• Labelsserveasameansforfundingandadministeringeducation programs.
• Teachercertificationprogramsandthecredentialingprocessare frequently developed around specific disability categories (e.g., intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment).
• Labelsallowprofessionalstocommunicateefficientlyinameaningful fashion.
• Researcheffortsfrequentlyfocusonspecificdiagnosticcategories.
• Labelsestablishanindividual’seligibilityforservices.
• Treatments,instruction,andsupportservicesaredifferentiallyprovided on the basis of a label (e.g., sign language for a student who is deaf,
an accelerated or enriched curriculum for pupils who are gifted and talented).
• Labelsheightenthevisibilityoftheuniqueneedsofpersonswith disabilities.
• Labels serve as a basis for counting the number of individuals with disabilities and thus assist governments, schools, agencies, and other organizations in planning for the delivery of needed services.
• Advocacyandspecialinterestgroups,suchastheAutismSocietyof America or the National Federation of the Blind, typically have an interest in assisting particular groups of citizens with disabling conditions.