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A disability category is a term that describes a group of people who share a common characteristic or condition that affects their ability to perform certain activities or tasks. Disability categories are used for various purposes, such as:
- Identifying and providing appropriate services and supports for people with disabilities
- Collecting and analyzing data on the prevalence and impact of disabilities
- Raising awareness and promoting inclusion of people with disabilities in society
- Protecting the rights and interests of people with disabilities
There are different ways of defining and classifying disability categories, depending on the context and the purpose. Some of the most common frameworks are:
- The medical model, which focuses on the impairment or dysfunction of a body part or system.
- The social model, which emphasizes the barriers and discrimination that people with disabilities face in their environment.
- The biopsychosocial model, which combines both medical and social aspects of disability and recognizes the interaction between them.
- The human rights model, which views disability as a matter of equality and dignity for all people
- Physical disabilities, such as mobility impairments, sensory impairments, chronic health conditions, etc.
- Intellectual disabilities, such as cognitive impairments, learning difficulties, developmental delays, etc.
- Mental health disabilities, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, etc.
- Neurodiverse disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, etc.
They also help us recognize and address the challenges and opportunities that people with disabilities face in their daily lives.
However, disability categories are not fixed or static. They can change over time and vary across cultures and contexts.
Therefore, it is essential to respect the individuality and autonomy of each person with a disability and avoid stereotypes or assumptions based on their disability category.
A Guide to the 13 Disability Categories Under IDEA
If you have a child who struggles in school, you may wonder if they qualify for special education services.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that requires public schools to provide free and appropriate education (FAPE) to eligible students with disabilities.
But not every child who has difficulties in school is eligible for special education. To be covered by IDEA, a child's school performance must be "adversely affected" by a disability in one of the 13 categories below.
1. Specific learning disability (SLD):
This category covers a specific group of learning challenges that affect a child's ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math. Some examples of SLD are dyslexia, dyscalculia, and written expression disorder.
SLD is the most common category under IDEA. In the 2018–19 school year, around 33 percent of students who qualified did so under this category.
2. Other health impairment:
This category covers conditions that limit a child's strength, energy, or alertness. One example is ADHD, which impacts attention and executive function.
3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD):
ASD is a developmental disability that affects a child's social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior.
4. Emotional disturbance:
This category covers various mental health issues that affect a child's learning, behavior, or relationships. They may include anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.
5. Speech or language impairment:
This category covers difficulties with speech or language. A common example is stuttering. Other examples are trouble pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice. It also covers language problems that make it hard for kids to understand words or express themselves.
6. Visual impairment, including blindness:
This category covers eyesight problems that interfere with a child's learning. It includes both partial sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision problem, then it doesn't qualify.
7. Deafness:
This category covers children who can't hear most or all sounds, even with a hearing aid.
8. Hearing impairment:
This category covers hearing loss that is not covered by the definition of deafness. This type of loss can change over time. Being hard of hearing is not the same thing as having trouble with auditory or language processing.
9. Deaf-blindness:
This category covers children who have both severe hearing and vision loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique that programs for just the deaf or blind can't meet them.
10. Orthopedic impairment:
This category covers physical disabilities that affect a child's ability to move or do school activities. Some examples are cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy.
11. Intellectual disability:
This category covers children who have significantly below-average intellectual functioning and adaptive skills. These skills include communication, self-care, and social skills.
12. Traumatic brain injury:
This category covers brain injuries caused by an external force, such as a car accident or a fall. These injuries can affect a child's cognition, memory, attention, reasoning, and behavior.
13. Multiple disabilities:
This category covers children who have more than one disability that affects their education. The disabilities are such that they can't be accommodated by programs for any one disability.
Each of these categories can cover a range of difficulties and needs. The IDEA website provides more information on each category and how schools determine eligibility for special education services.
If you think your child may qualify for special education under IDEA, you can request an evaluation from your child's school.
The evaluation will help identify your child's strengths and challenges and determine if they need an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan .
These are legal documents that outline the services and accommodations your child will receive to support their learning.
Special education can help your child succeed in school and prepare for life after graduation.
Knowing the 13 disability categories under IDEA can help you advocate for your child and get them the help they need.
A Guide to the Categories of Disability Under Part B of IDEA
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child with a disability, you may have heard of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
This is a federal law that ensures that children with disabilities have the right to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that meets their unique needs.
Part B of IDEA covers children and youth from ages 3 to 21 who are eligible for special education and related services.
But how do you know if your child is eligible for special education and related services under Part B of IDEA? One of the criteria is that your child must have a disability that falls under one of the specific categories defined by IDEA. These categories are:
- Autism
- Deaf-blindness
- Deafness
- Developmental delay
- Emotional disturbance
- Hearing impairment
- Intellectual disability
- Multiple disabilities
- Orthopedic impairment
- Other health impairment
- Specific learning disability
- Speech or language impairment
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairment, including blindness
Each of these categories has its own definition and characteristics, which are explained in detail on the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) website. The CPIR is a national information center that provides information and resources to parents and families of children with disabilities, as well as to the professionals who work with them.
The CPIR website also provides information on how to access early intervention services for children from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities under Part C of IDEA. Early intervention services can help your child develop skills and abilities that will prepare them for school and life.
In addition to the disability category, another criterion for eligibility for special education and related services under Part B of IDEA is that your child's educational performance must be adversely affected by the disability.
This means that your child needs specially designed instruction or related services (such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or counseling) to benefit from education. Your child's eligibility will be determined by a team of qualified professionals and you, as the parent or caregiver, through an evaluation process.
If your child is found eligible for special education and related services under Part B of IDEA, you will be involved in developing an individualized education program (IEP) for your child.
An IEP is a written document that describes your child's strengths, needs, goals, and services. It also outlines how your child's progress will be measured and reported.
The IEP is reviewed and revised at least once a year by the IEP team, which includes you, your child (when appropriate), school staff, and other relevant people.
As a parent or caregiver of a child with a disability, you have rights and responsibilities under IDEA. You have the right to participate in all decisions regarding your child's education, to access your child's educational records, to request an independent educational evaluation (IEE) if you disagree with the school's evaluation, to resolve disputes through mediation or due process, and to receive information and support from Parent Centers.
Parent Centers are organizations funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide training and assistance to parents and families of children with disabilities.
There are nearly 100 Parent Centers across the country, serving every state and territory. You can find your nearest Parent Center on the CPIR website or by calling 1-888-248-0822.
Parent Centers can help you understand your rights and responsibilities under IDEA, navigate the special education system, communicate effectively with school staff, advocate for your child's needs, access community resources, and connect with other parents who share similar experiences. Parent Centers also offer workshops, webinars, publications, newsletters, and online resources on various topics related to disability and education.
If you have questions or concerns about your child's disability or education, do not hesitate to contact your local Parent Center. They are there to support you and empower you to be an informed and effective partner in your child's education.
We hope this guide has given you an overview of the categories of disability under Part B of IDEA and how they relate to eligibility for special education and related services.
For more information on any of these topics, please visit the CPIR website or contact your local Parent Center. Remember that you are not alone in this journey. There are many people and organizations who can help you and your child succeed.
Understanding the Different Types of Disabilities
Disability is a complex and diverse concept that affects many people around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), disability is "the interaction between individuals with a health condition and personal and environmental factors".
Disability can result from various health conditions, such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, depression, spinal cord injury, blindness, deafness, and many others. Disability can also be influenced by personal factors, such as age, gender, education, and culture, and environmental factors, such as accessibility, attitudes, policies, and support services.
Disability can affect a person's functioning and participation in different domains of life, such as mobility, communication, learning, work, and social relationships.
There is no single way to classify or categorize disabilities, as they are diverse and dynamic. However, some common frameworks or models can help us understand the different types of disabilities and their impacts on individuals and society.
One of these frameworks is the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), developed by the WHO.
The ICF provides a standard language and structure to describe and measure health and disability at both individual and population levels.
The ICF consists of two parts: Part 1 covers functioning and disability, which includes body functions and structures, activities and participation; Part 2 covers contextual factors, which includes environmental factors and personal factors.
Another framework that can help us understand the different types of disabilities is based on the main categories or domains of impairment or limitation that affect a person's functioning.
These categories are not mutually exclusive or exhaustive, but they can provide a general overview of the common types of disabilities. These categories are:
- Behavioural or emotional disabilities:
These are disabilities that affect a person's mental health and well-being, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, and others. These disabilities can cause difficulties in regulating emotions, coping with stress, forming relationships, and behaving appropriately in different situations.
- Sensory impaired disorders:
These are disabilities that affect a person's vision, hearing, or both. Examples include blindness, low vision, deafness, hard of hearing, deafblindness, and others. These disabilities can cause challenges in accessing information, communicating with others, navigating the environment, and participating in daily activities.
- Physical disabilities:
These are disabilities that affect a person's body functions or structures related to movement or coordination. Examples include spinal cord injury, amputation, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and others. These disabilities can limit a person's mobility, dexterity, balance, strength, endurance, and flexibility.
- Developmental disabilities:
These are disabilities that affect a person's cognitive, intellectual, or social development from an early age. Examples include Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, learning disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and others. These disabilities can impair a person's ability to learn, reason, remember, solve problems, communicate, and interact with others.
It is important to note that these categories are not fixed or rigid, and that a person can have more than one type of disability at the same time.
Moreover, these categories do not define a person's identity or potential, as each person with a disability is unique and has different strengths, challenges, needs, and preferences.
Therefore, it is essential to adopt a person-centered approach when addressing disability issues, and to respect the dignity, rights, and choices of persons with disabilities.
The aim of this blog post is to provide a brief introduction to the different types of disabilities and their impacts on functioning and participation.
However, there is much more to learn about disability as a human rights issue and a global public health challenge. For more information and resources on disability topics, please visit the following websites:
- WHO Disability: https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability
- International Classification of Functioning,
Disability and Health (ICF): https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/international-classification-of-functioning-disability-and-health
- CPD Online College: https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/care/different-types-of-disabilities/
How to Identify and Support Students with Disabilities in Colorado
As educators, we want to provide the best possible education for all our students, including those who have disabilities. But how do we know which students qualify for special education services and what kind of support they need?
In this blog post, we will explore the disability categories defined by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and some of the resources and training available for teachers and school teams.
What are the disability categories in Colorado?
According to the Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA), there are 14 disability categories that can affect a student's ability to receive reasonable benefit from general education. These are:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Deaf-blindness
- Developmental Delay
- Hearing Impairment, Including Deafness
- Infant/Toddler with a Disability
- Intellectual Disability
- Multiple Disabilities
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Other Health Impaired (OHI)
- Serious Emotional Disability (SED)
- Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
- Speech or Language Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Visual Impairment, Including Blindness
Each disability category has its own definition, criteria, and evaluation procedures that must be followed by school teams when identifying and serving students with disabilities. You can find more information about each category on the CDE website.
What are some of the resources and training offered by CDE?
The CDE provides various support, resources, and training for school teams to help them identify and serve students with disabilities effectively. Some of these include:
- The Autism Education Network, which offers consultation, coaching, and training on topics related to autism.
- The ASD Literacy Institute, which provides Tier 1 and Tier 2 literacy training for teachers of students with ASD.
- The ASD Educational Identification Training, which teaches certified school professionals how to use evaluation tools to assess the triad of characteristics of ASD.
- The Communication Toolkit Training, which helps school teams develop communication skills and strategies for students with ASD.
- The BCBA Conversations, which are monthly gatherings of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to collaborate, problem solve, and share resources.
- The Colorado Autism Mentoring Program (CAMP), which is a year-long program that pairs experienced teachers with new or less experienced teachers who work with students with ASD.
These are just some examples of the many opportunities that CDE offers for professional development and learning. You can find more details about these and other programs on the CDE website.
How can you get involved?
If you are interested in learning more about how to identify and support students with disabilities in Colorado, you can start by visiting the CDE website and exploring the disability categories and the resources and training available.
You can also contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us if you have any questions or concerns. You can also join the CDE mailing list to receive updates and announcements about upcoming events and opportunities.
We hope this blog post has given you some useful information and insights into how to identify and support students with disabilities in Colorado.
We encourage you to take advantage of the resources and training offered by CDE and to share your experiences and feedback with us. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students with disabilities (Taken from https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-main).
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that requires public schools to provide special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities.
IDEA covers 13 disability categories, each with its own definition and criteria for eligibility. In this blog post, we will review these categories and explain what they mean for children and families.
The 13 disability categories under IDEA are:
- Specific learning disability (SLD):
This category covers a specific group of learning challenges that affect a child's ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math. Examples of SLD include dyslexia, dyscalculia, and written expression disorder.
- Other health impairment (OHI):
This category covers conditions that limit a child's strength, energy, or alertness. One example of OHI is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which impacts attention and executive function.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD):
This category covers a developmental disability that affects a child's social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior. ASD includes a wide range of symptoms and levels of severity.
- Emotional disturbance (ED):
This category covers various mental health issues that affect a child's emotional and behavioral functioning. Examples of ED include anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.
- Speech or language impairment (SLI):
This category covers difficulties with speech or language. Examples of SLI include stuttering, trouble pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice, and language problems that make it hard for kids to understand words or express themselves.
- Visual impairment, including blindness (VI):
This category covers eyesight problems that affect a child's ability to see. This includes both partial sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision problem, then it does not qualify as VI.
- Deafness:
This category covers children who cannot hear most or all sounds, even with a hearing aid. Deafness is different from hearing impairment, which refers to a hearing loss that is not covered by the definition of deafness.
- Hearing impairment:
This category covers children who have a hearing loss that is not severe enough to be considered deafness. This type of loss can change over time. Hearing impairment is different from deaf-blindness, which refers to children who have both severe hearing and vision loss.
- Deaf-blindness:
This category covers children who have both severe hearing and vision loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique that programs for just the deaf or blind cannot meet them.
- Intellectual disability (ID):
This category covers children who have significantly below-average intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Adaptive behavior refers to the skills needed for daily life, such as communication, social skills, and self-care.
- Multiple disabilities:
This category covers children who have more than one disability that affects their educational performance. The combination of disabilities causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in programs for just one disability.
- Orthopedic impairment (OI):
This category covers physical disabilities that affect a child's movement or motor skills. Examples of OI include cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI):
This category covers brain injuries that are caused by an external force, such as a car accident, a fall, or a gunshot wound. TBI can affect a child's cognitive, physical, emotional, and social abilities.
To qualify for special education and related services under IDEA, a child must have a disability in one of these categories **and** have an educational performance that is adversely affected by the disability.
The school must conduct an evaluation to determine if the child meets these criteria. The evaluation must involve multiple sources of information, such as tests, observations, interviews, and records.
If the child is found eligible for special education and related services under IDEA, the school must develop an individualized education program (IEP) for the child.
The IEP is a written plan that describes the child's strengths and needs, the goals and objectives for the child's education, and the services and supports that the school will provide to help the child achieve those goals.
The IEP team consists of the child's parents or guardians, teachers, special education professionals, and other relevant personnel.
The IEP team must meet at least once a year to review and revise the IEP as needed. The parents or guardians have the right to participate in all aspects of the IEP process and to advocate for their child's best interests.
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