
learning disabilities. These include difficulties such as:
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ADHD
Asperger’s Syndrome
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Behavioural Problems
Mental Health Issues
Although people with learning disabilities may experience these
difficulties in addition to their learning disability, they do not
constitute a learning disability on their own.
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The Medical Model regards disability as an individual
problem. It promotes the view of a disabled person as
dependent and needing to be cured, cared for and
pitied. This model justifies the way in which disabled
people have been systematically excluded from
society. The disabled person is seen as the problem,
not society.
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Many disabled people have rejected this model. They
say it has led to their low self esteem, undeveloped life
skills, poor education and consequent high
unemployment levels.
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Disabled people have arrived at a different ‘model’ to
help understand the situation. They are challenging
people to give up the idea that disability is a medical
problem requiring ‘treatment’, but to understand
instead that disability is a problem of exclusion from
ordinary life.
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This is what is known as the ‘social model’ of disability,
requiring a change in society’s values and practices in
order to remove the barriers to participation that truly
discriminate against disabled people. It is clear that
this is possible and is starting to happen, e.g. changing
steps into ramps, providing information in Braille or
other formats, valuing different learning styles.
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Disability is no longer seen as an individual problem but as
a social issue caused by policies, practices, attitudes and/or
the environment. For example, a wheelchair user may
have a physical impairment but it is the absence of a ramp
that prevents them from accessing a building. In other
words, the disabling factor is the inaccessible environment.
The disabled people's movement believes the 'cure' to the
problem of disability lies in the restructuring of
society. Unlike medically based 'cures', that focus on
individuals and their impairment, this is an achievable goal
and to the benefit of everyone.
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Some people with learning disabilities have difficulties
communicating with others when solely making use of
expressive and receptive language. There are a variety of
other techniques which have been developed to help
support people for whom speech is difficult, for example:
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People with learning disabilities often interpret body
language and non-verbal communication in understanding
simple everyday interactions. It is essential when
communicating with someone with a learning disability to
give them time to take in what is being said, and to
communicate more slowly than you may normally in order
to allow them to process what it is that you are
communicating.
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Using visual guides or cues to aide communication is one
important way of supporting people to have a greater
understanding of what is being conveyed to them. One
technique which can be helpful in everyday life is creating
any materials or information in a more accessible format
(this is often called easy read). Making something easy
read involves breaking the text down into small
sentences, and using images or symbols to convey what is
being said in the text.
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Find a good place to communicate – somewhere
quiet without distractions.
If you are talking to a large group be aware that
some people may find this difficult
Ask open questions – avoid questions that have a
simple yes or no answer
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Check with person that you understand what they
are saying –
“The TV isn’t working? Is that right?”
If the person wants to take you to show you
something, go with them.
Watch the person – they may tell you things by their
body language and facial expressions.
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Learn from experience – you will need to be
observant and don’t feel awkward about asking
parents/carers/others for their help.
Try drawing – even if your drawing is not great it
might still be helpful.
Take your time don’t rush your communication.
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Use gestures and facial expressions. If you are
asking if someone is unhappy make your facial
expression unhappy.
• Be aware that some people find it easier to use real
objects to communicate but photo’s and pictures can
help too.
Be patient and listen to what you are being told and if
you do not understand ask the person to repeat what
they have said.
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Speak slowly and clearly and use plain and simple
language at all times.
Always reassure the person if they are worried or
afraid.
Treat people as individuals and don’t be afraid.
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Equality law recognises that bringing about equality for
disabled people may mean changing the way in which
services are delivered, providing extra equipment
and/or the removal of physical barriers.
This is the duty to make reasonable adjustments.
The duty to make reasonable adjustments aims to make
sure that a disabled person can use a service as close
as it is reasonably possible to get to the standard
usually offered to non-disabled people.
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When the duty arises, you should take positive and
proactive steps to remove or prevent these obstacles.
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If you are providing goods, facilities and you find there
are barriers to disabled people in the way you do
things, then you must consider making changes to the
way you do things. If those adjustments are
reasonable for you and your organisation to make,
then you must make them.
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The duty is ‘anticipatory’. This means you must think in
advance (and on an ongoing basis) about what disabled
people with a range of impairments might reasonably
need, such as people who have a visual impairment, a
hearing impairment, a mobility impairment or a learning
disability.
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Many of the adjustments you can make will not be
particularly expensive, and you are not required to do more
than it is reasonable for you to do. What is reasonable for
you to do depends, among other factors, on the size and
nature of your organisation and the nature of the goods,
facilities or services you provide.
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Please click on the box you think has the correct answer.
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the quiz
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Can you tell whether someone has a learning
disability from their appearance?
Yes, you can always tell
Its hard to say, everyone is different
No, you can never tell
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How many people in the UK have a learning disability?
500,000 people
1.5 million people
15 million people
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When communicating with people with a learning
disability, which of these is a useful technique to use?
Talk loudly
Talk slowly
Talk to their carer instead
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Many children will outgrow their learning disabilities.
True
False
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ADHD is a common type of learning disability.
True
False
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Problems during birth that stop enough oxygen getting to
the brain can cause learning disabilities
True
False
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The medical model of disability is preferred by people with
disabilities. It promotes independence.
True
False
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People with learning disabilities do not use or
understand body language and facial expressions.
True
False
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You must make all reasonable adjustments that people
may require, irrespective of the size and nature of your
organisation.
True
False
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Easy read documents use words as well as pictures.
True
False
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