AUTISM

Autism means a developmental disability, which significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3 that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experience.

DEAF-BLINDNESS

Deaf-Blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs by addressing any one of the impairments. A child with deaf-blindness shall have at least one of the following: (1) a child who meets criteria for Deafness/Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment; (2) a child who is diagnosed with a degenerative condition or syndrome which will lead to Deaf-Blindness, and whose present level of functioning is adversely affected by both hearing and vision deficits; or (3) a child with severe multiple disabilities due to generalized central nervous system dysfunction, and who exhibits auditory and visual impairments or deficits which are not perceptual in nature.

DEAFNESS

Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The child has: (1) an inability to communicate effectively due to Deafness; and/or (2) an inability to perform academically on a level commensurate with the expected level because of Deafness; and/or (3) delayed speech and/or language development due to Deafness.

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY

Developmental Delay refers to children aged three years, zero months (3:0) through nine years, eleven months (9:11) who are experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical (gross motor and/or fine motor), cognitive, communication, social or emotional, or adaptive (self-help skills) development that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other disability categories shall be used if they are more descriptive of a young child’s strengths and needs. Initial eligibility as Developmental Delay shall be determined before the child's 7th birthday.

EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE

Emotional Disturbance means 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 child’s educational performance: (1) an inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; (2) an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; (3) inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances; (4) a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; (5) a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. Emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance. Social maladjustment includes, but is not limited to, substance abuse related behaviors, gang-related behaviors, oppositional defiant behaviors, and/or conduct behavior problems.

FUNCTIONAL DELAY

Functional Delay means a continuing significant disability in intellectual functioning and achievement which adversely affects the student’s ability to progress in the general school program, but adaptive behavior (self-help skills) in the home or community is not significantly impaired and is at or near a level appropriate to the student’s chronological age.

HEARING IMPAIRMENT

Hearing Impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but does not include Deafness. A child shall have one or more of the following characteristics: (1) inability to communicate effectively due to a Hearing Impairment; (2) inability to perform academically on a level commensurate with the expected level because of a Hearing Impairment; (3) delayed speech and/or language development due to a Hearing Impairment.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

Intellectual Disability is characterized by significantly impaired intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with significant deficits in adaptive behavior (self-help skills) and manifested during the developmental period that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED

Intellectually Gifted means a child whose intellectual abilities and potential for achievement are so outstanding the child’s educational performance is adversely affected. “Adverse affect” means the general curriculum alone is inadequate to appropriately meet the student’s educational needs.

MULTIPLE DISABILITIES

Multiple Disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as Intellectual Disability-Deafness, Intellectual Disability-Orthopedic Impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated by addressing only one of the impairments. The term does not include Deaf-Blindness.

ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT

Orthopedic Impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g. club foot, absence of some member), impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g. cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT

Other Health Impairment means having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia; and Tourette’s Syndrome that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. A child is “Other Health Impaired” who has chronic or acute health problems that require specially designed instruction due to: (1) impaired organizational or work skills; (2) inability to manage or complete tasks; (3) excessive health related absenteeism; or (4) medications that affect cognitive functioning.

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY

Specific Learning Disability means a 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 the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, and that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The state of Tennessee uses the Response to Instruction and Intervention model (RTI²) of identification, which examines the student’s responsiveness to scientific, research-based intervention in each area of suspected delay.

SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT

Speech or Language Impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Traumatic Brain Injury means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Visual Impairment including blindness means impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.