Disability Categories

A developmental disability generally evident before age three that significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, thus adversely affecting a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term includes any autism spectrum disorder that adversely affects educational performance. The term does not apply if a student’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disability.

NOTE: For students suspected of being on the autism spectrum, conducting a psychological, social-emotional, communication, and/or sensory evaluation must be considered.

The student exhibits concomitant hearing and visual disabilities, the combination of which causes severe communication, developmental, and educational needs that cannot be accommodated by special education services designed solely for students with either deafness or blindness.

A hearing impairment that is so severe that the student is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, thus adversely affecting a student’s educational performance.

Delay in physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social-emotional development, or adaptive development.

NOTE: For students suspected of having or having a developmental delay, at least one RSP must conduct an evaluation. Students eligible under the developmental delay category must be re-evaluated, and a new eligibility determination must be made by the end of the school year during which the student turns nine years old.

A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:

• An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;
• An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;
• Inappropriate behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
• A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or
• A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. This includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disability.

NOTE: For students suspected of having or having an emotional disorder, a psychological evaluation and/or social work evaluation must be conducted.

An impairment in hearing, permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness.

Cognitive development significantly below that of their typically developing peers, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, and thus adversely affecting a child’s educational performance. Intellectual disabilities are classified as mild, moderate, or severe/profound.

NOTE: For students suspected of having or having an intellectual disability, a psychological evaluation including the general intelligence (cognitive functioning) domain, if not conducted previously or data indicates a new assessment is needed, must be conducted and a recommendation for eligibility must be made by a school psychologist.

Concomitant impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness, intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes severe educational needs that cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. (Does not include deaf/blindness.)

Limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, due to chronic or acute health problems such as a heart condition, asthma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, attention decit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), leukemia, diabetes, rheumatic fever, or Tourette syndrome, and adversely affects a child’s educational performance (i.e., academic as well as functional performance (e.g., behavior, social, communication skills, adaptive/independent living skills, etc.)).

A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, disease, or other cause (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputation, fractures, or burns).

A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

NOTE: For students suspected of having a specific learning disability, before the IEP team can determine if the student has a specific learning disability, they must complete the steps described in the Eligibility Criteria for Students Suspected of Having a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) section of the SY25-26 IDEA Procedural Manual. Additionally, OSD recommends that the school psychologist be part of the IEP team for this discussion given their expertise in data analysis and basic psychological processes.

A communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

An acquired injury to the brain, caused by an external force. This injury results in total or partial functional disability, psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects the student’s educational performance. This term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma.

NOTE: For students suspected of having or having a traumatic brain injury, a psychological evaluation must be conducted.

An impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance (includes both partial sight and blindness).

NOTE: If a student has a visual impairment, this needs to be identified as a disability. While a student may present with other possible eligibility categories, visual impairment must be specifically indicated to ensure appropriate supports and services (e.g., options for braille).