Special Education and Section 504

Students with disabilities may be eligible for services and supports under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Although both laws are designed to protect students with disabilities and ensure access to an appropriate education, eligibility requirements and the types of services and supports provided under each are different.

Under IDEA, eligible students receive special education and related services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) designed to address their unique educational needs. Section 504 provides accommodations and other supports for eligible students whose disabilities substantially limit one or more major life activities, including learning. Understanding these options can help families work collaboratively with their child’s school to determine which services and supports may be appropriate.

Other Health Impairment (OHI) is one of the disability categories recognized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This category includes a variety of health conditions that may affect a student’s educational functioning, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

A diagnosis of ADHD or another health condition does not automatically qualify a student for special education services. To be eligible under OHI, the condition must adversely affect the student’s educational performance and result in a need for special education and related services.

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written educational program developed for a student who is eligible for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IEP describes the student’s current educational needs, how the disability affects their involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, and the specialized instruction, related services, accommodations, and other supports the student will receive.

The IEP also establishes individualized annual goals and describes how the student’s progress toward those goals will be measured. The plan is developed collaboratively by an IEP team that includes the student’s parents or guardians, school professionals, and, when appropriate, the student.

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a clinical diagnosis used to describe persistent difficulties in the development of academic skills in reading, written expression, and/or mathematics. These difficulties are unexpected based on an individual’s age and educational opportunities and are not better explained by other factors that may affect learning. Dyslexia is commonly associated with a Specific Learning Disorder in reading, while difficulties in mathematics may sometimes be referred to as dyscalculia.

Within schools, Specific Learning Disability is an eligibility category under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A clinical diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorder does not automatically qualify a student for special education services. School teams consider multiple sources of information to determine whether a student meets eligibility criteria and requires specially designed instruction.

Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD) is a term used to describe a pattern of strengths and challenges characterized primarily by difficulties with visual-spatial reasoning in the context of relatively stronger verbal abilities. Individuals with this profile may also experience difficulties with areas such as mathematics, visual-motor skills, executive functioning, organization, social perception, and adapting to new or unfamiliar situations.

NVLD is not currently recognized as a formal diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), and there has historically been variability in how the condition is defined. However, the pattern continues to be recognized and studied by researchers and clinicians, with recent efforts focused on developing more consistent diagnostic criteria and terminology.

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects the development of accurate and fluent word reading and spelling skills. Individuals with dyslexia often experience difficulty recognizing and manipulating the sounds within spoken language (phonological processing), which can make it more difficult to learn letter-sound relationships, decode unfamiliar words, read words automatically, and spell accurately.

Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities and is not related to a lack of intelligence, effort, or educational opportunity. Although reading comprehension may be affected when significant effort is required to decode text, many individuals with dyslexia demonstrate strong language comprehension when information is presented orally. Early identification and evidence-based reading instruction can significantly improve reading development and academic success.

Dysgraphia is a term used to describe persistent difficulties with the development of writing skills. Depending on the individual, these difficulties may affect handwriting, spelling, written organization, and/or the ability to translate thoughts and ideas into written language.

Younger students with dysgraphia may struggle with letter formation, spacing, handwriting speed, and legibility, while older students may have difficulty producing written work efficiently, organizing and expressing ideas in writing, or keeping pace with increasing academic demands. Because writing involves multiple skills, a comprehensive evaluation can help identify the specific factors contributing to a student’s difficulties and determine appropriate supports and interventions.

Dyscalculia is a term used to describe persistent difficulties with learning and understanding mathematics. The specific challenges vary by individual and may involve number sense, understanding numerical relationships, learning and recalling basic math facts, performing calculations accurately and efficiently, or applying mathematical concepts to solve problems.

Younger children may have difficulty recognizing quantities, learning number concepts, or understanding the relationships between numbers, while school-age students may struggle with math facts, calculation procedures, and mathematical reasoning. As academic demands increase, older students and young adults may experience difficulty applying mathematical concepts to more complex coursework or everyday tasks involving time, money, measurement, and other quantitative information.

Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive and self-regulation skills that help individuals manage their thoughts, actions, emotions, and behavior in order to accomplish goals. These skills include planning and prioritizing, organization, task initiation, working memory, flexible thinking, self-monitoring, impulse control, emotional regulation, and the ability to sustain attention and effort.

Weaknesses in executive functioning may appear as difficulty getting started on tasks, following multi-step directions, remembering what needs to be done, organizing time and materials, managing long-term assignments, shifting between activities or strategies, monitoring work for mistakes, or maintaining attention and emotional control. As academic demands increase, executive functioning difficulties may become more noticeable because students are expected to manage their time, responsibilities, and workload with greater independence.

Executive functioning difficulties are commonly associated with ADHD but may also occur in individuals with learning disorders, autism spectrum disorder, emotional or neurological conditions, or other areas of difficulty. Understanding an individual’s specific pattern of executive functioning strengths and challenges can help identify strategies and supports to improve functioning at school, at home, and in everyday life.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), sometimes referred to as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), involves difficulty processing and interpreting auditory information despite adequate hearing. Individuals with APD may have difficulty understanding spoken language, particularly in noisy environments; following multi-step verbal directions; distinguishing between similar speech sounds; or efficiently processing and remembering information presented verbally.

Because difficulties with attention, language, working memory, and learning can sometimes resemble or overlap with auditory processing difficulties, a comprehensive evaluation may help identify factors that could be contributing to a student’s concerns. However, a formal diagnosis of APD is made by an audiologist with specialized training in auditory processing assessment. Other professionals, including psychologists, psycho-educational specialists, and speech-language pathologists, may evaluate related areas of functioning and contribute information that helps clarify an individual’s overall profile.

Language disorders involve persistent difficulties understanding and/or using spoken language. Receptive language refers to the ability to understand and process language, while expressive language refers to the ability to formulate and communicate thoughts and ideas through words and sentences.

Students with receptive language difficulties may have trouble understanding complex or lengthy verbal information, following directions, learning new vocabulary, or processing information presented orally. Students with expressive language difficulties may struggle to retrieve words, formulate sentences, organize their thoughts, or clearly communicate what they know. Language difficulties can affect academic performance as well as an individual’s ability to communicate effectively and navigate social interactions.

Weaknesses in receptive or expressive language skills may be identified during a psychoeducational evaluation; however, when a language disorder is suspected, a comprehensive speech and language evaluation conducted by a speech-language pathologist may be recommended for further assessment and diagnosis.