Welcome to the special education instructor course on Emotional Impairment. This course focuses on one of the categories for which students are eligible for special education supports including supplementary aids and services.
An emotional impairment or disability is defined as a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a market degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:
- An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or other health factors
- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers
- Inappropriate types of behavior or feeling under normal circumstances
- A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression
- A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems
(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 300.8, (c)(4)(1), 2004)
Some conditions that might be present in students who suffer from emotional impairment include anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. The definition does not apply to children who are deemed to be socially maladjusted, unless it is also determined that they have an emotional disturbance under Section 300.8, paragraph (c)(4)(i) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlined above.
This course requires 30 hours of study time to complete all assignments and the reflection questions. There are eight written assignments, plus the student case study and reflection questions at the end of the course, which will give you the opportunity to apply what you have learned throughout this course.