IDEA Disability Categories
This is the most common disability category under IDEA.
What is Specific Learning Disability (SLD)?
This related service provider supports communication, social pragmatics, and language development.
Who is the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)?
This landmark case established that schools must provide equal educational opportunities regardless of race.
What is Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
This instructional method breaks tasks into smaller, manageable steps with explicit teaching.
What is systematic and explicit instruction?
The IEP must be reviewed this often at a minimum.
What is annually?
This category includes students with challenges in communication, articulation, language, or fluency.
What is Speech or Language Impairment (SLI)?
This related service provider supports students' fine motor, sensory integration, and handwriting skills.
Who is the Occupational Therapist (OT)?
This case established the requirement that schools must provide ( FAPE) Free Appropriate Public Education.
What is PARC v. Pennsylvania (1972)?
This evidence-based practice uses movement and sensory strategies to support attention and engagement.
What is sensory regulation or sensory supports?
This section of the IEP describes the student’s current academic and functional skills.
What are the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)?
IDEA category for students who have significant challenges with social communication and repetitive patterns of behavior.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
This service provider helps students with mobility, balance, posture, and gross motor needs.
Who is the Physical Therapist (PT)?
This Supreme Court case ruled that schools must provide services that allow students to make meaningful educational progress, not minimal progress.
What is Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017)?
This teaching approach uses immediate, positive feedback to reinforce behaviors.
What is Behavior-Specific Praise?
Parents must receive this notice before the school makes changes to identification, placement, or services.
What is Prior Written Notice (PWN)?
This category is used for students whose alertness, vitality, or strength is limited due to a chronic or acute health issue.
What is Other Health Impairment (OHI)?
This specialist assists students and families in accessing community resources and providing mental health counseling.
Who is the school social worker or school counselor?
This case defined the standard for “related services,” requiring schools to provide supports necessary for educational access.
What is Irving Independent School District v. Tatro (1984)?
This method/framework allows students with disabilities to learn alongside peers using multiple pathways, choices, and a flexible design.
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
This document outlines the accommodations a student with a disability receives, but does not include specialized instruction.
What is a Section 504 Plan?
This category is used for students ages 3–9 who demonstrate delays in one or more developmental areas.
What is Developmental Delay (DD)?
This specialist teaches students with visual impairments how to move safely and independently in school and community settings.
Who is the Orientation and Mobility Specialist?
This case clarified the standard for determining whether a service is a “medical service” or a related service under IDEA.
What is Cedar Rapids v. Garret F. (1999)?
This collaborative model involves a general education teacher and a special education teacher sharing responsibility for planning, instructing, and assessing all students in the classroom.
What is co-teaching?
Under IDEA, evaluations must be completed within this number of days after parental consent.
What is 60 days (federal rule, though states vary)?