15 Emotional Disability (Disturbance)
This section includes the IDEA definition of the disability from federal law, along with specific information about eligibility criteria in Virginia. In addition, there is information about the prevalence, causes, and characteristics of this disability, along with specific strategies and accommodations that can meet the needs of students with this disability.
Students with emotional disabilities exhibit behavioral and/or emotional problems to an intense degree and over a long period of time that cause them difficulty in school. IDEA provides the parameters of the educational label, while parents, guardians, advocates, and professionals have valuable information to add about the individual.
IDEA Definition
Eligibility Criteria
Evaluation and Eligibility For Special Education and Related Services Document [Word] [PDF]
VDOE Supplemental Guidance for Evaluation and Eligibility (PDF) Virginia-specific guidance document that includes sample eligibility checklist (Refer to Table of Contents pages 2-4 and click on page number for disability category)
Advocacy organization
Division for Emotional Behavioral Health of the Council for Exceptional Children
ABOUT emotional disability (disturbance)
Prevalence
Visit the US Department of Education’s Open Data Platform to access IDEA Child Count Data by disability category, age, and other demographic and special education variables.
Distribution of Students with Disabilities by percentage – National Center for Education Statistics
Causes
CEC Division for Emotional Behavioral Health provides information about causes and characteristics.
Characteristics
CEC Division for Emotional Behavioral Health provides information about causes and characteristics.
instructional strategies
Academic Skills
- Direct, explicit, and effective instruction
- Good instruction is the foundation of behavior management
Behavioral Skills
- Teacher Praise
- Active Student Responding
- Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
- Tier 1 – Primary Prevention
- Tier 2 – Secondary Prevention
- Tier 3 – Tertiary Prevention
Social Skills
- Learning the social and nonacademic skills that match teacher expectations
- Instruction should include modeling of examples and nonexamples, opportunities for role playing, guided practice with feedback, strategies to promote generalization to the natural environment
- Self-Management
- Self-monitoring
- Self-evaluation
- Proactive, Positive Classroom Management
- Token Economy or Level System
- Peer Mediation and Support
- Peer monitoring
- Positive peer reporting
- Peer tutoring
- Peer support and confrontation
- Group contingencies
The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations provides a wealth of information and resources for supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral skills development of young children.
accommodations / modifications
- Having clear rules and expectations in place
- Providing immediate feedback to the student
- Use non-verbal cues or a code word to communicate inappropriate behavior
- Encouraging the student to take ownership of their actions
- Imposing consequences for severe inappropriate types of behavior
- Use of a calculator on math tests and homework
- Extended time on assignments that are in the general education curriculum
- Use a pass system for breaks
- Offer choices: for example, students can demonstrate comprehension of a subject by handing in a traditional paper, video, or poster, etc.
- Preferential seating arrangements
- Frequent check-ins with the teacher
resources
Emotional Disability [PDF] – This PowerPoint slide deck provides a general overview of emotional disability.
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