Intellectual Disability and Sensory Impairment

High prevalence rates of sensory impairments in individuals with intellectual disabilities are reported in systematic studies, which suggest that about 40% have hearing impairments, about 35% have visual impairments and about 20% have dual sensory impairments (combined hearing and visual impairments – deafblindness), with increasing rates in people with severe degrees of intellectual disabilities. An intellectual disability can have an overshadowing effect, especially on milder degrees of sensory impairments that are not detected without appropriate assessment. In order to create an environment that meets the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and sensory impairments, it is necessary to reduce background noise and to create clear structures in the physical environment by using contrasts and haptic symbols. The development of communicative abilities requires the introduction of elements of sign language and has to include other people in the individual’s social environment. Increased communicative abilities can reduce levels of distress and the respective behavioural reactions in people with intellectual disabilities and sensory impairments.