Educable Mentally Handicapped (EMH):
    Student Characteristics: Students are mildly impaired in intellectual and adaptive behavior skills. These students can learn about 50 to 75 percent of what a typical student can learn and understand. They usually have a short attention span and do not retain information readily.

Emotionally Handicapped (EH):
    Student Characteristics: The student who has an emotional handicap exhibits one or more of the following characteristics, to the extent that he or she is unable to take advantage of or participate in the regular educational program: ~Inability to learn, cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. ~Demonstrates inappropriate types of behaviors or feelings under normal circumstances. ~General mood is one of unhappiness or depression. ~Tendency to develop physical symptoms, pain, or fear associated with personal or school problems. ~Unable to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers or teacher. ~Demonstrates a variety of excessive behaviors, ranging from hyperactive and aggressive responses to severe depression and withdrawal.

Other Health Impaired (OHI):
    Student Characteristics: Other Health Impairments may result in reduced efficiency in school work because of temporary or chronic lack of strength, vitality, or alertness. Asthma, cardiac conditions, leukemia, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are examples of other health impairments that could interfere with a student's education.

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD):
    Student Characteristics: A specific learning disability is a condition which affects one of the basic psychological processes involving, gathering, storing, or retrieving information through sensory channels. A specific learning disability can appear in areas such as listening, thinking, reading, talking, writing, or arithmetic. Learning disabilities cannot be attributed to a vision, hearing, or motor disability, a mental handicap, an emotional disturbance, or environmental deprivation.