Below is a list of definitions based upon a student's documented disability.

Definition: disorders in the function of the eye as manifested by at least one of the following: (1) visual acuity of 20-200 - the legally blind person can see at 20 feet what the average-sighted person can see at 200; (2) low vision - limited or diminished vision that cannot be corrected with standard lenses; and (3) partial sight - the field of vision is impaired because of illness, a degenerative syndrome, or trauma.

Definition: hearing loss attributed to two causes: (1) sensorineural deficits (nerve deafness which involves impairment of the auditory nerve and affects the inner ear), or (2) conducive loss (a dysfunction of part of the ear mechanism affecting the outer and middle ear). Some students may have both types of hearing loss.

Definition: impairments ranging in severity from limitations on stamina to paralysis impacting on physical mobility and movement. Includes quadriplegia, amputation, arthritis, back disorders, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy.

Definition: disabilities stemming from conditions affecting one or more of the body's systems - respiratory, immunological, neurological or circulatory. Examples include: cancer, chemical dependency, diabetes, seizure disorders, HIV, Lyme disease, lupus, multiple chemical sensitivity, severe asthma and allergies, kidney disease, chronic fatigue syndrome.

Definition: chronic conditions affecting emotions that have documented medical and psychological intervention. Includes depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia. With appropriate treatment, many of these individuals function effectively.

Definition: From the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (1991):

A learning disability is

“a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the life span. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability. Although learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other disabling conditions (for example, sensory impairment, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance), or with extrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions or influences.”1

Definition: a neurobiological condition that is manifested in a persistent pattern of inattention, impulsivity or hyperactivity. It arises during childhood and is attributed neither to gross sensory, language or motor impairment nor to mental retardation or severe emotional disturbance.

Definition: Head injuries are almost uniformly not visible and are very complex in nature. They can result from either external or internal trauma. They can result in seizures, loss of balance or coordination, difficulty with speech, limited concentration, memory loss, loss of organizational and reasoning skills, loss of ability to quickly process information, loss of language functions, changes in behavior.