You are here: Special Education Home > Additional Special Education Information > Overview of Disabilities

OVERVIEW OF DISABILITIES

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

AUTISM-BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects 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 does not apply if a child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disability. A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three, (e.g., Asperger's Disorder) could be found eligible under this disability if the criteria listed above are met.

CRITERIA. A student with autism who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has significant deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication. The committee must specify problem areas.

· The student has significant deficits in social interaction. The committee must state problem areas.

· Emotional disability can be ruled out as the primary cause of adverse impact to educational performance.

· The adaptive, communication and social interaction deficits result in an adverse effect on educational performance in one or more instructional areas. The committee must specify evidence of adverse effect.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify the instruction required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Developmental delay means a disability affecting a child ages two through four who:
1. Is experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and

2. Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

CRITERIA. A student with developmental delay who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The age of the student is two through four and the student will not turn five before September 30 of the next school year.

· The student is experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas:

· Physical development
· Cognitive development
· Communication development
· Social or emotional development
· Adaptive development

· The committee must describe the delay(s).

Because of these delays, the student needs special education and related services. The committee must specify the reasons.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

EMOTIONAL DISABILITY - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION:. Emotional disability means a condition in which the student exhibits one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance:

1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

4. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

5. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they also have an emotional disability.

CRITERIA. A student with an emotional disability who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has exhibited one or more of the following characteristics for a long period of time:

· An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors. The committee must describe this.

· An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. Provide a time frame for unsatisfactory peer and teacher relationships, such as an inability to get along with anyone, feelings of isolation, extreme withdrawn behavior, avoidance of communication, extreme fear of teachers and/or students, etc. The committee must describe this.
· Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances as shown by reports and information from multiple sources. Provide a time frame for inappropriate behavior or feelings, such as anxiety, attention issues, excessive crying, curling up in a fetal position, hiding under furniture, paranoia, feelings of persecution, verbally and/or physically attacking others without any apparent reason, etc. The committee must describe this.

· A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression as shown by reports and information from multiple sources. Provide a time frame for evidence of unhappiness or depression, such as changes in eating and/or sleep patterns, clinical depression, constantly being on the verge of crying, extreme disobedience, low frustration tolerance, mood swings, self-destructive behavior, suicidal ideation, underachievement, etc. The committee must describe this.

· A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems as confirmed by reports from multiple sources. Provide a time frame for physical symptoms or fears such as stomachaches or headaches related to school, school refusal, truancy, high rate of absenteeism, etc. The committee must describe this.

· Social Maladjustment has been ruled out as the PRIMARY cause of identified characteristics.

· These characteristics have been in existence over a long period of time and to a marked degree.

· The characteristics identified above result in an adverse effect on educational performance. The committee must describe the adverse effect on educational performance.

· The student requires instruction that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. Specify the instruction required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

HEARING IMPAIRMENT - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Hearing Impairment (including Deafness) means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, and that adversely affects the child's educational performance.

CRITERIA. A student with a hearing impairment who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has a documented hearing impairment. The committee must specify this.

· The student is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing with or without amplification as a result of the hearing loss. The committee must describe the impaired language processing.

· The hearing loss results in an adverse effect on educational performance. The committee must specify this.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify the instruction required and why regular education cannot provide it.
Visit the FCPS: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Impairment web site

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION:. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

· An eligibility committee may determine that a child has a specific learning disability if:

1. The child does not achieve commensurate with age and ability levels in one or more of the areas listed below when provided with learning experiences appropriate for the child's age and ability levels; and

2. The child demonstrates a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement in one or more of the following areas: a. oral expression; b. listening comprehension; c. written expression; d. basic reading skills; e. reading comprehension; f. mathematics calculation; and g. mathematics reasoning.

· For a child suspected of having a specific learning disability, the documentation of the committee's determination of eligibility must include:

1. A statement of:

· Whether the child has a specific learning disability
· The basis for making the determination
· The relevant behavior noted during the observation of the child
· The relationship of that behavior to the child's academic functioning
· The educationally relevant medical findings, if any
· Whether there is a severe discrepancy between achievement and ability that requires special education and related services
· The determination of the committee concerning the effects of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

2. Each committee member shall certify in writing whether the report reflects his or her conclusion. If it does not reflect his or her conclusion, the committee member must submit a separate statement presenting his or her conclusion.

CRITERIA. A student with a specific learning disability who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has had learning experiences appropriate for age and ability levels.

· The student demonstrates a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes (processing deficit) involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written. Specify:
· auditory memory
· auditory discrimination
· auditory processing
· visual memory
· visual discrimination
· visual processing
· visual sequencing
· visual motor integration
· perceptual motor speed
· other

· The student is not achieving commensurate with age level and demonstrates a severe discrepancy between ability and achievement in one or more areas listed below.
· Basic Reading Skills
· Mathematics Calculation
· Basic Writing Skills
· Reading Comprehension
· Mathematics Reasoning
· Written Expression
· Listening Comprehension
· Oral Expression

· The committee considered the following exclusionary factors and ruled them out as the primary cause of the severe discrepancy.
· Visual, hearing, or motor impairment
· Mental retardation
· Emotional disability
· Environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage
· Lack of instruction in reading and math or limited English proficiency

· The committee considered the relevant behavior noted during the observation of the child and the relationship of that behavior to the child's academic functioning. The committee must describe this.

· The committee considered any educationally relevant medical findings. The committee must describe this.

· The student requires instruction in the area(s) of underachievement that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify why.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

MENTAL RETARDATION - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Mental retardation means a significantly reduced rate of intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and academic achievement that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The student's cognitive ability and adaptive behavior are not primarily caused by visual or auditory deficits, motor deficits, emotional disability, learning disability, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

CRITERIA. A student with mental retardation who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has a significantly reduced rate of intellectual functioning.

· The student has concurrent deficits in adaptive behaviors that are significantly below chronological age.

· The following factors can be ruled out as the primary cause for deficits in cognitive ability and adaptive behavior:
·Auditory or visual deficits
· Motor deficits
· Learning disability or emotional disability
· Environmental, cultural, economic disadvantage

· The intellectual and adaptive deficits result in an adverse effect on educational performance in all instructional areas. The student is functioning significantly below age expectations. The committee must specify the adverse effect(s) on educational performance.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify the instruction required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

MULTIPLE DISABILITIES - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Multiple disabilities means two or more impairments occurring at the same time (for example, mental retardation-blindness, learning disability-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such significant educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.

CRITERIA. A student with multiple disabilities who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student qualifies for special education programs in two or more disability categories according to criteria. The committee must specify disability categories and attach appropriate BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION FORMS.

· The multiple disabilities result in significant educational needs. Specify evidence of severe educational needs.

· The student requires instruction to address significant educational needs that cannot reasonably be provided in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The committee must specify accommodations required and why only one program cannot provide them.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, (including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli), that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment. The impairment adversely affects a child's educational performance and is due to chronic or acute health problems. These may include, but are not limited to, conditions such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia.

CRITERIA. A student with other health impairment who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has a documented chronic or acute health problem. The committee must describe specify this.

· Due to the health problem, the student has limited strength, vitality, or alertness, (including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli) that result in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment. The committee must describe this.

· The limited strength, vitality or alertness results in an adverse effect on educational performance. Functional academic performance is significantly impacted (e.g. performance on group and/or individually administered standardized tests, daily classroom performance, functional impact of medical condition on day to day performance). The committee must specify evidence of the adverse effect(s).

· The student requires instruction and accommodations that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify the instruction required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g., club foot, absence of some member), impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
CRITERIA. A student with an orthopedic impairment who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has an orthopedic impairment. The committee must describe this.

· As a result of this orthopedic impairment, the student exhibits physical limitations in the school environment (e.g., mobility, sitting, object manipulation, posture, toileting, communicating, eating, etc.). The committee must describe this.

· The significant physical limitations result in an adverse effect on educational performance in one or more instructional areas. The committee must specify the adverse effect on educational performance.

· The student requires instruction and accommodations to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify the instruction required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

SEVERE DISABILITY - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Severe disability means:
· a primary disability that severely impairs cognitive abilities, adaptive skills, and life functioning
· associated severe behavior problems
· the high probability of additional physical and/or sensory disabilities
· the student requires significantly more educational resources than are provided for children with mild and moderate disabilities in special education programs

CRITERIA. A student with severe disability who requires special education will meet
ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has severely impaired cognitive abilities.

· The student has severely impaired adaptive and life functioning skills. The committee must
describe this.

· The student has the probability of associated severe behavior problems and physical or sensory
disabilities. The committee must describe this.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be pro
vided solely through regular education and requires significantly more educational resources than are
provided for children with mild and moderate disabilities in special education programs. The committee must specify instruction and resources that are required.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

SPEECH/LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Speech/language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

Articulation Disorder: Defective production of phonemes (speech sounds) that interferes with ready intelligibility of speech. Types of misarticulations include: substitution of one phoneme for another, omission of phonemes in words, phonemic distortions, and inappropriate additions of phonemes.

Fluency (Stuttering) Disorder: Disruptions in the normal flow of verbal expression that occur frequently, or are markedly noticeable, and are not readily controllable by the student. These disruptions may include repetitions, hesitation, prolongations, interjections and associated secondary behaviors. Interruptions in the production of connected speech causes adverse reaction in the student and/or the listener.

Voice Disorder: Chronic or persistent abnormality in pitch, loudness, or quality resulting from pathological conditions or abnormal use of the vocal mechanism that interferes with communication. Voice quality disorders may be characterized by laryngeal dysfunction that is spasmodic, strident, hoarse, breathy, and/or dysphonic. Medical information is necessary to rule out upper respiratory infection or allergies or to determine the contribution of vocal pathology to the voice symptoms.

Oral Language Disorder: Impaired ability in verbal learning with resultant disability in the acquisition, production, and/or comprehension of oral language. Deficits may be reflected in semantics, syntax, morphology, metalinguistics and pragmatics.

CRITERIA. A student with speech/language impairment who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has a communication disorder in articulation, voice, fluency, expressive language and/or receptive language. The committee must specify deficit area(s).

· The communication disorder adversely affects educational performance as demonstrated by academic and non-academic performance that is significantly below the level of students of similar age. The committee must describe the adverse effect in terms of social interaction, communication behavior, or academic achievement.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through the student's current educational setting. The committee must specify why.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Traumatic brain injury means an injury to the brain caused by an external physical force resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial maladjustment that adversely affects educational performance. The term includes open or closed head injuries resulting in mild, moderate, or severe impairments in one or more areas, including cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not include brain disorders that are congenital or degenerative, or brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

CRITERIA. A student with a traumatic brain injury who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has sustained an injury to the brain caused by an external physical force. The committee must describe the injury and its cause.

· The brain injury is not congenital or degenerative, or induced by birth trauma or stroke.

· The brain injury results in total or partial functional disability or impairment in one or more areas:

· Abstract thinking · Motor abilities
· Attention · Physical functions
· Cognition · Problem solving
· Information processing · Psychosocial behavior
· Judgment · Reasoning
· Language · Sensory, perceptual abilities
· Memory · Speech

· The functional disability or impairment results in an adverse effect on educational performance. The committee must specify evidence of the adverse effect.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify accommodations required and why it cannot be provided by regular education.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT - BASIS FOR COMMITTEE DECISION

DEFINITION: Visual impairment means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

CRITERIA. A student with visual impairment who requires special education will meet ALL of the following criteria. For each criterion the committee must indicate "Yes" or "No" and provide additional information as appropriate.

· The student has an impairment of vision documented by medical examination and/or other qualified professionals. The committee must describe impairment, date of onset, etc.

· The loss of vision results in an adverse effect on educational performance in one or more instructional areas. The committee must specify evidence of the adverse effect and supports that are required, e.g., large print, Braille, recorded textbooks, low vision aids, preferential seating or lighting, orientation and mobility training, social interaction skills training, etc.

· The student requires instruction to address identified deficit areas that cannot reasonably be provided solely through regular education. The committee must specify accommodations required and why they cannot be provided by regular education.

Visit the Blind and Vision Impaired web site.

Return to Eligibility Committee Definitions list