The Roleplay Workshop

While The Roleplay Workshop does not offer separate programs for students with special needs, we have had extensive experience with such students. We have been very successful integrating students with special needs into our regular groups. Below is a list of some of the more common special needs we work with in our program.

ADD | HD | OCD | Tourette's | Asperger's

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Disordered children characteristically have difficulty in focusing attention (particularly on instructions) and in avoiding distraction by irrelevant stimuli. Such children may frequently seek the attention of others, often talk excessively and interrupt other speakers. The behavior is characterized as impulsive and disruptive in social settings. At times such children may have difficulty sitting still for any length of time.

It is often difficult to separate behaviors characteristic of ADHD and "normal" behaviors of children. True ADHD and ADD are thought to reflect an organic brain dysfunction and are not limited to a few occurrences. These are long term dysfunctions which interfere with a child's social and educational development.

About 3-5% of children in the United States have this disorder.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
As above but without extreme hyperactivity.

Hyperactive Disorder (HD)
As above (ADHD) but with some ability to focus despite high levels of activity.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Unwanted, persistent thoughts and irresistible impulses to perform a ritual to relieve those thoughts.

About 2.5% of the United States population are affected.

A common example is excessive hand washing due to anxiety induced by persistent thoughts about contamination and dirt.

Tourette's Syndrome
Physical disorder characterized by uncontrolled spontaneous twitching, tics, and/or vocal outbursts occasionally of an obscene nature.

Source: Robert J. Sternberg (1995) In Search of The Human Mind Harcourt Brace & Company Orlando, FL.

Asperger's Disorder

Asperger's Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. Both Asperger's Disorder and Autistic Disorder are in fact subgroups of a larger diagnostic category. This larger category is called either Autistic Spectrum Disorders, mostly in European countries, or Pervasive Developmental Disorders ("PDD"), in the United States. In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Though grammatical, their speech is peculiar due to abnormalities of inflection and a repetitive pattern. Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a circumscribed area of interest which usually leaves no space for more age appropriate, common interests.

Source: http://www.aspergers.com/aspclin.htm

The incidence of Autistic Spectrum Disorders has increased dramatically in the last ten years.

Source: http://www.fightingautism.org/idea/autism.php?s=CA&z=l