Disability Categories

Understanding Disability Categories in Special Education

Under Tennessee law and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students may qualify for special education if they have a disability that affects their learning and need specially designed instruction to succeed in school. Below are the eligibility categories recognized in Tennessee, along with easy-to-understand explanations and typical signs.

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Autism (AUT)

Autism is a developmental disability that usually appears before age 3 and affects how a child communicates, interacts socially, and behaves. Autism includes Autism Spectrum Disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified). A doctor or qualified medical provider must help confirm this diagnosis.

Common signs:

• Trouble making friends or understanding social rules

• Difficulty talking or playing with others

• Repeats words, phrases, or actions often

• Gets upset by changes in routine

• May be very sensitive to sounds, lights, or textures

• Unusual ways of learning or focusing

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Deaf-Blindness (DB)

This refers to a child who has both vision and hearing loss, which together make it hard to learn and communicate—even with support for just one of those disabilities.

Common signs:

• Trouble hearing and seeing, even with glasses or hearing aids

• Difficulty understanding others or expressing needs

• May rely on touch or other senses to explore the world

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Deafness (DF)

Deafness is a severe hearing loss that makes it hard for a child to understand language through hearing, even with hearing aids.

Common signs:

• No or limited speech

• Difficulty understanding spoken directions

• Relies mostly on sign language or lip reading to communicate

• May struggle with spoken language and reading

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Developmental Delay (DD)

For children ages 3–9, this category is used when a child shows delays in one or more areas: physical, cognitive (thinking), communication, social/emotional, or self-help skills.

Common signs:

• Delayed speech or motor skills

• Trouble learning or paying attention

• Difficulty interacting with other children

• May not meet milestones expected for their age

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Emotional Disturbance (ED)

A child with emotional disturbance may have serious emotional or behavioral issues that impact school success. This condition must last over time and be seen across different settings.

Common signs:

• Long-lasting sadness or depression

• Frequent outbursts, aggression, or acting out

• Trouble making or keeping friends

• Extreme fears, anxiety, or physical symptoms due to stress

• Difficulty focusing or staying in class

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Functional Delay (FD)

This means the child has below-average thinking and academic skills that impact learning, but does not show the same level of delays in daily living skills.

Common signs:

• Struggles with reading, writing, or math

• Learning is much slower than other kids the same age

• Can manage basic tasks at home or in the community

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Hearing Impairment (HI)

A hearing loss (not as severe as deafness) that still affects how a child learns and communicates in school.

Common signs:

• Talks louder or softer than expected

• Often misunderstands directions

• Trouble hearing in noisy settings

• May have delayed language or speech skills

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Intellectual Disability (ID)

This includes challenges in both thinking ability and everyday life skills, such as communication, self-care, or social skills.

Common signs:

• Learning new things takes more time and support

• Trouble understanding directions

• Immature behavior for age

• Needs lots of repetition and visual aids

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Intellectually Gifted (IG)

A student who shows advanced thinking, creativity, or problem-solving abilities that require a different kind of learning support. In Tennessee, giftedness is considered a special education category.

Common signs:

• Very curious, asks deep or unusual questions

• Solves problems in creative ways

• Learns quickly and makes connections easily

• Often prefers the company of older peers or adults

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Multiple Disabilities (MD)

This means a child has more than one disability (such as intellectual disability and physical impairment), and both together create complex needs that require extra support.

Common signs:

• Needs help with learning, moving, and basic daily tasks

• Goals may focus on life skills instead of academics

• Often uses special equipment or support staff

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Other Health Impairment (OHI)

This includes chronic or serious health conditions (like ADHD, asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, Tourette’s, or heart conditions) that limit a student’s energy, focus, or alertness and impact school success.

Common signs:

• Trouble staying focused or sitting still

• Fatigue or frequent absences

• Needs reminders or help organizing schoolwork

• Easily distracted or overwhelmed

• May take medications that affect learning

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Orthopedic Impairment (OI)

A physical disability caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy, amputations, or broken bones that affects movement and school performance.

Common signs:

• Needs help walking, using stairs, or using arms/hands

• Uses a wheelchair, walker, or braces

• May need help with writing, carrying materials, or using equipment

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Specific Learning Disability (SLD)

This is a common learning difference where a child has trouble in one or more academic areas like reading, writing, or math—not due to low intelligence or lack of effort.

Common signs:

• Smart in some areas but struggles in others

• Reading slowly or with poor comprehension

• Difficulty with spelling or written expression

• Problems understanding math concepts or solving word problems

• Often feels frustrated with school tasks

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Speech or Language Impairment (SLI)

A communication disorder that affects a child's ability to speak clearly, understand language, or use words appropriately.

Common signs:

• Hard to understand when talking

• Difficulty forming complete sentences

• Problems following directions or answering questions

• Stuttering or unusual voice patterns

• Limited vocabulary for age

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

This is an injury to the brain caused by an accident or physical force, not by birth or disease. It can affect thinking, memory, behavior, and learning.

Common signs:

• Trouble remembering or focusing

• Mood swings or frustration

• Difficulty with communication or problem solving

• Weakness or trouble moving parts of the body

• Challenges with learning new things

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Visual Impairment (VI)

A child who has trouble seeing, even with glasses, and this affects how they learn in school. This includes both low vision and blindness.

Common signs:

• Needs books with large print or high contrast

• Squints or holds materials close to eyes

• Bumps into things or avoids eye contact

• Has trouble copying from the board

• May need help moving safely around the school

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