CROSS CATEGORICAL DEFINITIONS
Behavioral Disorders / Emotionally Disturbed
Physically and Other Health Impaired
Learning Disabilities 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, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include students who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. (Federal Regulations 300.5)
Additional Descriptions
Learning disabilities is a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction. Even though a learning disability may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (e.g., sensory impairment, mental retardation, and social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g., cultural differences, insufficient/inappropriate instruction, and psychogenic factors), it is not the direct result of those conditions or influences. (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities)
Specific learning disabilities is a chronic condition of presumed neurological origin which selectively interferes with the development, integration, and/or demonstration of verbal and/or nonverbal abilities. Specific learning disabilities exist as a distinct handicapping condition and varies in its manifestations and in degree of severity. Throughout life, the condition can affect self-esteem, education, vocation, socialization, and/or daily living activities. (Association for Children with Learning Disabilities)
Criteria for Initial Determination of Eligibility
After completing all previous steps required in the special education process, the multidisciplinary team may determine that a student has a specific learning disability if ALL of the following criteria are met:
1. The student displays observable characteristics which indicate deficits in basic
psychological processing. These
characteristics will be observed, assessed, and documented in the context of the areas of:
Basic reading skill
Reading comprehension
Written expression
Mathematics calculation
Mathematics reasoning
Listening comprehension
Oral expression
2. The student fails to achieve because of the psychological process deficit and has a significant discrepancy between achievement and ability in one or more of the following areas:
Basic reading skill
Reading comprehension
Written expression
Mathematics calculation
Mathematics reasoning
Listening comprehension
Oral expression
A significant discrepancy can be determined when the obtained achievement scores are below those predicted by a regression analysis procedure. A 1.50 Standard Deviation is used to establish a significant discrepancy crite ' rion range for students grades 2 - 12. (see Table 4, page A-61) No Standard Deviation or criterion range is set for students younger than grade 2, due to problems in accessing and utilizing appropriate standard score measurements with this population. For students younger than grade 2, identification of a significant discrepancy may be made through clinical judgment by the multidisciplinary team. Such students must meet all other components of this eligibility criteria.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that the multidisciplinary team may document through formal and informal assessment that a significant discrepancy exists even though the deviations do not fall below the criterion range. In such cases, sufficient data must be presented in the diagnostic summary to document the existence of a significant discrepancy.
3. The student's significant discrepancy and processing deficits are not PRIMARILY
caused by:
Visual or auditory acuity deficits, or motor deficits
Mental retardation
Emotional disturbance/behavior disorder
Environmental or economic disadvantage, or cultural differences.
The significant discrepancy and processing deficits are presumed to be intrinsic to the student and due to central nervous system dysfunction. However, medical confirmation of a central nervous system dysfunction is not required for the student to meet the eligibility criteria.
Mental Retardation Definition
"Mental Retardation" refers to significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning resulting in or associated with concurrent impairments in adaptive behavior manifested during the developmental period (birth to age 18) which adversely affects a student's educational performance.
For educational purposes, mental retardation is classified by degree of impairment:
The "Mildly" mentally retarded are those students who benefit from academic instruction, communication and social skill development, and vocational training, but require specialized instruction to realize maximum skill attainment and meaningful integration into adult society.
The "Moderately" mentally retarded are those students who benefit from vocational, communication, social and self-care training, and limited academic instruction. With specialized programming, these students can care for themselves with moderate supervision, can develop adequate communication skills with limited awareness of social conventions, and can be meaningfully integrated into adult society.
The "Severely" mentally retarded are those students who benefit from functional, vocational, communication, and self-care training. During adulthood they may function profitably at home and/or in specialized situations, such as sheltered workshops, supported work environments, and supervised living experiences.
The "Profoundly" mentally retarded are those students who are capable of very little self-care, develop minimal sensorimotor function and must have constant aid and supervision to survive.
Criteria for Initial Determination of Eligibility
After completing all previous steps as required in the special education process, the multidisciplinary team may determine that a student displays mental retardation if ALL of the following criteria are met:
The student performs 2.0 Standard Deviations below their peers of equivalent age, ethnic, and cultural background when measured by like standardized instruments of cognitive ability. When utilizing standardized measures with a mean of 100 and a Standard Deviation of 15, 2.0 Standard Deviations below the mean would equal a measured cognitive ability (IQ) score of 70 plus or minus the standard error of measurement for that instrument. This represents the upper limit of "mild" mental retardation. Further classification of these standard scores yields the following parameters:
Mild Mental Retardation 50-55 to approximately 70
Moderate Mental Retardation 35-40 to 50-55
Severe Mental Retardation 20-25 to 35-40
Profound Mental Retardation Below 20-25
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that these ability (IQ) ranges are not absolute and cannot be used in isolation from other diagnostic information. The measure of the student's IQ provides only one of several indications of the student's performance level. The multidisciplinary team should consider other areas of the student's functioning, such as achievement, Speech/Language, and social skill development, when interpreting the IQ score.
2. The student displays adaptive behavior consistent with measured cognitive abilities.
Adaptive behavior refers to the effectiveness with which a student meets the standards of
personal independence and social responsibility expected of his/her age and cultural
group. There should be a significant positive correlation between the student's IQ and
adaptive
behavior. If not, the multidisciplinary team must give careful consideration to other
evaluative information and utilize clinical judgement to determine the student's level of
cognitive and adaptive functioning.
3. The student displays an educational problem caused by the reduced cognitive ability and adaptive behavior.
4. The student's reduced measured cognitive ability and adaptive behavior is not PRIMARILY caused by:
Visual or auditory acuity deficits, or motor deficits
Emotional disturbance/behavior disorder
Language or learning disability
Environmental or economic disadvantage, or cultural differences.
Behavioral Disorders/Emotionally Disturbed Definition
"Behavioral Disorders/Emotionally Disturbed" refers to manifestations such as the following:
a. difficulties in building or maintaining satisfactory interpersonal relationships
with peers, parents, and teachers;
b. a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; and,
c. a tendency to develop physical symptoms, pains, or fears associated with personal or
social problems.
These behaviors are exhibited over an extended period of time and to a marked degree along with difficulties in learning that cannot be explained by cultural, intell-ec@iia-l',-s-en--so-ry, - or other health factors. Behavioral disturbances can be observed along a continuum ranging from normal behavior to severely disordered behavior. Students who experience and demonstrate problems of everyday living and/or those who develop transient symptoms due to a specific crises or stressful experience are not considered to be behaviorally disordered/emotionally disturbed.
Criteria for Initial Determination of Eligibility
After completing all previous steps required in the special education process, a team may determine that a student displays behavior disorders/emotional disturbance if ALL of the following criteria are met:
1. The student displays a behavioral disturbance that is documented by evaluation
procedures which may include observation of behavior in different environments, behavior
rating scales directly administered or based on informant
information, or projective techniques. The behavioral disturbance must exist to a marked
degree over an extended period of time. In most cases, an extended period of time would be
a range from two (2) through nine (9) months depending upon the age of the student and the
type of behavior occurring. For example, a shorter duration of disturbance which
interrupts the learning process in a younger student might constitute an extended period
of time.
2. The student's behavioral disturbance adversely affects his/her school functioning.
3. The student's behavioral disturbance and associated deficits are not PRIMARILY caused by:
Visual or auditory acuity deficits, or motor deficits
Mental retardation
Language or learning disability
Environmental or economic disadvantage, or cultural differences.
Physically/Other Health Impaired Definition
"Physically/Other Health Impaired" refers to a medically diagnosed physical or physiological condition which causes educationally related problems. These conditions will require specific material modification, special adaptations, equipment, therapies, and/or instruction.
"Physically Impaired" refers to muscular or neuromuscular conditions which significantly limit the ability to move about, sit, manipulate the materials required for learning, or skeletal abnormalities which affect ambulation, posture, and body use necessary in school work.
"Health Impaired" refers to disabilities which result in reduced efficiency in school work because of temporary or chronic lack of strength, vitality, or alertness due to health problems.
Criteria for Initial Determination of Eligibility
After completing all previous steps required in the special education process, the multidisciplinary team may determine that a student has a Physical or Other Health Impairment if appropriate diagnostic information identifies the presence of:
A medically confirmed physical or health impairment,
AND an educational problem caused by the physical or health impairment. The physical or health impairment must interfere with the student's ability to function in an educational program using traditional instructional materials and techniques.
It must be emphasized that the presence of these two (2) criteria can only be determined by "appropriate diagnostic information" which would include a comprehensive physical and health evaluation by a licensed physician or licensed psychologist/licensed professional counselor and a comprehensive educational evaluation by personnel familiar with the assessment of students with physical or health impairments.
NOTE: A student who does not meet the above criteria may be provided
homebound instruction by the local school district. Such students would include those who
require instruction during hospitalization or in the home as a result of a temporary
physical condition which prevents their school attendance. These homebound services will
be eligible for state reimbursement; however, the student may not be included in the
federal child count.