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This glossary was created to provide the general user with
basic definitions
of different types of disabilities and other related terms.
Disability-Related Glossary of Terms
A B
C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R S
T U V W X Y Z
Select the first letter of the word from the list above to
jump to appropriate section of the glossary.
 AIDS
- AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a disease
caused by a virus that destroys a person's immune system. The AIDS virus,
known as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), severely
weakens the immune system causing a person to be highly susceptible to a
variety of infections. These infections may not normally be considered
serious, but could become life-threatening to a person with AIDS.
-
Americans with Disabilities Act
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It mandates
equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in areas such as
employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local
government services, and telecommunications.
- Assistive
Technology
- Assistive technology is any item or piece
of equipment used to maintain or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.
-
- Attention
Deficit Disorder
- Attention deficit disorder, commonly
referred to as ADD, is a neurological disability characterized by
inappropriate attention skills, impulsive behavior, and in some cases, hyperactivity.
ADD is marked by chronic behaviors that last at least six months and appear
before age seven. The behaviors may include: fidgeting, difficulty remaining
seated, difficulty following instructions, leaving tasks uncompleted, and
appearing not to listen when others are speaking.
-
Augmentative Communication
- Augmentative communication refers to the
supplementation or replacement of speech through the use of aided or unaided
techniques. Sign language, gestures, and fingerspelling are examples of
unaided communication, whereas aided communication is associated with
technology. An example of aided communication would be a computer-based
system that supports verbal and written communication.
- Autism
- Autism is a developmental disability that
appears before age three. It is characterized by qualitative differences in
the areas of social competence and communication skills. Individuals with
autism typically demonstrate a narrow range of interests, repeatedly engage
in specific activities, and experience difficulties processing sensory input
from the surrounding environment. Common behaviors include: a tendency to
avoid social contact, a tendency to become upset by changes in routine, and
an inability to effectively communicate.
- Behavior
Disorders
- Behavior disorders refer to a complex set of behavioral and
emotional problems that are exhibited by children. Children with these
disorders often engage in antisocial behavior. They are often physically and
verbally aggressive and may lie, steal, perform vandalism, or "act
out" in other ways. Children with behavior disorders may also
experience depression. If these disorders are not treated early in life the
individual may continue to exhibit antisocial behavior into adulthood.
- Birth
Defects
- The term, birth defect, refers to any anomaly, functional
or structural that is caused before birth. A birth defect may be inherited
or acquired and may be present in infancy or become apparent later in life.
- Blind
- A person's vision is evaluated by visual
acuity (20/20 scale) and the range of peripheral vision. Normal vision is
defined as 20/20 visual acuity and an average range of 180 degrees in
peripheral vision. An individual is legally blind if after methods of
correction, such as glasses or contact lenses, he/she has a visual acuity of
20/200 or higher denomination or a range of peripheral vision under 20
degrees.
- Cerebral
Palsy
- Cerebral palsy is a functional disorder
caused by damage to the brain during pregnancy, delivery, or shortly after
birth. It is characterized by movement disorders, such as: spasticity (tight
limb muscles), purposeless movements, rigidity (severe form of spacticity),
a lack of balance, or a combination of these disorders. Individuals with
cerebral palsy may also experience seizures,
abnormal speech, hearing and visual
impairments, and mental retardation.
- Cleft
Palate
- A cleft palate is a birth
defect characterized by a split or opening in the roof of the mouth. It
results from failure of the parts of the roof of the mouth to join together
during pregnancy. Cleft palates may be caused by genetic or environmental
factors.
- Closed
Captioning
- Closed captioning allows individuals who
are deaf or have limited hearing to view television and understand what is
being said. The words spoken on the television are written across the bottom
of the screen so the person can follow the dialogue and action of the
program.
- Communication
Disabilities
- Communication disabilities include any visual,
hearing, or speech
impairments that limit a person's ability to communicate.
- Deaf-Blindness
- Deaf-blindness, or dual sensory impairment,
is a combination of both visual and hearing
impairments. An individual with deaf-blindness can experience severe
communication, educational, and other developmental problems. A person with
deaf-blindness cannot be accommodated by services focusing solely on visual
impairments or solely on hearing impairments, so services must be
specifically designed to assist individuals with deaf-blindness.
- Deafness
- Deafness can be defined as a total or
partial inability to hear. An individual who is totally deaf is unable to
hear with or without the use of a hearing aid, whereas a person who is
partially deaf may be able to hear with the help of a hearing aid. Deafness
can be genetic or also acquired through disease, most commonly from
meningitis in the child or rubella in the woman during pregnancy.
- Descriptive
Video
- Descriptive videos are designed for people
who are visually impaired. The videos
provide additional narration which carefully describes the visual elements
of the film, such as the action of the characters, locations, and costumes,
without interfering with the actual dialogue and sound effects.
- Developmental
Delays
- Developmental delays refer to conditions
which represent a significant delay in the process of child development. The
delays may involve cognitive, physical, communicative, social/emotional, and
adaptive areas of development. Without special intervention, these delays
may affect the educational performance of the child.
- Developmental
Disabilities
- A developmental disability is a severe and
long lasting disability which is the result of a mental and/or physical
impairment, occurs before age 22, is likely to continue indefinitely,
reflects the person's need for specialized services and/or treatment, and
results in substantial functional limitations in three or more areas. The
areas include: self-care, self-direction, economic self-sufficiency,
independent living, learning, receptive and expressive language, and
mobility.
- Disability
- A disability is basically defined as a
mental or physical condition that restricts an individual's ability to
engage in substantial gainful activity.
- Down
Syndrome
- Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition (trisomy
21) caused by the presence of one extra chromosome. Individuals with Down
syndrome experience slow physical and mental development and often exhibit
certain identifiable physical characteristics, such as a round face,
slanting eyes, and a small stature. People with Down syndrome usually
function in the mild to moderate range of mental
retardation and may experience health problems, most commonly hearing
impairments and congenital heart disease.
- Early
Intervention
- Early intervention is an attempt to locate,
identify, and evaluate young children with developmental
disabilities or developmental delays
and provide services to counteract these disorders and facilitate the
child's development. Every state has organizations that provide early
intervention services.
- Echolalia
- Echolalia is the constant repeating or
parroting of what has been said by others. Individuals with autism
and Tourette syndrome commonly exhibit
echolalia.
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy is a physical condition that
occurs when there is a sudden, brief disturbance in the function of the
brain. This "disturbance" can alter an individual's consciousness,
movements, or actions. The sudden change is referred to as an epileptic
seizure. Most individuals with epilepsy can reduce or eliminate the risk of
seizures through the regular use of appropriate medication.
- Fetal
Alcohol Effects
- The term, fetal alcohol effects, is used to
indicate alcohol as a possible cause of a child's birth
defects. It is used to describe children with prenatal exposure to
alcohol, but with only a few of the characteristics shown by children with fetal
alcohol syndrome.
- Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome
- Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to a group of
symptoms exhibited by a child resulting from the mother's consumption of
alcohol during pregnancy. The symptoms may include differing levels of mental
retardation, low birth weight, small size, and under development of the
upper lip. (see cleft palate)
- Fragile
X Syndrome
- Fragile X syndrome, also known as
Martin-Bell syndrome, is a genetic disorder that is the most common form of
inherited mental retardation. Individuals
with this disorder often have distinctive physical features, such as a long
face and large prominent ears. People with Fragile X syndrome experience
some degree of mental retardation along with speech and language delays. In
addition, 15-20% may also exhibit behaviors associated with autism.
- Free
Appropriate Public Education
- According to the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), free appropriate public education is
defined as special education and related services that: (1) are provided at
public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge;
(2) meet the standards of the state educational agency; (3) include
preschool, elementary, and secondary school education in the state involved;
and (4) are provided in conformity with the child's individualized
education program.
- Genetics
- Genetics is the study of heredity, and in
particular, genes. Human genetics attempts to understand human heredity in
order to predict, diagnose, and treat genetic diseases.
- Group
Homes
- Group homes are a housing option for
individuals with developmental
disabilities that allows them to live in residences within the community
in a family-type setting. A small group of individuals with disabilities
live together in a house and share household duties. The group home is
usually supervised by live-in professionals or volunteer staff.
- Health
Impairments
- The term, health impairment, refers to any
type of chronic illness that affects how a person lives his or her life.
Common examples of health impairments are AIDS, cancer,
diabetes, arthritis, etc.
- Hearing
Impairment
- The term, hearing impairment, is used to
describe any level of hearing loss, such as hard of hearing or deafness.
- HIV
- HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is
the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is most commonly
transmitted through sexual contact and intravenous drug use. A person may
carry HIV for several years before any symptoms of AIDS become apparent.
- Hydrocephalus
- Hydrocephalus refers to an abnormal
accumulation of fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) within cavities, called
ventricles, inside the brain. Hydrocephalus can be congenital, caused by
complex genetic and environmental factors, or acquired from spina
bifida, intraventricular hemorrhage, head trauma, meningitis, tumors and
cysts. Individuals with hydrocephalus often experience mental and physical
impairments and a variety of health problems.
- Hyperactivity
- Hyperactivity generally refers to a group
of behavioral characteristics, such as aggressiveness, constant activity,
impulsiveness, and distractibility. The actual behaviors displayed include:
fidgeting, an inability to remain seated or still, excessive talking, and an
inability to play quietly. Hyperactivity is commonly associated with attention
deficit disorder.
- Inclusion
- In general, inclusion refers to a set of
practices and beliefs that all children should be educated, regardless of
disability, in their neighborhood school, and in age appropriate general
education settings with appropriate supports and services.
- Independent
Living
- The concept of independent living involves
the belief that individuals with disabilities have the same rights and
responsibilities as other people in society. Thus, services provided to the
public should be accessible to persons with disabilities, and systems of
support should be made available to help individuals with disabilities live
within the community and lead more independent lives.
- Individualized
Education Plan (IEP)
- Public Law 94-142 mandates that each child
who receives special education services must have an individualized
education plan. The IEP is the plan agreed upon by the school administrator,
teacher, parents, and other relevant professionals (e.g., the person who
administered the testing, therapists). The IEP is comprised of seven parts:
(1) present level of functioning or performance, (2) annual goals, (3) short
term instructional objectives or goals, (4) indication of any special
services needed (e.g., speech & hearing clinic), (5) amount of time
spent in regular education classroom, (6) when plan will begin, be reviewed,
and end, and (7) evaluation of goals and objectives.
- Individualized
Family Service Plan (IFSP)
- Public Law 99-457 directs states to develop
and implement a comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary program of early
intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and
their families. The law requires that an Individualized Family Service Plan
is created to establish an agreement between families and professionals that
the necessary resources will be provided to help the child and the family
achieve their goals and satisfy their needs.
- Individualized
Program Plan (IPP)
- An Individualized Program Plan is similar
to an Individualized Family Service Plan except it is
for individuals with disabilities who are over age three. The IPP identifies
the preferred goals or outcomes of the individual and his/her family and
lists objectives describing how these goals will be achieved (e.g., what
services and types of supports will be used).
- Individualized
Transition Plan (ITP)
- The Individualized Transition Plan is the
part of a person's Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
that identifies the long range goals of the person in respect to life after
school. Transition services are a coordinated set of activities that are
designed to help a student with disabilities move from school to life after
school. The person's life after school may include: post secondary
education, vocational training, integrated employment, continuing and adult
education, independent living,
participation in the community, and other activities. The ITP indicates how
the individual will be supported or helped to participate in his/her
preferred activities and achieve his/her goals.
- Institutions
- Institutions are residential facilities
designed to house and care for individuals with mental disabilities.
- IQ
Scores
- The intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a
number used to express a person's relative intelligence. An intelligence
test is used to compute an individual's IQ score. The majority of scores
fall between 70 and 130, with a score above 130 considered gifted and a
score below 70 considered mentally deficient. However, intelligence tests
have been widely criticized for not accurately depicting an individual's
mental capabilities.
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- Learning
Disabilities
- Learning disabilities is a broad term used
to refer to disorders that affect a person's ability to interpret what they
see or hear and link information from different parts of the brain. These
disorders usually manifest as problems with reading, writing, reasoning, or
mathematics. Learning disabilities are neurological, lifelong disorders, but
can often be overcome through appropriate intervention and support.
- Mental
Illness
- The term, mental illness, refers to any
illness or disorder that: has significant psychological or behavioral
manifestations, is associated with painful or distressing symptoms, and
impairs an individual's level of functioning in certain areas of life. There
are several different types of mental illness with differing levels of
severity. The cause of mental illness is relatively unknown. Therapy and
appropriate medication are the most common forms of treatment.
- Mental
Retardation
- Mental retardation is a mental disability
that limits the intellectual capacity of an individual. A person is
considered to have mental retardation if: they have an IQ
below 70, the condition is present before age 18, and limitations exist in
two or more adaptive skill areas. The adaptive skill areas include:
communication, self-care, home-living, social skills, leisure, health and
safety, self-direction, functional academics, and employment.
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Paraplegia
Paraplegia is paralysis of the legs and
lower part of the body. Paraplegia often involves loss of sensation as well as
loss of movement. It is usually caused by injury or disease in the lower
spinal cord, or brain disorders, such as cerebral
palsy.
- Quadriplegia
- Quadriplegia is the paralysis of all four
limbs. (see paraplegia)
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- Seizure
Disorder
- (see epilepsy)
- Speech
Impairments
- The term, speech impairment, refers to
disorders that impair an individual's ability to verbally communicate. This
could include the inability to speak, the inability to maintain a flow or
rhythm of speech (e.g., dysfluency, or stuttering), or the inability to
pronounce certain sounds. Speech impairments can be caused by hearing
impairments, neurological disorders, mental
retardation, or physical impairments such as cleft
palate.
- Spina
Bifida
- Spina Bifida refers to an incomplete
closure in the spinal column during prenatal development. There are three
types of spina bifida: (1) spina bifida occulta is very common and
is associated with an opening in one or more of the vertebrae, but no damage
to the spinal cord, (2) meningocele is present when the protective
covering around the spinal cord is pushed through an opening in the
vertebrae, but the spinal cord remains intact, (3) myelomeningocele
is the most severe form and occurs when the spinal cord protrudes through
the back. The term, spina bifida, is most often used to indicate the most
severe form of the disorder, myelomeningocele. It can cause
weakness or paralysis below the area of protrusion as well as a loss of
bowel and bladder control. Also, spina bifida is commonly associated with hydrocephalus.
- Tourette
Syndrome
- Tourette syndrome is a genetic,
neurological disorder characterized by repetitious, involuntary body
movements and uncontrollable vocal sounds. Tourette syndrome is detected
before age 18 and most commonly affects males. The majority of individuals
with Tourette syndrome experience mild symptoms that do not impede them from
performing their normal activities.
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- Visual
Impairment
- A visual impairment is an impairment of
sight that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses. This includes
individuals with low vision as well as people who are legally blind.
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