The 13 disability categories under IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide and to eligible students. But not every child who struggles in school qualifies. To be covered, a child’s school performance must be “adversely affected” by a disability in one of the 13 categories below.

1. Specific learning disability (SLD)

• Dyslexia

• Dyscalculia

• Written expression disorder (you may also hear this referred to as dysgraphia)

2. Other health impairment

3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

4. Emotional disturbance

5. Speech or language impairment

6. Visual impairment, including blindness

7. Deafness

8. Hearing impairment

9. Deaf-blindness

10. Orthopedic impairment

11. Intellectual disability

12. Traumatic brain injury

13. Multiple disabilities