A student with a mental illness may have one or more of the following psychiatric diagnoses (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).
This is a mood disorder that can begin at any age. Major depression may be characterized by a depressed mood most of each day, a lack of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, thoughts of suicide, insomnia, and consistent feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
You should assist students with disabilities as you would other students. It is their responsibility to disclose information about their disabilities and request accommodations. Some students do not require accommodations and/or choose not to disclose their disabilities. Other students may have invisible disabilities (such as learning disabilities or health impairments), which may be difficult or even impossible to recognize.
"Mental illness" refers to the collection of all diagnosable mental disorders causing severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating, and/or functional behaviors. It can result in a substantially diminished capacity to cope with daily life demands.
A mental illness is a hidden disability; it is rarely apparent to others. However, students with mental illness may experience symptoms that interfere with their educational goals and that create a "psychiatric disability." These symptoms may include yet are not limited to the following:
The following functional limitations related to psychiatric disabilities may affect academic performance and may require accommodations (Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 1997).
My name is Amy. I have a speech impairment, although my speech is clear enough to be understood by most people. I am a high school senior, and I plan to attend a local community college after I graduate.
I went to the community college admissions office to get some help with my application. I was immediately referred to the college's disabled student services office.
The Internet hosts a large quantity of websites that deal with legal, social, and political issues related to disability. A short list can be found at Disability-Related Resources: Legal Issues.
According to the ADA Tool Kit, "a physical impairment is a physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement or anatomical loss impacting one or more body systems. Examples of body systems include neurological, musculoskeletal (the system of muscles and bones), respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, lymphatic and endocrine." It goes on to say a "mental impairment is a mental or psychological disorder. Examples include intellectual disability, emotional or mental illness, and organic brain syndrome."
The Internet hosts a large quantity of websites that deal with the legal and social issues related to people with disabilities and employment. Many resources offer assistance in understanding employment-related legislation, helping students with disabilities prepare for careers, developing workplace accommodations, and applying universal design principles in the work environment.
Sign language is manual communication commonly used by people who are deaf. Sign language is not universal; people who are deaf from different countries speak different sign languages. The gestures or symbols in sign language are organized in a linguistic way. Each individual gesture is called a sign. Each sign has three distinct parts: the handshape, the position of the hands, and the movement of the hands. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most commonly used sign language in the United States.
The Internet hosts a large quantity of websites and electronic discussion lists that contain information of interest to individuals with learning disabilities and/or Attention-Deficit Disorder and their family members, friends, mentors, advocates, educators, employers, and coworkers. Topics addressed include education, accommodations, diagnosis, employment, social development, and support networks.