A student is considered a “child with a disability” if they meet the definition under federal and state law. Federal law defines “child with a disability” as a child:
- having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance ( referred to in this part as ‘emotional disturbance’), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and
2. who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.
IDEA ‘04 Sec 300.8(a)(1)
Special Education means: specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with disability, including istruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and istruction in physical education.
IDEA ‘04 300.30 (a) (1) (i)and (ii)
Specially Designed Instruction means: adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child the content methodology or delivery of the instruction to Address the unique needs of the child that result form the disability and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.
IDEA ’04 300.39 (B)(3) (i) and (ii)
Categories of Special Education eligibility at the high school level include:
- Autism (A)
- Emotional Disability (ED)
- Hearing Impairment (HI)
- Other Health Impaired (OHI)
- Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
- Mild Intellectual Disability (MiID)
- Moderate Intellectual Disability (MoID)
- Severe Mental Retardation (SMR)
- Multiple Disabilities (MD)
- Multiple Disabilities & Severe Sensory Impairment (MDSSI)
- Orthopedic Impairment (OI)
- Speech/Language Impairment (SLI)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Visual Impairment (VI)
Related Services: (list is not all inclusive)
- Speech and Language
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Assistive Technology
- Hearing Services
- Vision Services
- Audiological Services
- Orientation/Mobility
- Specialized Transportation
- School Health Services
- Counseling Services
Transition Services:
- Life Skills
- Community Based Experiences
- Linkages to Community Agencies
- Vocational Assessment