Categories of Disability under IDEA Law (2024)

FAQs

What are the 14 categories of disabilities in IDEA? ›

The majority of IDEA appropriations are allocated to states by formula to carry out activities under Part B, which covers 14 disability categories: (1) autism, (2) deaf-blindness, (3) deafness, (4) emotional disturbance, (5) hearing impairment, (6) intellectual disability, (7) multiple disabilities, (8) orthopedic ...

autism; • deaf-blindness; • deafness; • emotional disturbance; • hearing impairment; • intellectual disability; • multiple disabilities; • orthopedic impairment; • other health impairment; • specific learning disability; • speech or language impairment; • traumatic brain injury; or • visual impairment (including ...

There are 13 different disability categories as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), under which 3- through 22-years-olds may be eligible for services.

Some children with ADHD will qualify for services under IDEA while others may not; this depends on the degree of impairment. To qualify for IDEA, a child must meet the criteria in at least one of 13 disability categories. Often children with ADHD will qualify under the Other Health Impairment (OHI) category.

To qualify for services, kids need to have a disability that impacts their schooling. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) groups disabilities into 13 categories.

Among students receiving special education and/or related services, the most common category of disability was specific learning disabilities (32 percent).

Specific Learning Disability

The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Among students who received special education and/or related services under IDEA in school year 2021–22, the disability types6 with the largest reported percentages of students were • specific learning disabilities (32 percent);7 • speech or language impairments (19 percent);8 • other health impairments (15 percent);9 ...

Broken limbs, sprains, concussions, appendicitis, common colds, or influenza generally would not be disabilities. A broken leg that heals normally within a few months, for example, would not be a disability under the ADA.

What illnesses are classed as a disability? ›

The school district can provide you with information about special education policies in your area or refer you to a district or county office for this information. The following are definitions of the 13 disability categories provided under IDEA.

(1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability**, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as '' ...

There are 14 specific primary terms included in IDEA under the lead definition of "child with a disability." These federal terms and definitions guide how States define disability and who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law.