Orthopedic Impairment — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Orthopedic Impairment (OI) is an IDEA eligibility category and may also qualify a student for protections under Section 504.  Orthopedic Impairment (OI) includes congenital anomalies, impairments caused by disease, and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, limb loss, neuromuscular conditions) that adversely affect a child’s educational performance.  This article explains how students qualify, the referral and evaluation process, common assessments, evidence‑based supports, classroom accommodations and modifications, and parents’ procedural rights. Legal Framework and Definition IDEA (Orthopedic Impairment): A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects educational performance and requires specially designed instruction and/or related services.  States/districts add local criteria and procedures consistent with federal law. Section 504: Protects students whose physical or...

Intellectual Disability — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Intellectual Disability (ID) is an IDEA eligibility category and a condition that may also qualify a student for protections under Section 504 .  ID affects intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior across conceptual, social, and practical domains and can significantly impact learning, independence, and participation in school.  This article explains how a child qualifies, the referral and evaluation process, common assessments, evidence‑based supports, classroom accommodations and modifications , and parents’ rights. Legal Definitions and Frameworks IDEA: Intellectual Disability (previously “mental retardation”) is defined under IDEA as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects educational performance and requires specially designed instruction . ...

Other Health Impairment (OHI) — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Other Health Impairment (OHI) is an IDEA eligibility category that covers chronic or acute health conditions that limit a student’s strength, vitality, or alertness and adversely affect educational performance.  Section 504 provides parallel civil‑rights protections for students whose health conditions substantially limit one or more major life activities .  This article explains how students qualify for OHI, the referral and evaluation process, common assessments, evidence‑based services, accommodations and modifications, progress monitoring, and parents’ rights. Legal Framework and Definition IDEA (OHI): A student may be eligible under OHI if they have “limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment” due to chronic or acute health problems (examples: ADHD , ...

Speech‑Language Impairment — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Introduction Speech‑language impairments (SLI) affect a child’s ability to communicate and can significantly interfere with learning, social interaction, and access to instruction.  Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), SLI is a recognized category for special education; Section 504 provides broader civil‑rights protections and accommodations when a communication impairment substantially limits a major life activity.  This article explains eligibility, referral and evaluation processes, common assessments, evidence‑based services, classroom accommodations and modifications, and parents’ procedural rights and entitlements. Legal Definitions and Frameworks IDEA: “Speech or language impairment” typically refers to communication disorders (articulation, fluency/stuttering, voice, and language disorders) that adversely affect educational performance and require special educ...

Deaf‑Blindness in School — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Families Deaf‑blindness is a low‑incidence, high‑impact disability that uniquely affects access to communication, mobility, learning, and sensory information.  Federal law—primarily the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act —requires schools to identify needs and provide services so students who are deaf‑blind receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).  This article explains eligibility, referral and evaluation steps, common supports and services, and parents’ rights. Definitions and Legal Frameworks IDEA: Deaf‑blindness is a specific eligibility category under IDEA.  It refers to concomitant hearing and visual impairments that cause severe educational needs that cannot be accommodated in special education programs designed solely for children with deafness or blindness.  Eligibility under IDEA re...