Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, we hope that you will be able to:

• define intellectual disability
  
  
• define and describe the prevalence of visual and hearing impairment in people with intellectual disability
  
  
• understand the risk factors for sensory impairment in this population
  
  
• appreciate the genetic and non-genetic syndromes commonly associated with sensory impairment
  
  
• understand the association of sensory impairment with autism, challenging behaviour and mental ill-health
  
  
• recognise the importance of early detection and management of sensory impairment.

Notes about terminology

We have used the term ‘sensory impairment’ to mean ’visual and hearing impairment’. We have used the term ‘intellectual disability’ instead of 'learning disability', 'developmental disability' or 'mental retardation'.

Whenever discussing the congenital severe to profound hearing loss, we have used the term ‘Deaf’’ (with a capital D), regardless of its position in the beginning or the middle of a sentence. It differentiates congenital hearing loss (Deafness) from acquired hearing loss (deafness), which occurs later in life.

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