Definition

A child with a physical disability shall have a sustained illness or disabling physical condition which prevents the child from receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education.

Criteria

Criteria for a physical disability preventing the child from receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education should be dependent upon the child's diagnosis and degree of involvement in the regular school setting as characterized by any of the following:

The child's chronic health problem or sustained illness requires:

• Continual monitoring,
• Intervention, and/or
• Specialized programming

in order to accommodate the effects of the illness so as to reasonably benefit from the educational program
The child's physical disability interferes with:

• ambulation,
• attention,
• hand movements,
• coordination,
• communication,
• self-help skills,
• other activities of daily living

to such a degree that it requires:

• special services,
• equipment, and/or
• transportation

NOTE: A sustained illness means a prolonged, abnormal condition requiring continued monitoring characterized by limited strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems and a disabling condition means a severe physical impairment. Conditions such as, but not limited to, traumatic brain injury, autism, attention deficit disorder and cerebral palsy may qualify as a physical disability, if they prevent a child from receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education.

* Sensori-motor deficit is not a disability category or, a medical diagnosis.

Resources

General Disability Resources

Please use the following link to visit the General Disability Resource Page.

Web-Based Physical Disability  Resources

• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) - Information and referral, legislative advocacy, and research.
• Tourette Syndrome Association - Educates people with TS and their families, professionals, and the general public about Tourette syndrome; to provide moral support to people with Tourette syndrome; and to advance research into causes and cure of TS.
• Brain Injury Association - Clearinghouse for information. Provides legislative information, educational programs, and awareness programs.
• CH.A.D.D (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder) - Provides parent-to-parent education, support, advocacy; encourages scientific research; and sponsors a legislative awareness office in Washington, DC.
• ADD Resources - ADD Resources, a national non-profit organization, helps people with ADD/ADHD achieve their full potential through education, support and networking opportunities.
• Learning Disabilities Association of America - Advocacy, public awareness, research, and dissemination of information on learning disabilities.
• Autism Society of America (ASA) - Information and referral services include parent-to-parent assistance.
• Autism Society of Boulder County - A Boulder County volunteer organization that offers ASD families and the professionals that serve them support and information.
• Epilepsy Foundation of America - Information and referral; advocacy; family and public information; parent and family networks; camping and recreational activities; employment services; residential services.

Bibliography

• Head Injury and the Family, by Arthur Orton, Dell Power and Paul W. Power.
• Living with Head Injury: A guide for Families, by Richard C. Senelick and Cathy E. Ryan.
• Tourette Syndrome and Human Behavior, by David E. Comings
• Children with Tourette Syndrome: A Parents' Guide, by Tracy Haerle.
• Raising a Child Who Has a Physical Disability, by Donna G. Albrecht.
• Spinal Network:Total Wheelchair Resource Book, by Sam MAddox.
• Reaching Out to Children with FAS/FAE: A Handbook for Teachers, Counselors and Parents Who Work with Children Affected by Fetal Alcohal Syndrome & Fetal Alcohal Effects, by Diane Davis.
• Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood: A Guide for Parents, by John M. Freeman, Eileen P.G. Vining, and Dianna J. Pillas.
• Understanding Down Syndrome: An Introduction for Parents, by Cliff Cunningham.
• Down Syndrome: Birth to Adulthood. Giving Families an EDGE, by John E. Rynders and J. Margaret Horrobin.
• Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Parents' Guide, by Elaine Geralis.
• Children with Autism: A Parents' Guide, by Michael D. Powers.
• The World of the Autistic Child, by Bryna Siegal.
• Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents, by Russell A. Barkley.
• Teenagers with ADHD: A Parents' Guide, by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy.
• Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood.
• Maybe You Know My Kid: A Parents' Guide to Identifying, Understanding and Helping Your Child with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

For additional information, please e-mail kathy.mcbride@bvsd.org.