definition
Speech and Language Impairment is the second most common disability in school-aged children. Twenty percent of students in special education are diagnosed with communication deficits that range from mild to severe.
A person with a speech disorder has difficulty with the physical action of producing words. Indicators may include voice tone or quality differences and problems with articulation or fluency. The voice tone may be too loud or too soft and the pitch may be too high or too low. Articulation problems refer to the mispronouncing of words by substituting sounds ("wabbit" for "rabbit") or omitting sounds ("ca" for "car").
The most common dysfluency seen in children is stuttering. Signs of stuttering occur most typically between the preschool and early elementary years. The speech pathologist at school can assess the disorder and recommend treatment. A dialect or accent difference is not considered a speech disorder.
A language disorder is a problem in understanding or producing meaningful conversation. It involves difficulty with following rules of grammar, understanding or using words in correct context, and choosing appropriate language for different situations. Children learn speech and language in stages as they mature physically and cognitively. Normal growth includes some variation in development, and characteristics of an impairment may be outgrown as a child reaches milestones within this acceptable range.
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Disabilities 
