Orthopedic/Mobility Disabilities:

Orthopedic/mobility impairments mean a serious limitation in locomotion or motor function. They include but are not limited to:

1. Impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g., clubfoot, absense of some member, etc.)
2. Impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc.); and
3. Impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputation, back injuries, paralysis, etc.).

Orthopedic/mobility impairment does not apply to mobility limitation due to seeing, hearing, or psychological limitations or mobility limitation resulting from an acquired brain impairment (ABI).

Visual Disabilities:

Visual impairment includes but is not limited to the following conditions:

1. Blindness is visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye after correction; or visual loss so severe that it no longer serves as a major channel for information processing; and
2. Partial sightedness is visual acuity of 20/70 or less in the better eye after correction, with vision which is still capable of serving as a major channel for information processing.

Visual impairment does not apply where the loss or impairment is the result of psychological condition or an acquired brain impairment (ABI).

Other Disabilities:

Other disabilities include all other verifiable disabilities and health related limitations that adversely affect educational performance, but do not fall into any of the other disability categories. Examples of other disabilities include diabetes, hypertension, seizure disorders, complicated pregnancies, hemophilia, leukemia, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and respiratory disorders.

Hearing Disabilities:

Hearing impairment means a total or partial loss of hearing function which impedes the communication process essential to language, educational, social and/or cultural interactions. Hearing impairment is defined as:

1. Deaf means a total or partial loss of hearing function so severe that it no longer serves as a major channel for information processing and that requires the use of communication in a mode other than oral language including sign language, telephone devices for the deaf, etc.; or
2. Hearing limitation is defined as a functional loss in hearing which is still capable of serving as a major channel for information processing.

Speech and Language Disabilities:

Speech and language impairments mean one or more speech/language disorders of voice, articulation, rhythm, and/or the receptive and expressive processes of language that limits the quality, accuracy, intelligibility or fluency of producing the sounds that comprise spoken language.

Speech impairment does not apply to language having to do with a foreign accent or to any limitation that is caused by a physical or hearing impairment, psychological disability, or acquired brain impairment (ABI).

Learning Disabilities:

Learning disability (LD) is defined as a persistent condition of presumed neurological dysfunction which may exist with other disabling conditions. This dysfunction continues despite instruction in standard classroom situations. To be categorized as learning disabled a student must exhibit:

1. Average to above-average intellectual ability;
2. Severe processing deficit(s);
3. Severe aptitude-achievement discrepancy(ies); and
4. Measured achievement in an instructional or employment setting.

Learning disability does not apply to learning problems resulting from any physical, visual, or hearing impairments, psychological disability, or any health related disabilities. A learning disability can exist with other disabilities except ABI and DDL.

Acquired Brain Impairment:

Acquired brain impairment (ABI) is defined as an acquired brain impairment caused by external or internal trauma, resulting in total or partial functional limitations that adversely affects or limits a student's educational performance by impairing:

1. cognition, information processing, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, and/or problem solving;
2. language and/or speech;
3. memory and/or attention;
4. sensory, perceptual, and/or motor abilities;
5. psycho social behavior; or
6. physical functions.

ABI does not apply to functional limitations resulting from brain trauma induced by birth, present at birth, or which is progressive and/or degenerative in nature.

Developmentally Delayed Learner:

The developmentally delayed learner is a student who exhibits the following:

1. below average intellectual functioning which adversely affects educational performance; and
2. potential for measurable achievement in instructional and employment setting.

Psychological Disabilities:

Psychological disability is defined as a persistent psychological or psychiatric disorder, emotional, or mental illness. Psychological disability is a condition which:

1. is listed in the most current American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and is coded on Axis I or II as moderate to severe;
2. reflects a psychiatric or psychological condition that interferes with a major life activity; and
3. poses a functional limitation in the educational setting.

The term psychological disability does not include transvestitism, transsexuals, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorder not resulting from physical impairment, or other sexual behavior disorders; compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; psychoactive substance abuse disorders resulting from current illegal use of drugs; and any condition designated by the most current DSM as developmental disorders that is covered by another disability category.

Recovering drug and alcohol abusers are considered psychologically disabled as long as they are in or have completed a recovery program and meet all other conditions for this disability category.

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