Disability Categories
IDEA identifies 13 disability categories that may qualify a child for special education: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.
Disability Categories in context
Disability Categories comes up across the IEP process — in your IEP document, during meeting prep, and in the federal rights that protect your child. Rules and timelines can also vary by state — find your state's parent training centers and dispute options in our State IEP Guides.
If this term affects your child's annual goals, test whether they are measurable using our free IEP Goal Checker or follow our step-by-step IEP Annual Review Checklist.
Related Terms
Eligibility
The determination that your child meets the criteria for a specific disability category under IDEA and needs special education services. The IEP team makes this decision based on evaluation results.
Evaluation
A comprehensive assessment to determine if your child has a disability and qualifies for special education. It looks at all areas of suspected disability and must use multiple methods, not just a single test.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The federal law that requires public schools to provide a free appropriate public education to children with disabilities. IDEA guarantees your child the right to special education services and protections.
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Check the Whole IEP — Free →This glossary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Definitions are simplified for parent-friendly understanding and may not reflect the full legal text. Consult a qualified attorney or advocate for advice about your specific situation.