| Does your child struggle with academics, and you are | | | | 5. Deafness: Residual hearing is severely impaired in |
| concerned that they may have a disability? Have you | | | | processing the spoken word, negatively affecting the |
| been told by special education personnel that your child | | | | child's education. |
| does not fit any of the 13 eligibility classifications to | | | | 6. Hearing Impairment: Exhibits a hearing loss that is |
| receive special education services? This article will | | | | permanent or fluctuating, which even with amplification |
| discuss the 13 classifications of disability, that are | | | | negatively affects the child's education. |
| covered in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act | | | | 7. Visual Impairment: Impairment is such that |
| (IDEA), and make a child eligible for special education | | | | educational potential cannot be fulfilled without special |
| services. Whether a certain child is eligible is up to the | | | | services and materials. |
| parent and the IEP team, but having a disability in one | | | | 8. Deaf-Blindness: Child has both hearing and visual |
| of the 13 categories is required in order to be found | | | | disabilities. |
| eligible. | | | | 9. Specific Learning Disability (LD): Exhibits a disorder in |
| The categories are: | | | | one or more of the basic psychological process (such |
| 1. Autism: A developmental disability that can affect the | | | | as visual, motor, language etc) which negatively |
| verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, | | | | affects a child's education. |
| and can have a negative affect on the child's | | | | 10. Multiple Disabilities: The child exhibits two or more |
| education. The prevalence of autism is 1 in 150 as | | | | severe disabilities, one of which is mental retardation. |
| determined by the CDC or Center for Disease Control. | | | | 11. Orthopedic Impairment: Displays severe impairments |
| 2. Other Health Impaired (OHI): The child exhibits limited | | | | that are the result of congenital anomaly, |
| strength, alertness, due to chronic or acute health | | | | developmental, or other causes (such as CP) which |
| problems, including but not limited to asthma, ADD | | | | negatively affects the child's education. |
| ADHD, cancer, diabetes, which negatively affects the | | | | 12. Speech or Language Impairment: Exhibits a |
| child's education. | | | | communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired |
| 3. Mental Retardation: Defined as significantly below | | | | articulation, a receptive and/or expressive language |
| average general functioning, with deficits in adaptive | | | | disorder, that negatively affects the child's education. |
| behavior, which negatively affects the child's education. | | | | 13. Traumatic Brain Injury: The child has an injury to |
| 4. Emotional Disturbance (ED): Exhibits one of the | | | | their brain resulting in total or partial functional disability. |
| following conditions over an extended period of time | | | | By knowing what categories are covered under IDEA |
| and these conditions negatively effect a child's | | | | you will be able to understand if your child has a |
| education. An inability to learn that cannot be explained | | | | disability that makes them eligible for special education |
| by intellectual, sensory or health factors. For a child to | | | | services. You are the only advocate that your child |
| be ED they are not supposed to have any other type | | | | has-do not let them down! |
| of disability negative affecting their education. | | | | |