Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. Individuals with autism often experience other sensory sensitivities and medical issues.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence-Based Practices

• Oregon Program Autism Training Sites and Support

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Autism

Deafblindness

Deafblindness means having both hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational problems that a student cannot be accommodated in special education programs designed solely for students having hearing or visual impairments.

• Oregon Deafblind Project

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Deafblindness

Developmental Delay

Students who experience developmental delays are impacted in two or more developmental areas, including cognitive, physical, communication, social or emotional, or adaptive development. This eligibility originally existed only for children up to age 5, but has now been extended for children through age 9.

• Oregon Department of Human Services - Services for Children

• Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Developmental Disabilities

Emotional Behavioral Disability (Emotional Disturbance)

An Emotional Behavioral Disability is a condition where students have difficulty building or maintaining relationships, exhibit inappropriate behaviors or feelings, have a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or have a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

• Center for Parent Information & Resources

• Council for Exceptional Children

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Emotional Disturbance

Hearing Impairment

Students with a hearing impairment have a hearing condition which adversely affects their educational performance. This can include children who are hard of hearing or deaf.

• Columbia Regional Program Resources for Educators

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Hearing Impairments

Intellectual Disability

Students with an intellectual disability are significantly impacted in both their cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior.

• Oregon Department of Human Services - Services for Children

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Intellectual Disabilities

Orthopedic Impairment

Students with an orthopedic impairment experience challenges with motor ability. This can be caused by a number of factors, including conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, or muscular dystrophy.

• Resources for Teaching Students with Orthopedic Impairment

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Orthopedic Impairments

Other Health Impairment

Students may be found eligible in the area of other health impairment if they experience a chronic or acute health problem which adversely impacts their educational performance and limits their ability to access the educational environment.

• Understanding "Other Health Impairment"

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Other Health Impairments

Specific Learning Disability

Students with a specific learning disability (SLD) are impaired in one or more of the basic psychological processes involving language. Students are commonly impacted in one or more of the core academic areas, such as reading, writing, or math.

Pleasant Hill School District uses a "patterns of strengths and weaknesses" model for determining SLD eligibility. In this process, the team reviews assessment and other data to determine areas of academic strength and weakness as compared to areas of cognitive strength and weakness.

• National Center for Learning Disabilities

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Specific Learning Disability

Speech Language Impairment (Communication Disorder)

Language disorders may be characterized by receptive and expressive difficulties across one or more domains of language: semantics, morphology, syntax, phonology, and pragmatics. Language disorders impact a student's ability to talk, read, write, or understand language.

• Helping Children with Communication Disorders in the Schools

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Speech or Language Impairments

Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is usually the result of a serious blow to the head. This injury may be caused in a variety of ways and can result in physical, sensory, and cognitive challenges.

• The Center on Brain Injury Research and Training

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Traumatic Brain Injuries

Vision Impairment

Students with vision impairment have a visual impairment that, even with correction, adversely affects their educational performance. This can include children who are partially sighted or blind.

• Columbia Regional Program Resources for Educators

• Project IDEAL - Training and Resources on Vision Impairments