1. Autism
   1. Description: There are five disorders classified under the Autism Spectrum (Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified or "PDDNOS"). Each of these disorders is a "neurological disorder affecting a child's ability to communicate, understand language, play and relate to others.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention; special education ( focused on improving communication, social, academic, behavioral, and daily living skills); consistent and predictable classroom environment; verbal and visual instruction; exposure to non-disabled peers; emphasize the child's strengths and interests; IEP
   3. Assistive Technolgies: augmentative and alternative communication software; NEO; smartphones and PDAs
2. Deaf-Blindness
   1. Description: A person is placed under the "deaf-blindness" category if he/she has any degree of loss in both vision and hearing. The combination of loss limits the person's access to auditory and visual information.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention services; special education services; IEP
   3. Assistive Technolgies: speech recognition software; braille
3. Deafness
   1. Description: A severe hearing impairment that affects a child's ability to process linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification.
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   2. Intervention/Modifications: speech, language, and auditory training; interpreters for children who use sign language; seating at the front of the class; note-taker; alternate communication methods; IEP;
   3. Assistive Technolgies: captioned films and videos; text telephones; speech recognition software; augmentative and alternative communication software; real-time text (RTT) software; show sounds or visual alert software; telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD)
4. Hearing Impairment
   1. Description: Hearing impairment can be permanent or fluctuating, but still affects a child's academic performance.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: speech, language, and auditory training; seating at the front of the class; note-taker; interpreters for children who use sign language; IEP
   3. Assistive Technolgies: amplification systems; captioned films and videos; text telephones; real-time text (RTT) software; show sounds or visual alert software; assistive listening devices; telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD)
5. Emotional Disturbance
   1. Description: An emotional disturbance is a condition is exhibited over a long period of time and affects a child's academic performance. Characteristics of an emotional disturbance include: 1. an inability to learn that is not associated with intellectual, sensory, or health factors; 2. an inability to maintain interpersonal relationships; 3. inappropriate behaviors or feelings in normal circumstances; 4. depression; and 5. a development of physical symptoms associated with personal or school problems. Children with emotional disturbance are often hyperactive, aggressive, withdrawn, immature and exhibit learning difficulties. Example: Megan case study
   2. Intervention/Modifications: IEP; counseling; interaction with peers; home-based intervention plan; school-based intervention plan; mentoring
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6. Developmental Delay
   1. Description: Developmental delays can include delays in physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development. Further definitions of "delay" are established by states.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention services; audiology or hearing services; speech and language services; occupational therapy; physical therapy; psychological services; medical services; nursing services; nutrition services
   3. Assistive Technolgies: cognitive reminding software or device; reading software; augmentative and alternative communication software; grips and cushions for writing; Assistive Technolgies: speech recognition software; on-screen keyboards; motion based alternative text entry; speech recognition software; sticky keys, key repeat, and mouse control software/features; word prediction software; eye tracking or head pointer hardware and accompanying software; joysticks, mouth sticks, trackballs, switches, one handed and chorded keyboards, large key keyboards, and other adaptive hardware
7. Intellectual Disability
   1. Description: Intellectual disability is defined as subaverage intellectual ability and adaptive behavior.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention; special education and related services; IEP; exposure to general education; supplementary aides and services; adaptive skills; transition planning; modeling; hands-on materials; teach life skills
   3. Assistive Technologies: cognitive reminding software or device; reading software; augmentative and alternative communication software; NEO
8. Multiple Disabilities
   1. Description: A person is placed under the multiple disabilities category when he/she has simultaneous disabilities (such as intellectual disability-blindness, intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment, etc.). The combination of these disabilities causes severe educational needs. The child's special education plan special education program that is designed to address the educational needs that arise from all of the child’s disabilities.
   2. Intervention/Modifications: IEP; motivate students through the strengths and interests; partial participation, as necessary; assistive technology; accessible instructional materials; support-related service (i.e. speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.); paraprofessional, if necessary;
   3. Assistive Technologies: cognitive reminding software or device; reading software; augmentative and alternative communication software
9. Orthopedic Impairment
   1. Description: Any severe orthopedic impairment that affects a student's educational performance. Includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, disease, and other causes (e.g.,cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
   2. Intervention/Modifications: IEP; special education and related services; occupational therapy
   3. Assistive Technolgies: speech recognition software; on-screen keyboards; motion based alternative text entry; speech recognition software; sticky keys, key repeat, and mouse control software/features; word prediction software; eye tracking or head pointer hardware and accompanying software; joysticks, mouth sticks, trackballs, switches, one handed and chorded keyboards, large key keyboards, and other adaptive hardware; grips and cushions for writing; slantboards for writing; NEO; no-hands mouse
10. Other Health Impairment
    1. Description: Other health impairments result in limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that limit a student's ability to focus in an educational environment and affects a child's academic performance. These include: asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome.
    2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention services; special education and related services; medical services; school health services (special feedings, administering and/or dispensing medications, chronic disease management, etc.)
11. Specific Learning Disability
    1. Description: A specific learning disability is a disorder in one or more basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language. Examples: Ellie, Nick case studies
    2. Intervention/Modifications: IEP; break tasks into smaller steps; give directions both verbally and visually; allow student more time for work and tests;
    3. Assistive Technologies: reading machines; voice recognition systems; tape recorder (for students with listening disorders); computer (for students with writing difficulties); reading software; augmentative and alternative communication software; cognitive reminding software or device; electronic dictionaries, thesauruses, and writing assistant software; optical character recognition software; text-to-speech software; word prediction software; NEO
12. Speech or Language Impairment
    1. Description: Any kind of communication disorder that affects a child's educational performance. These include: stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment. etc.
    2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention; special education and related services; IEP; speech-language pathology services
    3. Assistive Technolgies: electronic communication system; augmentative and alternative communication software; real-time text (RTT) software
13. Traumatic Brain Injury
    1. Description: A traumatic brain injury is any injury to the brain caused by an external physical force (being hit or shaken). The injury results in total or partial functional disability or impairment and affects a child’s educational performance. The injury often affects how the person thinks, moves and acts.
    2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention; special education and related services; IEP; more time to finish work and tests; give instruction one step at a time; model new tasks; consistent routines; reduce distractions; allow the student to rest as needed
    3. Assistive Technolgies: cognitive reminding software or device; NEO
14. Visual Impairment, Including Blindness
    1. Description: Visual impairment is described as a visual impairment, that even when corrected, affects a child's ability to learn. Such impairments include: strabismus, congenital cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity, retinitis pigmentosa, coloboma, optic nerve hypoplasia, cortical visual impairment, etc.
    2. Intervention/Modifications: early intervention; special education and related services; IFSP and IEP
    3. Assistive Technolgies: Optical character recognition software (OCR); screen magnification software; screen reading software; text-to-speech based software; reading software; braille displays; handheld telescope and magnifying glasses; video magnifiers; audio notetaker