Special education teachers are part of the assessment team that determines eligibility for special education services. There are 14 major eligibility categories defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For each of these disability categories, educators must have general knowledge of the guidelines for eligibility, characteristics, causes, effects on learning, and how often the disabilities occur within a defined population in order to contribute to team collaboration and consult articulately with staff and parents/guardians. Additionally, there are specific conditions, such as dyslexia, that are included within each of the broad categories, and special education teachers must be well informed about the potential effects on learning for each specific disorder.
Use the information in the textbook and topic Resources to complete the “Disability Comparison” template to summarize information for the categories of disability under IDEA as well as for common, specific learning disabilities. The first category, Autism, is completed for you.
Disability Comparison
Part 1
For this section of the template, focus on gathering details about the IDEA disability categories. Review the textbook and the topic study materials and use them to complete the chart. Note that “Autism” has been completed for you as an example.
| Common Disabilities/Disorders | Definition | Characteristics | Causes | Prevalence | Potential Effect on Learning |
| Autism | Autism is a developmental disability that affects communication (verbal and nonverbal) and social skills. | – Difficulty communicating and interpreting motives and cues of others – Not comfortable with change- Poor social skills- May engage in the same activity over and over (SARRC, n.d.) | The causes of autism are not clear but has something to do with brain development before birth. | Autism is one of the fastest growing disabilities. Prevalence has changed to 1 in 68 children in U.S. (Autism Society, 2016, para. 2) | Difficulty with written expression. Reading comprehension, math problem solving, fine and gross motor skills may also be affected, over and under selective attention. |
| Deaf-Blind | |||||
| Deafness | |||||
| Developmental Delay | |||||
| Emotional Disturbance | |||||
| Hearing Impairment | |||||
| Intellectual Disability | |||||
| Multiple Disabilities | |||||
| Orthopedic Impairment | |||||
| Other Health Impairment | |||||
| Specific Learning Disability | |||||
| Speech or Language Impairment | |||||
| Traumatic Brain Injury | |||||
| Visual Impairment Including Blindness |
Part 2
For this section of the template, focus on gathering details about common, specific learning disabilities. These disabilities fall under the IDEA disability categories you researched for the chart above. Review the textbook and the topic study materials and use them to complete the chart.
| Disability/Disorders | Definition | Characteristics | Common Assessments for Diagnosis | Potential Effect of Learning and Other Areas of Life | Basic Strategies for Addressing the Disability/Disorder |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | |||||
| Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) | |||||
| Dyscalculia | |||||
| Dysgraphia | |||||
| Dyslexia | |||||
| Dysphasia/Aphasia | |||||
| Dyspraxia | |||||
| Language Processing Disorder (LPD) | |||||
| Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities | |||||
| Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit |
References