Language or Speech Impairment (LI, SI)
(a) A language or speech impairment is characterized by one (1) of the following impairments that adversely affects the student's educational performance: (1) Language impairments in the comprehension or expression of spoken or written language resulting from organic or nonorganic causes that are nonmaturational in nature. Language impairments affect the student's primary language systems, in one (1) or more of the following components: (A) Word retrieval. (B) Phonology. (C) Morphology. (D) Syntax. (E) Semantics. (F) Pragmatics. (2) Speech impairments that may include fluency, articulation, and voice disorders in the student's speaking behavior in more than one (1) speaking task that are nonmaturational in nature, including impairments that are the result of a deficiency of structure and function of the oral peripheral mechanism.
(b) A student is not eligible for special education and related services as a student with a language or speech impairment solely because the student's native language is not English. Bilingual or multilingual speakers include students whose speech or language patterns: (1) deviate from those of standard English; and (2) are characteristic of dialectical differences. A student who is bilingual or multilingual may be a student with a language or speech impairment only if the impairment is exhibited in all languages spoken by the student.
(c) Students who are deaf or hard of hearing or students with specific learning disabilities, who have language deficits or auditory processing difficulties, are not eligible for services designed solely for students with language impairments in lieu of services designed for: (1) students who are deaf or hard of hearing; or (2) students with specific learning disabilities.
(d) Severe language or speech impairments may require the use of augmentative communication systems, such as: (1) gestures; (2) signed language; (3) communication books or boards; (4) electronic devices; or (5) other systems determined by the student's CCC.