Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.




Educational support needs of students may be identified:
As part of a specific program for identifying and responding to the educational needs of students with disabilities (such as the Education Adjustment Program in Qld)
Using a standard questionnaire or profile to gather information about adjustments school personnel make to support students with disabilities in school


Legislation, policies and standards relevant to the educational institution and sector may include:
National, State/territory and local government legislative requirements affecting the institution's operation, especially in regard to the provision of education, occupational health and safety and environmental issues, disability, anti-discrimination and industrial relations
Disability Standards for Education 2005
Copyright legislation
Privacy legislation
Freedom of Information legislation
National and/or international standards
Awards, enterprise agreements and/or relevant industrial instruments
The educational organisation's:
goals, values, objectives, plans, systems and processes
strategic, operational and workforce plans
ethical and professional standards
principles of practice
education system's/school's service standards
quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
confidentiality requirements
reporting requirements


Intellectual disability refers to:
Intellectual disability is a state of functioning that begins in childhood and is characterised by limitations in both intelligence and adaptive skills
Intellectual disability reflects the 'fit' between the capabilities of individuals and the structure and expectations of their environment
The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) has developed an internationally accepted definition using the term 'mental retardation', which is still current in the United StatesIn Australia the preferred terms are 'intellectual disability' and 'intellectual impairment'
According to AAMR, mental retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioningIt is characterised by:
(i) significantly below average intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with
(ii) related limitations in two or more of the adaptive skill areas:
communication
home-living
community use
health and safety
leisure
self care
social skills
self-direction
functional academics
work
(iii) intellectual disability manifests before age 18
NOTE: there is as much diversity of characteristics, abilities and needs among people with intellectual disability as there is within the regular population


Adaptive skills are:
Those everyday coping skills that students need in order to take care of themselves and to relate to others in daily living and include:
communication - the process of giving and receiving information
life skills - those required to manage in the environment
community use - ability to access community facilities
health and safety skills relate to maintaining personal well beingstudents with intellectual disabilities need to be explicitly taught these in appropriate settings
leisure skills - ability to use free time to pursue personal interests:
the purpose of teaching leisure skills is to provide students with skills to be active participants in a variety of leisure pursuits
self care skills - as required to maintain personal hygiene and appearance:
these need to be taught in a structured manner
for example, students need to understand what clothing is appropriate in different social contexts
social skills - interpersonal skills considered appropriate in various settings:
they impact on the ability to form friendships and need to be taught in a structured way
self-direction skills
functional academics - school subjects that have direct application to skills needed in everyday living
work skills need to be developed for students to have the opportunity to access work (paid and unpaid)
Students with intellectual disability have limited functionality in at least two adaptive skill areas


Communication difficulties may include:
Understanding language (especially complex sentences, colloquialisms and words with more than one meaning)
Learning the rules of language (e.g. grammatical constructions, appropriate language for specific situations)
Using language for a variety of functions (e.g. asking questions, stating information)
Producing speech (e.g. students with Down Syndrome may have poor muscle tone which makes their speech hard to understandIt is important not to judge a student's understanding solely by that student's ability to speak)
Some students may need to use other communication methods such as signs, gestures, object symbols, picture boards and voice output communication aids
Students with no functional speech may access an alternative communication system while those who need to supplement their speech may be provided with augmentative communication equipment


Life skills may include:
Organising skills
Clothing care
Food preparation
Home safety
Daily scheduling
Planning to budget and shop


Community use skills may include:
Using public transport
Shopping
Using public facilities
Appropriate behaviour
Participation in community groups e.g. guides, scouts, church


Health and safety skills may include:
Appropriate diet
Illness identification and treatment
Basic first aid
Fitness
Personal safety
Appropriate behaviours
Road safety
Sexuality


Leisure related skills may include:
Appropriate behaviour in leisure settings
Home and community leisure
Playing socially with others
Indicating choices and needs
Turn-taking


Self care skills may apply in areas such as:
Eating
Dressing
Grooming
Toileting
Hygiene


Social skills may include:
Eye contact
Listening
Cooperation
Turn taking
Showing concern for others
Recognising and responding to emotions


Self-direction skills include:
Making choices
Problem solving
Being assertive
Initiating or completing activities
Planning
Following a timetable
Seeking assistance when needed


Functional academics include:
Reading
Writing
Numeracy
Social sciences (for example, a student's maths program may focus on addition and subtraction in relation to the use of money as this will have lifelong practical application)


Work skills include work-related behaviours such as
Completing tasks
Following schedules
Seeking help
Self management
Interacting with co-workers
Job-specific competence
Employability skills


Causes of intellectual disability may include:
Intellectual disability is caused by factors that affect brain functioning, for many people the cause being unknown
Hain and Harris (1996) list known causes as:
anomalies in chromosomes or genes (e.g. Down syndrome)
extremely premature birth (e.g. where brain damage may result from lack of oxygen)
pregnancy problems (e.g. mother develops rubella in early pregnancy or effects of drug-alcohol use)
illness (e.g. meningitis, measles)
injury (e.g. acquired brain injury)
environmental (e.g. lead pollution)


Intellectual disability can affect student learning in ways which include:
The learning process presents significant challenges for students with intellectual disability
Students are slower to learn and generally experience difficulty in the areas of:
attention - students with intellectual disability may need to be taught in a structured manner to pay attention to a task
thought processing - students may have difficulty with:
speed and organisation of thought processes
forming logical sequences of ideas
interpretation of symbolic and abstract concepts
linking new information with previous knowledge or experiences
perseveration (repetition of speech or behaviour)
memory - students with intellectual disability may have difficulty retaining and recalling information
perception - students with intellectual disability may have difficulty registering information through a particular sensory mode and making meaning from what has been perceived
generalisation - students with intellectual disability have considerable difficulty transferring skills learned in one situation to another and need to be taught how to generalise learned skills from one context to another


Implications of intellectual disability for effective teaching practices include:
The need to make adjustments to meet individual student requirements
Provision of resources designed to meet specific needs
Planning and working with parents/caregivers, support and specialist personnel
Possible need for additional health and safety strategies
Need to plan for use of realistic learning environments
The use of multi-sensory approaches to learning activities


Specific teaching strategies may include:
The student's attention is maximised when:
work is interesting and appropriate to the student's level
the student's individual learning style is catered for
activities are broken into achievable steps
the key features of an item or situation are explicitly taught
a quiet work area is provided for learning new work or completing difficult work
frequent and specific feedback is given
Student thought processes may be supported by:
providing short, clear instructions
checking for student understanding
ensuring consistent use of language, teaching and behaviour support strategies
allowing 'wait' time for students to process thoughts
use of visual/pictorial supports
use of concrete materials, e.g. blocks for counting
provision of one-to-one instruction
Student's ability to remember may be supported by:
use of visual supports such as word lists, pictorial timetable, or self management charts
use of verbal and gestural prompts
use of music or rhyme (e.g. learn required facts to a jingle)
building in opportunities for frequent practice
encouraging the use of a diary
continued ...
Specific teaching strategies (contd):
Students may be assisted to generalise by:
creating real-life or life-like environments
use of a range of concrete materials
use of role play
development of contingency plans (e.g. carrying coins/phone card for the unexpected)
practising the same skill with different people in different places
Students with perceptual difficulties may be assisted by:
use of as many sensory modes as possible to reinforce learning (e.g. studying a country - include music, costume making, cooking, dance)
use of one-to-one instruction
use of short, clear instructions
linking abstract learning (e.g. reading and writing) to actual concrete experiences in the student's recent past
presenting paper tasks in simple, uncluttered formats (e.g. not too much information on the page)
provision of visual support
use of real-life or life-like situations wherever possible (e.g. study plants in the garden or the bush rather than at a desk)
Opportunities for developing improved communication skills may include:
incorporating reasons to communicate in daily routines
specific teaching of vocabulary, grammar, appropriate responses in specific situations that relate to the student's peer group and interests
teaching the student listening skills
providing sufficient time for processing received information
providing a choice of responses e.g. 'Are you hot, or are you angry?' or 'Do you want help, or can you do it?'
Self-advocacy abilities are developed with self-esteem, communication skills, and the ability to understand one's own needs and emotions
skills in self-advocacy need to be explicitly taught using a person-centred approach


Effects of limited adaptive skills on student learning may include:
Being unable to make oneself understood and therefore not being able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding
Being conditioned to follow instructions rather than make choices for oneself
Learned helplessness
Limited ability to care for self and manage time and belongings
Limited ability to understand and communicate emotional and physical needs which may lead to inappropriate behaviour caused by frustration - as a consequence such students are sometimes denied the full range of learning opportunities provided to other students


Students may be assisted to develop adaptive skills by:
Provision of specific instruction and training in particular adaptive skill areas
Using opportunities to practice newly acquired skills throughout the day
Provision of role play activities to explore social situations and relationships
Development of self-esteem through:
experiences of success
being encouraged to positively assert oneself
being treated in an age-appropriate way
fostering a positive awareness of difference
support to be involved in regular age-appropriate experiences
acceptance and respect
(Adapted in part from the Down Syndrome Association Queensland kit: Where else but here?)
The student's age, abilities and environment will influence the adaptive skills to be taught


An education support worker may support a student with intellectual disability by:
Assisting with establishing and maintaining a supportive environment which is emotionally, socially and physically inclusive of diversity
Contributing information to teacher/s planning
Scaffolding students' acquisition of language and extension of vocabulary
Supporting the student's involvement in teaching and learning through student groupings (e.g. Creating supportive relationships between more and less able students)
Utilising strategies which respond to the student's learning styles, characteristics and needs, as developed with the teacher/s
Assisting with the development of teaching materials which are adapted to the student's needs
Using positive behaviour support strategies

A supportive environment is one that creates a sense of belonging for all students by:
Accepting and valuing difference
Facilitating academic and social development
Supporting student risk-taking by encouraging them to 'have a go' (e.g. praise for working through the process of an activity even if outcome is not correct)
Defining, modelling and reinforcing appropriate behaviour

A critical element of a supportive environment is the positive attitude of teachers, education support workers, students and parents

To help develop positive attitudes within the school environment:
Share student successes
Demonstrate a positive approach
Focus on what students CAN do rather than on what they CAN NOT do
Expect ALL students to develop and progress
Allow students with intellectual disabilities to face challenges
Promote the rights of all students
Provide access to a range of experiences
Encourage peer interaction


The education team may include:
Teachers
Parents/caregivers
Nurses
Doctors
Specialists
Therapists
Speech/language pathologists
Guidance officers
Education support workers
Students (where practical)

EVIDENCE GUIDE

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
This unit may be assessed either on the job or off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation
Assessment should ensure the candidate addresses the elements and performance criteria on at least three occasions, over a period of time


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged
Assessment requires access to
a workplace environment or
one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered in an educational context in which students with intellectual disability are enrolled
current principles of practice applicable to the candidate's work environment in relation to students with intellectual disability
scenarios that require participants to address a range of situations and behaviours to achieve a specific outcome
Key aspects of the assessment context for closely replicating a workplace include:
role plays and simulations where the 'student' is able to accurately replicate behaviours likely to be exhibited by a student with an intellectual disability in a learning environment


Method of assessment:
Assessment methods suitable for valid and reliable assessment of this competency may include, but are not limited to, a combination of two or more of:
case studies
demonstration
observation
questioning - oral and written
scenarios, simulation or role plays
authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or training courses
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, such as literacy, and the needs of particular groups, such as:
people in rural and remote locations
people with disabilities
people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
women
young people
older people