TExES 161 Disability Categories and Characteristics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under IDEA, how many disability categories are recognized for special education eligibility?
- 10
- 13 (Correct answer)
- 16
- 20
Correct answer: 13
IDEA recognizes 13 disability categories under which students may qualify for special education services.
Question 2: A student who has significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, originating before age 18, is classified under which IDEA disability category?
- Developmental Delay
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Intellectual Disability (Correct answer)
- Multiple Disabilities
Correct answer: Intellectual Disability
Intellectual Disability is characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, with onset before age 18.
Question 3: Which disability category under IDEA is characterized by persistent difficulties in reading, including decoding, fluency, and comprehension?
- Speech or Language Impairment
- Specific Learning Disability (Correct answer)
- Other Health Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Correct answer: Specific Learning Disability
Specific Learning Disability (SLD) includes persistent difficulties with reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), and math (dyscalculia) that affect academic performance.
Question 4: A student has chronic asthma that significantly affects alertness and energy, impacting school performance. Which IDEA category would this student most likely qualify under?
- Physical Disability
- Other Health Impairment (Correct answer)
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Developmental Delay
Correct answer: Other Health Impairment
Other Health Impairment (OHI) covers chronic or acute health conditions such as asthma, ADHD, and diabetes that limit strength, vitality, or alertness in the educational environment.
Question 5: Which IDEA disability category requires that the condition negatively affects educational performance and includes conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia?
- Other Health Impairment
- Emotional Disturbance (Correct answer)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Multiple Disabilities
Correct answer: Emotional Disturbance
Emotional Disturbance (ED) includes conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia that negatively affect educational performance over a long period of time.
Question 6: A student who is deaf and has an intellectual disability would most likely qualify under which IDEA disability category?
- Deaf-Blindness
- Multiple Disabilities (Correct answer)
- Hearing Impairment
- Intellectual Disability
Correct answer: Multiple Disabilities
Multiple Disabilities is the IDEA category for students with concurrent impairments (such as deafness combined with intellectual disability) that cannot be accommodated in a program designed for just one impairment.
TExES 161 Disability Categories and Characteristics 1
Under IDEA, how many disability categories are recognized for special education eligibility?