There are 13 disability categories listed in a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
And to get an IEP, or Individualized Education Program, your child will need to fit into at least one disability category.
These categories can have some hard-to-understand names, like “specific learning disabilities” or “other health impairments.”
But on this episode of Understood Explains, host Juliana Urtubey will share what these categories mean and why they relate to IEPs. She’ll also share what to do if your child doesn’t qualify for any disability category, or if they qualify for more than one.
For more resources, including a transcript formatted for easy skimming, visit the episode page on Understood.org.
Timestamps:
(00:43) Why do IEPs have disability categories?
(02:42) What are the 13 disability categories in IDEA?
(07:21) Are disability categories the same in every state?
(09:28) Can my child’s IEP include more than one disability?
(10:32) What if my child doesn’t qualify for any disability category?
(11:43) Key takeaways
Related resources:
Getting your child the support they need at school shouldn’t feel like a fight. But for millions of families, it does. In Zero Reject, an investigative podcast from Understood.org, award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz looks at how changing federal policies are reshaping special education — and what’s at stake for families trying to access the support their children are legally entitled to. Start listening now.
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