Ability Grouping – The grouping of children based on their achievement in an area of study.
Accelerated Learning – An educational process that allows students to progress through the curriculum at an increased pace.
Achievement – The level of a child’s accomplishment on 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.
Adaptive Physical Education – A modified program of instruction implemented to meet the needs of special students.
Advocate – An individual, either a parent or professional, who attempts to establish or improve services for exceptional children.
Age Norms – Standards based on the average performance of individuals in different age groups.
Agnosia – Refers to the child’s inability to recognize objects and their meaning usually resulting from damage to the brain.
Amplification Device – Any device that increase the volume of sound.
Anecdotal Record – A procedure for recording and analyzing observations of a child’s behavior; an objective, narrative description.
Annual Goals – Yearly activities or achievements to be completed or attained by the disabled child that are documented on the Individual Educational Plan.
Aphasia – The inability to acquire meaningful spoken language by the age of three usually resulting from damage or disease to the brain.
Articulation – The production of distinct language sounds by the vocal chords.
At Risk – Usually refers to infants or children with a high potential for experiencing future medical or learning problems.
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) – A psychiatric classification used to describe individuals who exhibit poor attention, distractibility. impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Baseline Measure – The level or frequency of behavior prior to the implementation of an instructional procedure that will later be evaluated.
Behavior Modification–The techniques used to change behavior by applying principals of reinforcement learning
Bilingual–The ability to speak two languages.
Career Education–Instruction that focuses on the application of skills and content area information necessary to cope with the problems of daily life, independent living and vocational areas of interest.
Categorical Resource Room–An auxiliary pull out program which offers supportive services to exceptional children with the same disability.
Cognition–The understanding of information
Consultant Teacher–a supportive service for disabled children in which the services are provided by a specialist in the classroom.
Criterion Referenced Tests–Tests in which the child is evaluated on his/her own performance to a set of criterion and not in comparison to others.
Declassification–The process in which a disabled child is no longer considered in need of special education services. This requires a meeting of the CSE and can be requested by the parent, school or child if over the age of 18.
Deficit–A level of performance that is less than expected for a child.
Desensitization– A technique used in reinforcement theory in which there is a weakening of a response, usually an emotional response.
Diagnosis–Refers to the specific disorder/s identified as a result of some evaluation.
Distractibility–Refers to difficulty in maintaining attention.
Due Process–Refers to the legal steps and processes outlined in educational law that protects the rights of disabled children.
Dysfluency–Difficulty in the production of fluent speech as in the example of stuttering.
Dyscalculia–A serious learning disability in which the child has an inability to calculate, apply, solve or identify mathematical functions.
Dysorthographia–A serious learning disability that affects a child’s ability to spell.
Dyslexia–A severe type of learning disability in which a child’s ability to read is greatly impaired.
Dysgraphia–A serious learning disability in which the child has an inability or loss of ability to write.
Enrichment–Providing a child with extra and more sophisticated learning experiences than those normally presented in the curriculum.
Exceptional Children–Children whose school performance shows significant discrepancy between ability and achievement and as a result require special instruction, assistance, and/or equipment.
Etiology–The cause of a problem.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)–Used in PL94-142 to mean special education and related services that are provided at public expense and conform to the state requirements and conform to the individual’s IEP.
Group Homes–A residential living arrangement for handicapped adults, especially the mentally retarded , along with several non-disabled supervisors.
Habilitation–An educational approach used with exceptional children which is directed toward the development of the necessary skills required for successful adulthood.
Homebound Instruction– A special education service in which teaching is provided by a specially trained instructor to students unable to attend school. A parent or guardian must always be present at the time of instruction. In some cases, the instruction may take place on a neutral sight and not in the home or school.
Hyperactivity–Behavior which is characterized by excessive motor activity or restlessness.
Impulsivity–Non goal oriented activity that is exhibited by individuals who lack careful though and reflection prior to a behavior.
Individualized Educational Plan–A written educational program that outlines a disabled child’s current levels of performance, related services, educational goals and modifications. This plan is developed by a team including the child’s parent(s), professional(s)and supportive staff.
Inclusion–Returning disabled children to their home school so that they may be educated with non-handicapped children in the same classroom.
Interdisciplinary Team–The collective efforts of individuals from a variety of disciplines in assessing the needs of a child.
Intervention–Preventive, remedial, compensatory or survival services made on behalf of a disabled individual.
Itinerant Teacher–A professional hired by a school district to help in the education of a disabled child. The professional is employed by an outside agency and may be responsible for several children in several districts.
Learning Disability–Refers to children with average or above average potential intelligence who are experiencing a severe discrepancy between their ability and achievement.
Least Restrictive Environment–Applies to the educational setting of exceptional children and the education of handicapped children with non-handicapped children whenever realistic and possible. It is the least restrictive setting in which the disabled child can function without difficulty.
Mainstreaming–The practice of educating exceptional children in the regular classroom.
Mental Age–The level of intellectual functioning based on the average for children of the same chronological age. When dealing with severely disabled children, the mental age may be more reflective of levels of ability than the chronological age.
Mental Retardation–Refers to a disability in which the individual’s intellectual level is measured within the subaverage range and there are marked impairments in social competence.
Native Language–The primary language used by an individual.
Non Categorical Resource Room–A resource room in regular school that provides services to children with all types of classified disabilities. The children with these disabilities are able to be maintained in a regular.
Norm Referenced Tests– Tests used to compare a child’s performance to the performance of others on the same measure.
Occupational Therapist–A professional who programs and/or delivers instructional activities and materials to assist disabled children and adults participate in useful daily activities.
Paraprofessionals–A trained assistant or parent who works with a classroom professional in the education process.
Physical Therapist–A professional trained to assist and help disabled individuals maintain and develop muscular and orthopedic capability and to make correct and useful movements.
Positive Reinforcement–Any stimulus or event which occurs after a behavior has been exhibited that effects the possibility of that behavior occurring in the future.
Pupil Personnel Team–A group of professionals from the same school who meet on a regular basis to discuss children’s problems and offer suggestions or a direction for resolution.
Pupils with Special Educational Needs (PSEN)–Students defined as having math and reading achievement lower than the 23rd percentile and requiring remediation. These students are not considered disabled but are entitled to assistance to elevate their academic levels.
Related Services–Services provided to disabled children to assist in their ability to learn and function in the least restrictive environment. Such services may include in-school counseling, speech and language services and so on.
Remediation–An educational program designed to teach children to overcome some deficit or disability through education and training.
Resource Room–An auxiliary service provided to disabled children for part of the school day. It is intended to service children’s special needs so that they can be maintained within the least restrictive educational setting.
Screening–The process of examining groups of children in hopes of identifying potential high-risk children.
Section 504–Refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in which guarantee are provided for the civil rights of disabled children and adults. It also applies to the provision of services for children whose disability is not severe enough to warrant classification, but could benefit from supportive services and classroom modifications.
Self Contained Class–A special classroom for exceptional children usually located within a regular school building.
Sheltered Workshops–A transitional or long-term work environment for disabled individuals who cannot or who are preparing for ,work in a regular setting. Within this setting the individual can learn to perform meaningful, productive tasks and receive payment.
Surrogate Parent–A person other than the child’s natural parent who has legal responsibility for the child’s care and welfare.
Total Communication–The approach to the education of deaf students which combines oral speech, sign language, and finger spelling.
Token Economy–A system of reinforcing various behaviors through the delivery of tokens. These tokens can be in the form of stars, points, candy, chips and so on.
Underachiever–A term generally used in reference to a child’s lack of academic achievement in school. However, it is important that the school identify the underlying causes of such underachievement since it may be a symptom of a more serious problem.
Vocational Rehabilitation–A well designed program designed to help disabled adults obtain and hold a job.
