Disability-Specific Characteristic Matrix

Academic Social and/or Behavioral Physical Possible

Characteristics Characteristics Characteristics Strengths
 Difficulty  Inattentive  Poor Motor Abilities  Detailed
learning certain  Distracted  Lack of Coordination  Neuro Diversity
subjects  Social Skills Deficits  Directional Confusion  Hardworking
 Difficulty
Specific Learning

 Social/Emotional issues  Dedicated to others

remembering  Challenging Behavior  Requiring Creativity
Disabilities

skills learned  Low Self-Esteem  Great memory from

 Insconsistent  Withdrawn personal experiences
academic
deficits
 Information-
processing
difficulties
 Lack of Meta-
Cognitive
Strategies
 .  easily frustrated - antsy –  easily frustrated -  Good with electronics
 easily edgy antsy – edgy  Show empathy
frustrated  inappropriate topics /  inappropriate  Resilient
- antsy – language / tone topics / language /  Respond well to routines
edgy  often behind in curriculum tone
 inappropri  deficits in pragmatic  often behind in
Emotional Disturbance
ate topics / communication curriculum
(aka Behavior Disorders)

language /  may give up easily  deficits in

tone  does not follow directions pragmatic
 often consistently communication
behind in  easily frustrated - antsy –  may give up
curriculum edgy easily
 deficits in  inappropriate topics /  does not follow
pragmatic language / tone directions
communica  often behind in curriculum consistently
tion  deficits in pragmatic
 may give communication
up easily  may give up easily
 does not  does not follow directions
follow consistently
directions
consistently

Academic Social and/or Behavioral Physical Possible

Characteristics Characteristics Characteristics Strengths
  easily  easily frustrated - antsy –  easily frustrated  Creativity

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

frustrated - edgy  inappropriate  Imagination
antsy – edgy  inappropriate topics / language  Enthusiastic
 inappropriat language / tone  often behind in  Spontaneous
e topics /  often behind in curriculum curriculum  Increase energy
language /  deficits in pragmatic  deficits in
tone communication pragmatic
 often behind  may give up easily communication
(ADHD)

in  does not follow directions  may give up

curriculum consistently easily
 deficits in  does not follow
pragmatic directions
communicat consistently
ion
 may give up
easily
 does not
follow
directions
consistently
 Academic  Socially immature and/or  Tired – chronic pain,  Perseverance
deficits hesitant with peers irritability, loss of  Empathy
Other Health Impairments &

(missed  Socially withdrawn (or socially appetite, sleepiness,  Assertiveness

Orthopedic Impairments

instruction) ignored) abdominal pain,  Risk-Taking

 Frequently  Overly dependent on vomiting,  Advocates for
absent or parents/caretakers (learned  Physical weaknesses themselves and others
tardy helplessness) – pale, withdrawn
 Quiet in  Avoid being singled out/resist appearance, weight
classes, but drawing attention to themselves loss/gain,
demanding sluggishness
in other  Visible physical
ways attributes – walk
different, curled hand,
bent over, oxygen
tank, walker
 Smaller stature
 Academic Social and/or Behavioral Physical Possible
Characteristics Characteristics Characteristics Strengths
 wide ability  difficulty relating to others -  focuses and becomes an expert  Subject matter
range - extreme aloneness  specific food preferences experts
average/high IQ  become fixated on specifics  need for structure & sameness  Excel working
Autism Spectrum Disorder
 uneven skill  lack sense of humor  sleep difficulties alone
 lack of spontaneous actions and  Highly skilled
development  may be resistance to physical
  Offers new
(High-functioning)

- varied imagination (concrete) touch

viewpoints
strengths &  temper tantrums, aggression,  / embrace
weaknesses property destruction  extra sensitive to sensory
 exceptional rote  obsessive, bizarre, repetitive experiences - noises, clothes,
memory behaviors - rock, hand flap, twirl, textures, touch temperature
 communication hum, gaze, spin objects, click
deficits (mutism
& echolalia)
 disorganized
 learn concretely

 learns more  socially awkward  doesn’t understand social  Focus on

Intellectual Disability

slowly – needs  often extra friendly rules/pragmatics independence

more repetition  lacks appropriate social skills for  deficits in adaptive behavior –  Compassionate
 academic getting teacher’s attention everyday life skills  Good with
deficits  often easy to please  socially immature Routines
Mild

 Learns  may have difficulty controlling

concretely emotions
 difficulty  persistent
remembering  Becomes fixated on certain topics
directions &  overly dependent on
expectations parents/caretakers (learned
 take longer to helplessness)
accomplish tasks