14 disability categories are used by the states to determine whether students aged 3 to 21 are eligible for special education and related services
14 Disability categories under Federal IDEA: Autism. Deaf-Blindness, 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.
Intellectual Disabilities: Having significant limitations on mental functioning, communication, social skills and independent living skills.
Behavioral Disorders: Inability to learn, inability to build satisfactory relationship with peers and teachers, inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal situations or circumstances, a general pervasive mood or unhappiness or depression, a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fear associated with personal or school problems.
Autism: children have lifelong difficulties in communication and social interaction and have restrictive or repetitive interests and behaviors. more common among boys.
ADHD: A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impassivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. occurs together with learning disabilities. More common among boys than girls.
Other Health Disorders: Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and degenerative illnesses such as Parkinson's disease are disorders that affect learning.