disABILITIES

We like to focus on the Abilities in disAbilities. It is important to recognize that students are not defined by a disability and are much more than the label that is used to provide services. Sadly, we have inherited a disease-based model where disabilities are seen as "disorders" or something that is "wrong" with someone. And yet, these conditions are all a part of human diversity. No one is less human as a result of a disability. We all have strengths and weaknesses and something to offer the world. Understanding disabilities and students' needs is vital. Adequate supports, inclusion, and accessibility to learning are keys to success. The following section provides information on specific disabilities and eligibility categories.

Having a disability does not automatically make a student eligible for services, as eligibility also requires that "the disability adversely affects the student's educational performance, and the student is in need of special education and related services." Click this link for more information about the referral and eligibility process. Click this link for the N.J. regulations that also specify evaluations required.

Based on the NJ regulations, there are 14 categories that are used to classify students for IEPs, including:

auditory impairment, autism, intellectual disability, communication impairment, emotional regulation impairment, multiple disabilities, deaf/blindness, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, social maladjustment, specific learning disability, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment, and preschool disability.

According to the CDC, "A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).

There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person’s:

Movement, Vision, Hearing, Communicating, Thinking, Remembering,

Learning, Mental health, and Social relationships

Although “people with disabilities” sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see." Students also may have more than one disability and range in age from 3 to 21 years old.

In the following pages of disabilities, we have used disability descriptions from other sites that may vary some from the state regulations. Also, not all of the disabilities described may be recognized by all medical and psychological organizations. For example, visual and audio processing disorders might not yet have a proven neurobiological basis though one might be found in the future as scientific research advances.