Emotionally handicapped children are more likely to have experienced at least one failing grade in regular education courses than their learning disabled and mentally disabled counterparts. Children with emotional disabilities perform on average 1-2 years below grade level by the ninth grade (Platt & Olsen, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities experience higher rates of substance abuse than children with learning or mental disabilities (Platt & Olsen, 1997).

Children with emotional or behavioral disabilities exhibit significant behavioral excesses or deficits. Many labels are used to denote deviant behavior. Included in these labels are emotionally handicapped, behaviorally disordered, socially maladjusted, delinquent, psychotic, mentally ill, and schizophrenic. Each of these terms refers to patterns of behavior that depart significantly from the expectations of others. In recent years "behavior disordered" has been preferred to "emotional disturbance, " so the focus is on decision-making and behavior, not on the child’s emotions (Zabel, 1988).

An emotional disability is categorized as a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance—

An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;

An inability to build and maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;

Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;

A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or

A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with school problems.

(General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997, IDEA, P.L. 101-476)

Over four hundred thousand children with emotional disabilities were served in U.S. public schools during the 1994-5 school year (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Unlike other disabilities emotional disabilities are not considered lifelong conditions (Zabel, 1988).

Although various causes have not been determined, factors such as heredity, brain disorder, stress, diet, and family functioning have been thought to have a role in emotional disabilities (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities may exhibit hyperactivity. They have short attention spans and act impulsively (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities may show aggression. They often engage in self-injurious behavior such as fighting (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities may show signs of withdraw. Sometimes making a failure to initiate interaction with others. The may retreat from exchanges of social interaction because of excessive fear or anxiety (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities exhibit immature behavior. They cry at inappropriate times and throw temper tantrums. They also have poor coping and problem-solving skills (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional disabilities may have excessive anxiety, abnormal mood swings, and distorted thinking (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Educational programs for children with emotional disabilities need to include attention to mastering academics, developing social skills, and increasing self- awareness, self-esteem and self-control. Career education (both academic and vocational programs) is also a major part of secondary education and should be a part of every child’s transition plan or in his or her Individualized Education Program (General Information about Emotional Disturbance, 1997).

Children with emotional and behavioral disabilities need sustained interventions throughout high school to preserve engagement and to attain academic and behavioral standards (Sinclair, Christenson, Evelo, & Hurley, 1998).

Children with emotional disabilities are more likely to experience victimization during transition because of low personal/social skills (Doren, Bullis, & Benz, 1996).

Children with mental disabilities are more likely to loose their jobs because of an inability to socially interact with others, rather than an inability to perform an occupational skill (Platt and Olsen, 1997).

Mental disabilities cause substantial difficulties in self-care, learning, mobility, and economic independence (Questions & Answers, 2000).

Mental retardation is the most common mental disability; others include autism, spina bifida, Tourettes syndrome and epilepsy (Questions & Answers, 2000).

Children with mental disabilities often have below average functioning and it is often expected to be a permanent condition (Questions & Answers, 2000).

Children with mental disabilities need the same things everyone else does—education, vocational training, health care, and recreational and religious opportunities (Questions & Answers, 2000).

Children with mental disabilities have been labeled, dehumanized, denied fundamental rights, segregated, and involuntarily sterilized (Taylor, 1996).

Children with mental disabilities need advocates in their lives. It is important to recognize the roles other family members play in the lives of children with mental disabilities (Taylor, 1996).

Mental disabilities can be caused by environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages such as malnutrition and traumatic brain injury (Disabilities, 1987).

Most definitions of learning disabilities usually are contrived by what it is not, and not what it is. A child with learning disabilities does not have mental retardation, nor does the child have any disabling social, physical, or emotional problem (Gallico & Lewis, 1992).

A learning disability is also defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding and using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations (Gallico & Lewis, 1992).

Children with learning disabilities have average potential, but have some problems, which interfere with normal learning. This has been described as an ability-achievement discrepancy (Gallico & Lewis, 1992).

Because girls tend to internalize behaviors and boys externalize, they are less likely to be diagnosed with learning disabilities (Gallico & Lewis, 1992).

Traits of learning disabilities include motor disorders and other general coordination deficits. They are clumsy and have great difficulty with fine and gross motor skills, such as hopping skipping, running and tying shoes. They also have difficulty with depth perception (Gallico & Lewis, 1992; Learning Disabilities, 1986).

Children with learning disabilities sometimes exhibit emotional characteristics such as impulsiveness, low tolerance for frustration and maladjustment (Learning Disabilities, 1996).

Children with learning disabilities have difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts (Learning Disabilities, 1986).

Children with learning disabilities share an unusually high dropout rate at 30% along with children with emotional and mental disabilities, which have rates of 50% and 31% respectively (Platt & Olsen, 1997).

Children with learning disabilities suffer from attention deficits. They have difficulty concentrating and staying "on task." They rarely finish what they started, frequently jump from task to task, and are distracted easily by competing stimuli (Gallico & Lewis, 1992).

Children with learning disabilities have perceptional motor impairments. They have trouble distinguishing shapes and sizes. They also have difficulties in coloring, writing and cutting. They may lack handedness and make letter or number reversals (Gallico & Lewis, 1997).

Learning disabled children have difficulty remaining still. They are constantly in motion, fidgety and are driven by an "inner motor" (Gallico & Lewis, 1997).

Children with learning disabilities are moody and are often isolated or rejected by their peers. They may have low self-esteem and are more likely to violate social norms. They may exhibit inappropriate way of getting attention, elicit more negative reactions from others, and be lacking in social cognition skills. Also, they may have difficulty in reading non-verbal social cues and with motivation. They may be passive rather than active learners (Gallico & Lewis, 1997).

Learning disabilities may have genetic roots. Often several members of the same family will have learning disabilities (Gallico & Lewis, 1997).

Children with learning disabilities need sustained interventions throughout high school to preserve engagement and to attain academic and behavioral standards (Sinclair, Christenson, Evelo, & Hurley, 1998).

Writing programs for students with learning disabilities must include instructional activities designed to help them incorporate additional self-regulatory procedures into their writing so that it becomes more resourceful, reflective and goal oriented (Troia, Graham, & Harris, 1999).

There may be several types of students who will be assigned student assistance. Some are students who need assistance in following the new code of conduct for our school. Others need different types of assistance academic, behavioral or in transition back to a regular school day. One goal of the new Student Assistance Program is to provide a structured learning environment with fewer distractions. Another is to teach the skills necessary for success to the student before the students return to their usual classes. Another goal is to assist classroom teachers in maintaining a positive classroom atmosphere. It is a restorative approach where students can practice positive, healthy habits such as:

 

Ø      Developing a healthy view of self and others

Ø      Developing empathy

Ø      Speaking courteously

Ø      Respecting self, others and property

Ø      Dressing appropriately

Ø      Working well with others

Ø      Making responsible decisions

Ø      Setting high academic goals

Ø      Demonstrating good citizenship, and considering others rights

Ø      Developing a sense of responsibility for behavior

Ø      Developing positive relationships

Ø      Controlling anger

Ø      Accepting responsibility