What disability categories have an overrepresentation of ethnically and racially diverse students?
A. According to the 22nd Annual Report to Congress, African-American students are over-represented in 9 of 13 disability categories–specific learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, and developmental delay. In particular, African-American students represent more than twice the national population estimates in mental retardation and developmental delay categories. American Indian students also exceed the national average in 9 disability categories–specific learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, visual impairments, deaf-blindness, and traumatic brain injury, with deaf-blindness and traumatic brain injury reaching the largest percentages. Meanwhile, Hispanic students exceed population estimates in 3 categories (specific learning disabilities, hearing im
