Special Education Disability Classifications Autism (A) Emotional Disability (ED) Hearing Impairment (HI) Mental Retardation (MR) Multiple Disabilities (MD) Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairments (OHI) Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Speech and Language Impairment (SLI) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Visual Impairment (VI) Autism (A) According to the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 15-761 (1), "`Autism' means a developmental disability that significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction and that adversely affects educational performance. Characteristics include irregularities and impairments in communication, engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines and unusual responses to sensory experiences. Autism does not include children with characteristics of emotional disability...". According to the implementing regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997, "A child who manifests the characteristics of "autism" after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism..." [34 CFR 300.7 (c) (1)(ii)] [Back to Top] Emotional Disability (ED) According to the Arizona Revised Statutes, (ARS) §15-761(5), " 'Emotional disability': Means a condition whereby a child exhibits one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects the child s performance in the educational environment: An inability to learn which 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. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. Includes children who are schizophrenic but does not include children who are socially maladjusted unless they are also determined to have an emotional disability as determined by evaluation..." [Back to Top] Hearing Impairment (HI) According to the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761, "Hearing Impairment means a loss of hearing acuity, as determined by evaluation pursuant to ARS §15-766, which interferes with the child's performance in the educational environment and requires the provision of special education and related services". [Back to Top] Mental Retardation (MR) According to the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 15-761 (13), " 'Mental retardation' means a significant impairment of general intellectual functioning that exists concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and that adversely affects the child's performance in the educational environment." " 'Mild mental retardation' means performance on standard measures of intellectual and adaptive behavior between two and three standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age." [ARS § 15-761(14)] "'Moderate mental retardation' means performance on standard measures of intellectual and adaptive behavior between three and four standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age." [ARS § 15-761(15)] "'Severe mental retardation' means performance on standard measures of intellectual and adaptive behavior measures at least four standard deviations below the mean for children of the same age." [ARS § 15-761(30)] [Back to Top] Multiple Disabilities (MD) According to the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 15-761(17), " 'Multiple disabilities' means learning and developmental problems resulting from multiple disabilities as determined by evaluation... that cannot be provided for adequately in a program designed to meet the needs of children with less complex disabilities. Multiple disabilities include any of the following conditions that require the provision of special education and related services: Two or more of the following conditions Hearing impairment. Orthopedic Impairment. Moderate mental retardation. Visual impairment. A child with a disability listed in subdivision (a) of this paragraph disability or specific learning disability." In addition, the Arizona Revised Statutes, § 15-761(18) notes " 'Multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment' means multiple disabilities that include at least one of the following: Severe visual impairment or severe hearing impairment in combination with another severe disability. Severe visual impairment and severe hearing impairment." [Back to Top] Orthopedic Impairment Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761(19) states: " 'Orthopedic impairment' means one or more severe orthopedic impairments and includes those that are caused by congenital anomaly, disease and other causes, such as amputation or cerebral palsy, and that adversely affect a child's performance in the educational environment." [Back to Top] Other Health Impairments (OHI) Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761(20) state: " 'Other health impairments' means limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, due to chronic or acute health problems which adversely affect a pupil's educational performance." Additionally, in the implementing regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA '97) Amendments, 34 CFR 300.7(c)(9), states that "...the limited alertness with respect to the educational environment..." is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia; and adversely affects a child's educational performance." [Back to Top] Specific Learning Disability (SLD) According to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761(33): " 'Specific learning disability': Means a specific learning disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. Includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and aphasia. Does not include learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, motor or emotional disabilities, of mental retardation or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage." [Back to Top] Speech and Language Impairment (SLI) Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) § 15-761(34) states that a "Speech/Language impairment means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, severe language skills, or a voice impairment... to the extent that it calls attention to itself, it interferes with communication or causes a child to be maladjusted." [Back to Top] Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §15-761(37) states: "'Traumatic brain injury': Means an acquired injury to the brain that is caused by an external physical force and that results in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects educational performance. Applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in mild, moderate, or severe impairments in one or more areas, including cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem solving, sensory, perceptual and motor abilities, psychosocial behavior, physical functions, information processing, and speech. Does not include brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative or brain injuries induced by birth trauma." [Back to Top] Visual Impairment (VI) The educational definition of VI is contained in Arizona Revised Statutes o15-761(38), which states: " 'Visual impairment' means a loss in visual acuity or a loss of visual field. . . that interferes with the child's perform- ance in the educational environment and that requires the provision of special education and related services." [Back to Top]