|  Disability
Definitions
Definitions adapted from National
Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
Autism
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Autism
(aka Autistic spectrum disorder) and other Pervasive
Developmental Disorders
are neurological disorders that affect a child’s
ability to communicate, understand language, play,
and relate to others.
Blindness
and Visual Impairment
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The terms partially sighted, low vision, legally blind,
and totally blind are used in the educational context
to describe students with visual impairments. They
are defined as follows:
- "Partially sighted" indicates some type
of visual problem has resulted in a need for special
education;
- "Low vision" generally refers to a severe
visual impairment, not necessarily limited to distance
vision. Low vision applies to all individuals with
sight who are unable to read the newspaper at a
normal viewing distance, even with the aid of eyeglasses
or contact lenses. They use a combination of vision
and other senses to learn, although they may require
adaptations in lighting or the size of print, and,
sometimes, braille;
- "Legally blind" indicates that a person
has less than 20/200 vision in the better eye or
a very limited field of vision (20 degrees at its
widest point); and
- Totally blind students learn via braille
or other non-visual media.
- NICHCY
Blind and Visually Impaired Fact Sheet
- District
75 Educational Vision Services Page
Deafness
and Hearing Impairment
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Deafness is defined [by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)] as "a
hearing impairment that is so severe that the child
is impaired in processing linguistic information
through hearing, with or without amplification."
Hearing impairment is defined by IDEA as "an impairment
in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that
adversely affects a child's educational performance."
Thus, deafness may be viewed as a condition that
prevents an individual from receiving sound in all
or most of its forms. In contrast, a child with a hearing
loss can generally respond to auditory stimuli, including
speech.
Emotional
Disturbance
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Emotional disturbance ... is defined
[by the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA)] as "a condition exhibiting one or
more of the following characteristics over a long period
of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects
a child's educational performance --
- An inability to learn that cannot be explained
by intellectual, sensory, or health factors;
- An inability to build or maintain satisfactory
interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers;
- Inappropriate types
of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances;
- A general pervasive
mood of unhappiness or depression; and
- A tendency
to develop physical symptoms or fears associated
with personal or school problems."
Students with emotional and/or behaviorial disabilities
may exhibit:
- Hyperactivity (short attention span,
impulsiveness);
- Aggression/self-injurious behavior
(acting out, fighting);
- Withdrawal (failure to initiate interaction
with others; retreat from exchanges of social interaction,
excessive fear or anxiety);
- Immaturity (inappropriate crying, temper
tantrums, poor coping skills); and
- Learning difficulties (academically
performing below grade level).
- NICHCY Emotional Disturbance Fact
Sheet
- District 75 Positive Behavior Supports Page
Mental
Retardation
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Mental retardation is a term used when a person has
certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills
such as communicating, taking care of him or herself,
and social skills. These limitations will cause a child
to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child.
Children with mental retardation may take longer to
learn to speak, walk, and take care of their personal
needs such as dressing or eating. They are likely to
have trouble learning in school. They will learn, but
it will take them longer. There may be some things
they cannot learn.
Multiple
Disabilities
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People with severe disabilities are those who traditionally
have been labelled as having severe to profound mental
retardation. These people require ongoing, extensive
support in more than one major life activity in order
to participate in integrated community settings and
enjoy the quality of life available to people with
fewer or no disabilities. They frequently have additional
disabilities, including movement difficulties, sensory
losses, and behavior problems.
Speech
and Language Impairment
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Speech and language disorders refer to problems in
communication and related areas such as oral motor
function. These delays and disorders range from simple
sound substitutions to the inability to understand
or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for
functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech
and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological
disorders, brain injury, mental retardation, drug abuse,
physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and
vocal abuse or misuse.
It is estimated that communication disorders (including
speech, language, and hearing disorders) affect one
of every 10 people in the United States.
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