| Ability Grouping | The grouping of children based on their achievement in an area of study. |
| Accommodations | Techniques and materials that allow individuals with disabilities to complete school or work with greater ease and effectiveness. Examples include spellcheckers, tape recorders, and expanded time for completing assignments. |
| Adaptive Behavior | The extent to which an individual is able to adjust to and apply new skills to new environments, tasks, objects and people. |
| Adaptive Physical Education | A physical education program that has been modified to meet the specific needs of a student with disabilities. |
| Accelerated Learning | An educational process that allows students to progress through the curriculum at an increased pace. |
| Achievement | A level of a child's accomplishment in a test of knowledge or skill. |
| Adaptive Behavior | Refers to an individual's social competence and ability to cope with the demands of the environment |
| Administrative Review | A review process whereby a committee of school system individuals may resolve disagreements between parents and school systems not directly involved with the case. Also called a conciliatory conference. |
| Advocacy | Speaking or acting on behalf of another individual or group to bring about change. |
| Advocate | A person who speaks or acts knowledgeably on behalf of another individual or group to bring about change. |
| Age of Majority | Refers to students with special needs who have reached the maximum age limit. |
| Age Norms | Standards based on the average performance of individuals in difference age groups. |
| Amicus Curiae | Friend of court; A person who offers or is called in to advise the court on a legal matter. |
| Anecdotal Records | A procedure for recording and analyzing observations of a child's behavior; an objective, narrative description. |
| Annual Goal | Statement describing the anticipated growth of a student's skill and knowledge written into a student's yearly IEP. |
| Appropriate | In free, appropriate public education provided by the IDEA, "appropriate" refers to an educational plan that meets the individual needs of a student with disabilities. |
| Aptitude Test | A test that measures an individual's potential in a specific skill area, such as clerical speed, numerical ability, or abstract thinking. |
| Assistive Technology | Equipment that enhances the ability of students and employees to be more efficient and successful (for individuals with LD, computer grammar checkers, or the audio/visual information delivered through a CD-ROM would be typical examples. |
| At-Risk | Term used to describe children who are considered likely to have difficulties because of home life circumstances, medical difficulties at birth, or other factors, and who may need early intervention services to prevent future difficulties. |
| Attention Deficit Disorder | A severe difficulty in focusing and maintaining attention. Often leads to learning and behavior problems at home, school and work. Also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). |
| Audiologist | A professional non-medical specialist who measures hearing levels and evaluates hearing loss. |
| Autism | A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction. |
| Baseline Measure | The level of frequency of behavior prior to the implementation of an instructional procedure that will later be evaluated. |
| Behavior Disorder (BD) | Disorders characterized by disruptive behavior in school, home, and in other settings. |
| Behavior Modification | The techniques used to change behavior by applying principals of reinforcement learning. |
| Behavioral Observation | A systematic way of observing, recording, and interpreting the behavior of a student as he or she works on the job to gain a broad picture of the student's interests and abilities; part of a vocational assessment. |
| Benefit | Something helpful; profit; advantage; to help, serve, assist, improve, aid or benefit. |
| Brain Imaging Techniques | Noninvasive techniques for studying the activity of living brains; includes brain electrical activity mapping (BEAM), computerized axial tomography (CAT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). |
| Brain Injury | The physical change to brain tissue or structure that occurs before, during or after birth that is verified by EEG, MRI, CAT or a similar examination, rather than by observation of performance; when caused by an accident, the damage may be called Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). |
| Buckley Amendment | The law that gave parents and students (over age 18) the right to see, correct and control access to school records. |
| Child Study Team | A local school-based committee whose members determine if a student should be evaluated for special education eligibility. |
| Cognitive | A term that describes the process people use for remembering, reasoning, understanding, and judgement. |
| Collaboration | A program model in which the LD teacher demonstrates for or team teaches with the general classroom teacher to help a student with LD be successful in a regular classroom. |
| Communication Disorder | A general term for language and/or speech impairment. |
| Comparability | To be similar or equal to; to examine so as to perceive and note similarities. |
| Compliance File | School records containing all reports of meetings, correspondence, and other contacts between parents and school officials. |
| Congenital | A term referring to a condition present or existing at birth. |
| Consent | Parental permission; usually given by signing a letter or form, agreeing to let the schools take action which affects a child's education; consent is required before a child can be evaluated or receive special education services. |
| Contract Services | School systems may arrange with private service providers (i.e. Private schools, institutions, therapists, etc) to serve students with disabilities when the school system is unable to provide the needed service. |
| Cumulative File | A file containing report cards, standardized achievement tests scores, teacher reports, and other records of a student's school progress. |
| Deficit | A level of performance that is less than expected for a child or adult. |
| Desensitization | A technique used in reinforcement theory in which there is a weakening of a response, usually an emotional response. |
| Development | Having to do with the steps or stages in growth and development before the age of 18. |
| Developmental Aphasia | A severe language disorder that is presumed to be due to brain injury rather than a developmental delay in the normal acquisition of language. |
| Developmental Delay | Slower than normal development of an infant or child in one or more areas. |
| Developmental Disability | Any severe disability, mental and or physical, which is present before an individual becomes 18 years old, which substantially limits his activities, is likely to continue indefinitely, and requires life-long care, treatment or other services; examples include Down Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy. |
| Diagnosis | Refers to the specific disorder(s) identified as a result of some evaluation. |
| Direct Instruction | An instructional approach to academic subjects that emphasizes the used of carefully sequenced steps that include demonstration, modeling, guided practice and independent application. |
| Disability | A problem or condition which makes it hard for a student to learn or do things in the same ways as most other students; a disability may be short term or permanent. |
| Discrimination | To make distinctions in treatment, specific actions or policies that show partiality in favor of or prejudice against a specific individual or group; i.e., not providing a program of equal benefit for children with disabilities as for children without disabilities. |
| Due Process | A system of procedures ensuring an individual will be notified of, and have opportunity to contest, decisions made about him. As it pertains to early intervention (Part C) and special education (Part B) of IDEA, due process refers to the legal right to appeal any decision regarding any portion of the process (i.e. evaluation, eligibility, IEP or IFSP, placement etc). |
| Dyscalculia | A severe difficulty in understanding and using symbols or functions needed for success in mathematics. |
| Dysfluency | Difficulty in the production of fluent speech (i.e. Stuttering). |
| Dysgraphia | A severe difficulty in producing handwriting that is legible and written at an age-appropriate speed. |
| Dyslexia | A severe difficulty in understanding or using one or more areas of language, including listening, speaking, reading, writing and spelling. |
| Dysnomia | A marked difficulty in remembering names or recalling words needed for oral or written language. |
| Dyspraxia | A severe difficulty in performing drawing, writing, buttoning, and other tasks requiring fine motor skill, or in sequencing the necessary movements. |
| Dysorthographia | A serious learning disability that affects a child's ability to spell. |
| Educational Advocate | An individual who speaks or acts knowledgeably for the educational needs of another. |
| Eligibility | The determination of whether or not a child qualifies to receive early intervention or special education services based on meeting established criteria. |
| Emotional Disorders (ED) | Disorders Characterized by their effect on an individual's emotional state; they may be anxiety, such as separation anxiety, phobias, and post traumatic stress disorder, or affective mood disorders, such as childhood depression or bi-polar disorder. |
| Enrichment | Providing a child with extra and more sophisticated learning experiences than those normally presented in the curriculum. |
| Etiology | The cause of the problem. |
| Evaluation | The process of collecting information about a student's learning needs through a series of individual tests, observations, and talking to the student, the family, and others; also, the process of obtaining detailed information about an infant or toddler's developmental levels and needs for services; may also be called ASSESSMENT. |
| Expressive Language | The ability to communicate through speech, writing, augmentative communication or gestures. |
| Extended School Year | Special education provided during summer months to students found to require year-round services to receive an appropriate education. |
| Fine Motor Skills | Body movements that use small muscles (i.e. picking up a small object, writing or eating). |
| Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) | Used legislation to mean special education and related services that are provided at public expense and conform to the state requirements and the individual's IEP. |
| General Education Diploma | A method of obtaining a diploma for adults whom did not complete high school GED tests, which measure achievement in writing skills, social studies, science, literature and mathematics, enable individuals to demonstrate that they have acquired a level of learning comparable to that of traditional high school graduates. |
| Gross Motor Skills | Body movements that use large muscles; for example: sitting, walking or climbing. |
| Group Homes | A residential living arrangement for handicapped adults, especially mentally retarded, along with several non-handicapped supervisors. |
| Habilitation | The process of helping an individual develop specific skills and abilities (dressing, eating, maneuvering a wheelchair) in order to become as independent and productive as possible. |
| Hearing Impaired | Term includes both individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The difference is defined by the amount of hearing loss. |
| Home-Based Services | Early intervention services provided to a child and family in their home. |
| Homebound Instruction | Educational instruction given in a student's home when he is unable to attend school for medical and other reasons. |
| Hyperactivity | Behavior that is characterized by excessive motor activity or restlessness. |
| Impulsivity | Non-goal orientated activity that is exhibited by individuals who lack careful thought and reflection prior to a behavior. |
| Impartial Hearing | When parents feel their child's rights have been violated, they can ask for a due process hearing or an impartial hearing; allows parents to present their position or complaint before a trained hearing officer. |
| Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) | A written statement for each infant or toddler receiving early intervention services, that includes goals and outcomes for the child and family, and a transition plan for the child into services for children over age two. |
| Inclusion | The education of disabled children in their school so that they be educated with non-handicapped children in the same classroom. |
| Independent Living Skills | Basic skills needed by people with disabilities to function on their own, with as little help as possible; skills include self-help (i.e. bathing, dressing, housekeeping, and community living (i.e. shopping, using public transportation. |
| Infant Stimulation | A program designed to provide specific activities that encourage growth in developmental areas such as movement, speech and language, etc., in infants with developmental delays. |
| Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) | Federal, State, or local group consisting of parents, advocates, and professionals who serve in an advisor capacity to plan and implement early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. |
| Intermediate Care Facility | Licensed facilities operating under strict regulations and providing intensive support for people with disabilities in the areas of personal care, communication, and behavior management, etc. |
| Interant Teacher | A teacher who provides services to students in a variety of locations. |
| Job Coach | A service agency professional who works with an individual with disabilities at the job site, providing support by helping the employee to improve job skills, interpersonal relations, or any other job related needs. |
| Lead Agency | State agency which has been designated by the governor to administer and implement a statewide comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency service delivery system for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. |
| Learned Helplessness | A tendency to be a passive learner who depends on others for decisions and guidance; in individuals with LD, continued struggle and failure can heighten this lack of self-confidence. |
| Learned Modalities | Approaches to assessment or instruction stressing the auditory, visual, or tactile avenues for learning that are dependent upon the individual. |
| Learn Strategy Approaches | Instructional approaches that focus on efficient ways to learn rather on curriculum; includes specific techniques for organizing, actively interacting with material, memorizing, and monitoring any content or subject. |
| Learning Styles | Approaches to assessment or instruction emphasizing the variations in temperament, attitude, and preferred manner of tackling a task; typically considered are styles along the active/passive, reflective/impulsive, or verbal/spatial dimensions. |
| Least Restrictive Environment | The least-restrictive setting in which the disabled child can function without difficulty; placement is determined by the IEP team and can change if the child requires more or less restriction. |
| Locus of Control | The tendency to attribute success and difficulties either to internal factors such as effort to or external factors such as chance. Individuals with learning disabilities tend to blame failure on themselves and achievement on luck, leading to frustration and passivity. |
| Major Life Activity | Such activities as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, learning and working. |
| Mainstreaming | The concept that students with disabilities should be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent possible. |
| Mental Retardation | A disability in which the individual's intellectual level is measured within the sub-average range and there are marked impairments in social competence. |
| Metacognitive Learning | Instructional approaches emphasizing awareness of the cognitive processes that facilitate one's own learning and its application to academic and work assignments; typical metacognitive techniques include systematic rehearsal of steps or conscious selection among strategies for completing a task. |
| Minimal Brain Dysfunction | A medical and psychological term originally used to refer to the learning difficulties that seemed to result from identified or presumed damage to the brain; reflects a medical rather than educational or vocational orientation. |
| Multisensory Learning | An instructional approach that combines auditory, visual and tactile elements into a learning task. |
| Neuropsychological Examination | A series of tasks that allow observation of performance that is presumed to be related to the intactness of brain function. |
| Occupational Therapist | A professional who programs and/or delivers instructional activities and materials to assist disabled children and adults to participate in useful daily activities; occupational therapists focus on skills that would be necessary for a disabled child to function in school (such as fine motor skills). |
| Perceptual Handicap | Difficulty in accurately processing, organizing, and discriminating among visual, auditory, or tactile information; a person with a perceptual handicap may say that "cap/cup" sound the same or that "b" and "d" look the same. |
| Pre-referral Process | A procedure in which special and regular teachers develop trial strategies to help a student showing difficulty in learning remain in the regular classroom. |
| Related Services | Those services a student must receive to benefit from special education; for example, transportation, counseling, speech therapy, crisis intervention. |
| Residential Services | The placement of a student in a setting that provides educational instruction and 24-hour care. |
| Resource Program | A program model in which a student with LD is in a regular classroom for most of each day, but also receives regularly scheduled individual services in a specialized LD resource classroom. |
| Resource Room | A setting in a school where a student receives instruction for part of the school day from a special education teacher. |
| Section 504 | Refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in which guarantees are provided for the civil rights of disabled children and adults; it also applies to the provision of services whose disability is not severe enough to warrant classification, but could benefit from supportive services and classroom modifications. |
| Self-Advocacy | The abilities required to take primary responsibility for one's life and to make choices regarding one's actions free from undue interference; also called self-determination. |
| Self-Contained Classroom | A classroom in which a group of students with disabilities receive their entire instructional program with little or no interaction with non-disabled students. |
| Service Coordinator | Someone who acts as a coordinator of a child and family's services, and works in partnership with the family and other service providers. |
| Sheltered Workshop | A work setting in which persons with disabilities do contact work, usually on a piece-rate basis, such as preparing bulk mailings, or refinishing furniture. |
| Specific Language Disability | A severe difficulty in some aspect of listening, speaking, reading, writing or spelling, while skills in the other areas are age-appropriate; also called Specific Language Learning Disability (SLLD). |
| Specific Learning Disability | The official term used in federal legislation to refer to difficulty in certain areas of learning, rather than in all areas of learning; synonymous with learning disabilities. |
| Speech Impaired | A communication disorder involving poor or abnormal production of the sounds of language. |
| Supervised Living Arrangements | Homes or apartments for persons with disabilities that are managed by public or private agencies; paid staff supervises the residents and assists them with budgeting, food preparation, and transportation, etc. |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | A federal program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides payments to individuals who are aged and/or disabled. |
| Supported Employment | Paid employment for workers with disabilities in settings with people who are non-disabled; a job coach provides support. |
| Token Economy | A system of reinforcing various behaviors through the delivery of tokens; these tokens may be in the form of stars, points, candy, chips and so on. |
| Transition | Commonly used to refer to the change from secondary school to post secondary programs, work and independent living typical of young adults; also used to describe other periods of major change such as from early childhood to school or from more specialized to mainstreamed settings. |
| Transition Services | A coordinated set of activities for a student (planned by a transition team) that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation. |
| Traumatic Brain Injury | An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force causing a disability that affects a child's educational performance (i.e. cognition, memory, language, motor activities). |
| Visually Impaired | Having mild to severe vision disorder, which adversely affects a child's educational performance. |
| Vocational Assessment (Evaluation) | A systematic process for evaluating an individual's skills, aptitudes, and interests as they relate to job preparation and choice; assessments include work sampling, standardized tests and behavioral observation. |
| Vocational Education | Formal training designed to prepare individuals to work in certain job or occupational area, such as construction, cosmetology, food service or electronics; also called vocational training and vocational program. |
| Vocational Rehabilitation | A comprehensive system that assists temporarily or permanently disabled individuals in the areas of assessment, counseling, training, physical rehabilitation, and job placement. |
| Work-Study Programs | Education programs in which the student receives employment training and earns credit toward graduation through employment. |
