Special Education Resources
Disability Classifcations
Students must be eligible for one of the 13 disability classifications as defined by the New York State Education Department’s Regulations of the Commissioner of Education: Part 200. SWD NYS Regulations
Below is a description of the disability classifications:
There are 13 different IEP classifications. Students must be eligible for one of these 13 classifications as defined by the New York State Education Department’s Regulations of the Commissioner of Education: Part 200
1) Speech and Language: a communication disorder, such as stutter, impaired articulation, language impairment or voice impairment that adversely affects a student’s educational performance.
2) Learning Disability: a disorder in which one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, manifests itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. This term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environment, cultural or economic disadvantage.
3) Hearing Impairment: A student with a hearing loss not included under the definition of deafness that negatively affects their academic performance. This type of hearing loss can be permanent or varying.
4) Deafness: A student with a hearing impairment that is so severe that the student is unable to process language through hearing, with or without amplification, such that it affects the student's academic performance.
5) Deaf-Blindness: A student with both hearing and visual impairment. The student's communication, developmental, and educational needs are so great that special education programs only for students with deafness or students with blindness cannot meet them.
6) Multiple disabilities: A student with more than one impairment, such as intellectual disability and blindness, intellectual disability and deafness, etc. This combination creates educational needs that cannot be met in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.
7) Deafness: A student with a hearing impairment that is so severe that the student is unable to process language through hearing, with or without amplification, such that it affects the student's academic performance.
8) I Autism: A student with a developmental disability that has a significant impact on their communication skills, social interactions, and academic performance. It is generally evident before age 3. Other characteristics connected with autism are Engagement in repetitive activities and stereotype movements, Resistance to environmental changes in daily routines, Unusual responses to sensory experiences.
9) Emotional disturbance: 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 student’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 generally pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or
- a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
10) Orthopedic Impairment: An orthopedic impairment means that a student lacks function or ability in their body that adversely affects their educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by Congenital anomaly (clubfoot, absence of some member, etc) Disease (poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc), Other causes such as cerebral palsy, amputation and fractures or burns that cause contractures. Intellectual disability:
11) Intellectual disability means significantly below average intellectual ability and deficits in adaptive behavior that negatively affect their academic performance. Adaptive behavior refers to age-appropriate behavior that people need to live independently and function well in daily life.
Useful Resources:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/special-education/the-iep-process/the-iep
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/lawsregs/documents/regulations-part-200-201-oct-2016.pdf
https://www.includenyc.org/resources/calendar/
For more information on ADOS 2 testing for autism: Children’s Resource Group
This means that your child will be in schools and classrooms with non-disabled peers for as much of the day as appropriate. This is important because more time with non-disabled peers results in:
- Higher scores on math and reading tests;
- Fewer absences from school;
- Fewer referrals for disruptive behavior; and
- Better outcomes after high school.