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Accommodations |
The provisions made to allow a student to access and demonstrate
learning. Accommodations do not substantially change the instructional
level, the content or the performance criteria, but are made in order to
provide a student equal access to learning and equal opportunity to
demonstrate what is known. Accommodations do not alter the content of
the test or provide inappropriate assistance to the student within the
context of the test. Examples include books on tape, content
enhancements, and allowing additional time to take a test. |
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Adaptation |
Involves an adjustment to the instructional content or performance
expectations of students with disabilities from what is expected or
taught to students in general education. Adaptations are usually
included as part of a student’s IEP. Adaptations can include decreasing
the number of exercises the student is expected to complete, assignment
of different reading materials, or use of a calculator instead of
working out problems by hand. |
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Age Appropriate |
At the chronological (actual) age of the child/student. The descriptor
can be applied to materials, curriculum, modifications for the child, or
to the student's behavior. |
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Assistive Technolgy Services |
Services to help a child with a disability use an assistive technology
device. These services include evaluating the needs of the child;
providing the device; and then training the child, the child's family
and the professionals who work with that child in the use of the device |
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Assistive Technology |
"Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired
commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to
increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals
with disabilities. AT service is directly assisting an individual with a
disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive
technology device."
Source: The US technology-related assistance for individuals with
disabilities act of 1988, Section 3.1. Public Law 100-407, August 9,
1988 (renewed in 1998 in the Clinton Assistive Technology Act) |
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BEC |
Basic Education Circular - The Pennsylvania Bureau of Education provides
written policies for clarification and guidelines on specific issues. |
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Chapter 14 |
The state law pertaining to the delivery of special education services
and programs. It is called a regulation or sometimes called a rule |
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Circle of Friends |
A technique used to enlist the involvement and commitment of peers in
developing and supporting effective inclusion (Also called Circle of
Support) |
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COACH |
An assessment and planning tool designed to help educators identify
family-centered priorities for their students, define the educational
program components, and address these components in an inclusive
setting. |
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Differentiated Instruction |
Recognizing students varying background knowledge, readiness, language,
preferences in learning, interests, and reacting responsively.
Differentiated instruction is a process to approach teaching and
learning for students of differing abilities in the same class. The
intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each student’s
growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she
is, and assisting in the learning process. (by CAST) |
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Due Process |
The procedures that may be used when parents disagree with school
officials' decisions. The due process procedures include right to
written notice, right to a pre-hearing conference, and right to a formal
hearing and appeals. |
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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) |
A federal law that regulates the management of student records and
disclosure of information from those records. |
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Free appropriate public education (FAPE) |
Special education and related services that (1) have been provided at
public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without
charge; (2) meet the standards of the State educational agency; (3)
include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school
education in the State involved; and (4) are provided in conformity with
the individualized education program. (20 U.S.C. §1401) |
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Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) |
A problem-solving process for addressing student problem behavior. FBA
relies on a variety of techniques and strategies to identify the
purposes of specific behavior and to help IEP teams select interventions
to directly address the problem behavior. It looks beyond the behavior
itself focusing on identifying significant, pupil-specific social,
affective, cognitive, and/or environmental factors associated with the
occurrence (and non-occurrence) of specific behaviors. (Adapted from the
Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice) |
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) |
Public Law 108-446 is called the “Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004.” Its “short title” is Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act. |
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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) |
Provisions for LRE appear in IDEA regulations (§§300.114 through
300.120) LRE requires that "To the maximum extent appropriate, children
with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions
or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled;
and Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children
with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only
if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in
regular classes with the use of
supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. |
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MAPS (Making Action Plans) |
A creative tool which inclusion facilitators can use to help
individuals, organizations, and families move into the future |
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Modifications |
Changes to WHAT a student is expected to learn. They are provided to
students with disabilities who are working below grade level and who may
require modified expectations within a given activity to meet their
individual needs. Alternative Curriculum Goals can be used to make the
content more relevant and functional to the individual's needs.
Requirements for a student may be partially adapted, with the student
expected to master some, but not of the expectations. Or the level of
mastery that is expected for a student may be altered. |
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Natural Proportions |
Ensuring that the proportions or ratios, of students with disabilities
in any given class represent the natural proportions that occur in the
community. This would mean there is not overrepresentation in one class
and under representation in another, but all classes resemble the
naturally occurring proportions of the general population in the
community. Typically, no more than 1 to 2% of a school's population will
have significant disabilities and there should be no more than one child with
a significant disability in a regular classroom. In general,10 to 15% of
children may have some type of disability and so for classes of 30
students for example, there would be 3 to 5 students with disabilities. |
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PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) |
A creative tool which inclusion facilitators can use to develop long and
short range planning by encouraging people to think "backwards. |
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Person Centered Planning |
Person centered planning is a process whereby persons with disabilities,
with the support of families, direct the planning and allocation of
resources to meet their own life vision and goals. This planning
process: is based on a person’s preferences, dreams, and needs;
understands how a person makes decisions; understands how a person is
and can be productive; discovers what the person loves and dislikes;
encourages and supports long-term hopes and dreams; is supported by a
short-term support plan that is based on reasonable costs given the
person’s support needs; includes the individual’s responsibilities;
includes a range of supports including funded, community and natural
supports; and should be conducted based upon the needs of the
individual, but at least annually. |
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Related services |
Related services means transportation and such developmental,
corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a
child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes
speech-language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services,
psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation,
including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of
disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation
counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services for
diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Related services also include school
health services and school nurse services, social work services in
schools, and parent counseling and training. (does not include a medical
device that is surgically implanted) §300.34 |
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Self-Determination |
Individuals making the choices that allow them to exercise control over
their own lives, to achieve the goals to which they aspire and to
acquire the skills and resources necessary to participate fully and
meaningfully in society.
The right to self-determination must include individuals with all types
of disabilities. Self-Determination has five basic rights and
responsibilities: Freedom, Authority, Support, Responsibility, and
Confirmation. (Adapted from the Center for Self-Determination) |
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Supplementary aids and services |
Aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular
education classes, other education-related settings, and in
extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with
disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum
extent appropriate in accordance with §§300.114 through 300.116. |
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Transition services |
A coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that (1)
is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on
improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a
disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school
activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training,
integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and
adult education, adult services, independent living, or community
participation; (2) is based on the individual child's needs, taking into
account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and (3)
includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the
development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives,
and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional
vocational evaluation. (20 U.S.C. §1401) |
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Universal Design (UD) |
A phrase used to describe elements that are usable by everyone across
the broad spectrum of life, first used in architecture.
The principles of UD are: Equitable use; Flexible in use; Simple and
intuitive; Perceptible information; Tolerance for error; Low physical
effort; Size and space for approach and use. |
