Multiple Disabilities (MD)

• Examples of multiple disabilities include combinations of other categories, like intellectual disability–blindness, intellectual disability–orthopedic impairment, autism-deafness, or a medical condition with orthopedic impairment or intellectual disability.

  • This category does not include deaf-blindness

• Have limited speech or communication.

• Orthopedic impairments.

• Identified subaverage general intellectual functioning. *Must be manifested during the developmental period.

  • Intellectual functioning that is three or more standard deviations (3+ SD) below the mean.

• Deficits in at least two adaptive skill areas (behaviors which involve carrying our activities of daily living and social competence). *Must be manifested during the developmental period.

  • Communication.

  • Daily Living.

  • Socialization.

  • Motor skills.

• Concomitant (co-existing) impairments in combination cause severe educational needs.

  • Determine eligibility under one or more of the following disability categories:

    • Autism Spectrum Disorder.

    • Hearing Disability.

    • Other Health Disability.

    • Visual Disability including Blindness.

    • Deaf.

    • Orthopedic Disability.

• Student meets the requirement of two or more disability categories.

• Observation of student's actual behavior and typical performance in the educational/natural environment.

• Medical and developmental history.

• Parent interview.

• Teacher reports/review of student work.

• Multiple assessment approaches:

  • Standardized testing.

  • Dynamic assessment.

  • Rating scales.

  • Checklists.

  • Criterion referenced tests.

  • Curriculum-based measures.

  • IQ assessments.

  • Adaptive behavior assessments.

• Adaptive equipment and instruction to support areas of daily living.

• Hands-on and experiential learning opportunities.

• Voice output communication aids (VOCAs), electronic devices with voice output that replace or supplement speech for students with severe speech impairments.

• Peer tutoring.

• Student-centered accomodations.

• Assistive technology (AT).

• Physical therapy.

• Occupational therapy.

• Assigned one-to-one aid, if needed.

• Priority seating, if needed.

• Appropriate spacing to allow a student with mobility equipment to easily navigate the room.

• Refrigeration of foods as needed.

• Orientation and mobility training (visually impaired)

• Braille

• Sign Language

*Use jargon free language. Documentation must be from a variety of sources. Identify the sources of information and explain evidence.

• Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion of significant intellectual/cognitive limitation.

• Document that intellectual/cognitive and adaptive behavior limitations were evident during the developmental period.

• Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion of limitation in adaptive behavior (skills which affect daily life and ability to respond to life changes and environmental demands). Adaptive behavior skills must be considered in light of intellectual functioning.

• Document that intellectual/cognitive and adaptive behavior limitations were evident during the developmental period.

• Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion that there is a co-existing disability and the adverse effect of both on education.

• Clearly state how ALL data points to evidence of concomitant impairments and the method used to determine that the multiple disability exists.

• Explains doe the Multiple Disabilities are adversely affecting the student's performance in the educational setting or natural environment.

The term "Adverse Affect" for MD students refers to:
All findings should lead to the conclusion that the unique behaviors/challenges the student is experiencing is associated with the disability and are occurring frequently and at a level of intensity that adversely affects performance in the PRESENT educational setting or natural environment.

Teams should explain how the multiple disabilities are adversely affecting the student’s performance in the educational setting or natural environment.

1. Connect the student’s performance and needs to the eligibility category selected.

   • Summarize findings with a concluding statement that connects the disability with the impact on education and the need for special education.

2. Determine and identify the specially designed instruction needed to make progress in the general education curriculum.
   (Specially designed instruction means that the student must have adapted content, methodology or delivery of instruction.)

   • Describe the nature and extent of the student’s need for specially designed instruction. What does the student need in the areas of instruction, curriculum, and/or environment?

   • Identify the instructional strategies, accommodations, and modifications that the student needs to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum.

*Identifying the ADVERSE EFFECT of the disability on education and the connection to the need for special education

1. You must connect the student’s performance and needs to the eligibility category selected.

2. You must summarize findings with a concluding statement that connects the disability with the impact on education and the need for special education.

Here are some guiding questions that can be used to help identify the adverse affect.

Identify the specific challenges because of the disability (Multiple Disabilities)

1. What are the unique difficulties or challenges the student is experiencing?

2. Is academic learning affected?

3. Is communication affected?

4. Is independent functioning affected?

5. Are social/emotional interactions affected?

6. In what ways are the defined areas affected?

State the need for specially designed instruction (SDI) (Specially designed instruction means that the student must have adapted content, methodology or delivery of instruction). Determine and identify the specially designed instruction needed to make progress in the general education curriculum.

• Does the student need interventions that significatly differ in intensity & duration from what can be provided solely through general education resources and services currently in place?

• Is the need for specially designed instruction connected to the category for which the student was found eligible?

• What specially designed instruction does the student need?