Multidisciplinary Approaches to Teaching Students with Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities encompass a group of diagnoses that can be attributed to either mental or physical impairment. Individuals with developmental disabilities are affected across the lifespan and display deficits in multiple areas of functioning including language, learning, self-care, social skill performance, and the capacity for independent living. Individuals are affected across a variety of settings including educational environment, home, and the community. Such individuals have a wide array of needs; just as one treatment provider is not sufficient to meet the needs of this population, one teacher cannot serve the vast educational needs of these students. Supports and services in each of these environments can include any of the following: speech and language services, augmentative and alternative communication support, occupational therapy services, physical therapy services, ...