The three terms: difficulties, disabilities and disorders, are easily confused and are often treated synonymously. Learners will be introduced to these categories as listed in the Educator’s Diagnostic Manual (Pierangelo & Giuliani, 2007) learn to identify and differentiate the disabilities and disorders based on their symptoms and subtypes.

Learners will understand about the nature and types of Cognitive Impairment which is a generic term encompassing a multitude of diseases/disorders (both genetic and acquired) as well as brain damage caused via accidents. Cognitive Impairment is not confined to people of a certain age, gender, nationality, race, socio-economic status, or any other demographic. In fact, anyone can be impaired through an action, inaction, or a genetic abnormality.

Cognitive Impairment is different from Development Delays/ Disabilities. Learners will read learn about the nature and types of the latter, which results in many difficulties in certain areas of life such as language and communication, mobility, learning performance, self-help skills, and independent living. Development Delays/ Disabilities can be identified earlier during the infancy/toddlerhood phase and the condition persists throughout an individual’s lifespan. DD that affects all areas of an individual’s development is often referred to as global DD.

Development Delays is different from Challenging Behaviours. The concept will be introduced to the learners. Learners will learn the different classifications for the Challenging Behaviours, and that these behaviours having certain characteristics are named as challenging behaviours in general. The behavioural problems continue their existence intensively even when the abovementioned conditions are improved and the impacts of the unfavourable stimulus at the background are minimized, might be an indicator of an inadequacy.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will also be introduced. The multi-faceted spectrum disorder of either primary (essential or idiopathic) or secondary (syndromic or complex) type, within a continuum of personality ranging from introversion through ambiversion to extroversion, i.e., a neurodevelopmental syndrome (with varied subtypes) of constitutional origin (genetic) and whose causes could also be epigenetic and/or non-genetic, and its onset is usually around 36 months of birth, with empathizing, mentalizing and/or contextualizing deficits that cause impairments in communication (verbal and/or non-verbal) and social interaction (sedentary disposition) (i.e., dissociating), sensory processing and modulation, and imagination or presence of stereotyped behaviors (ruminating), but may, on the other hand, also subconsciously mimicking/mirroring behaviors, to display (by autistic savants) or hide (by autistic crypto-savants) a strong systemizing drive with good attention to detail, deep narrow interests, and islets of ability.

This is one of a set of modules with their respective units that together constitute an online training program accredited by the International Association of Therapists based in the United States of America.