An educational classification, not a medical diagnosis. A medical or clinical diagnosis does not automatically qualify a child for an IEP, and a child can qualify under IDEA without one. Eligibility is an educational team decision based on evaluation data. These are educational classifications, not medical diagnoses.
What it means
Multiple disabilities means a child has two or more impairments occurring together (for example, intellectual disability with an orthopedic impairment) whose combination creates such severe educational needs that they cannot be met in a program designed for only one of the impairments. This category does not include deaf-blindness, which has its own category.
What it can include
- Two or more co-occurring impairments
- Severe, combined educational needs
- Need for highly individualized programming
How it affects school
Programs are highly individualized and may combine specialized instruction, assistive technology, communication supports, and related services across several areas of need.
How IEP eligibility works
To qualify for an IEP under this category, an evaluation team generally must find three things to be true:
- A qualifying disability. The child is evaluated and found to have one or more of the 13 disability categories defined under IDEA.
- An adverse effect on learning. The disability must adversely affect the child educational performance. A label by itself is not enough.
- A need for specially designed instruction. Because of the disability, the child needs special education and related services to access their education.
Common questions
Is any child with more than one diagnosis in this category?
Not necessarily. The category applies when the combination of impairments creates needs that a single-disability program cannot meet. The team decides which category best fits.
Why is deaf-blindness separate?
IDEA defines deaf-blindness as its own category because the combination of hearing and vision loss requires a distinct, specialized approach.
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