Absence Seizure. Acquisition Stage of Learning. Active Student Response (ASR) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

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1 Absence Seizure A type of epileptic seizure in which the individual loses consciousness, usually for less than half a minute; can occur very frequently in some children. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) A fatal illness in which the body's immune system breaks down. At present there is no known cure for AIDS or a vaccine for the virus that causes it. Acquisition Stage of Learning The initial phase of learning when the student is learning how to perform a new skill or use new knowledge; feedback should focus on the accuracy and topography of the student's response. Active Student Response (ASR) A frequency-based measure of a student's active participation during instruction; measured by counting the number of observable responses made to an ongoing lesson or to curriculum materials. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) "The science in which procedures derived from the principles of behavior are systematically applied to improve socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree and to demonstrate experimentally that the procedures employed were responsible for the improvement in behavior."

2 Asperger Syndrome Developmental disorder characterized by normal cognitive and language development with impairments in all social areas, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors, preoccupation with atypical activities or items, pedantic speech patterns, and motor clumsiness; included in autism spectrum disorder. Assistive Technology Asthma 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 the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. A chronic respiratory condition characterized by repeated episodes of wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing At-risk Children who have a greaterthan-usual chance of developing a disability. Ataxia Poor sense of balance and body position and lack of coordination of the voluntary muscles; characteristic of one type of cerebral palsy.

3 Athetosis Type of cerebral palsy characterized by large, irregular, uncontrollable twisting motions. The muscles may be tense and rigid or loose and flaccid. Often accompanied by difficulty with oral language. Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Diagnostic category of the American Psychiatric Association for a condition in which a child exhibits developmentally inappropriate inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Autism Autism Spectrum Disorders A pervasive developmental disorder marked by three defining features with onset prior to age 3: (1) impairment of social interaction; (2) impairment of communication; and (3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Group of five related developmental disorders that share common core deficits or difficulties in social relationships, communication, and ritualistic behaviors; differentiated from one another primarily by the age of onset and severity of various systems; includes autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not other wise specified (PDD-NOS). Autistic Savant Individual who exhibits extraordinary ability in a specific area such as memorization, mathematical calculations, or musical ability while functioning at the mental retardation level in all other areas; very rare.

4 Cerebral Palsy Motor impairment caused by brain damage, which is usually acquired during the prenatal period or during the birth process. Can involve a wide variety of symptoms. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Shares behavioral characteristics with autistic disorder, but does not begin until after age two and sometimes not until age 10, medical complications are common; included in the autism spectrum disorders. Closed Head Injury Caused by the head hitting a stationary object with such force that the brain slams against the inside of the cranium; stress of this rapid movement and impact pulls apart tears nerve fibers or axons of the brain. Complex Partial Seizure A type of seizure in which an individual goes through a brief period of inappropriate or purposeless activity. Usually lasts from two to five minutes, after which the person has amnesia about the entire episode. Continuum of Services The range of different placement and instructional options that a school district can use to serve children with disabilities. Typically depicted as a pyramid, ranging from the least restrictive placement (regular classroom) at the bottom to the most restrictive placement (residential school or hospital) at the top.

5 Criterion-referenced Tests The initial phase of learning when the student is learning how to perform a new skill or use new knowledge; feedback should focus on the accuracy and topography of the student's response. Curriculum-based Assessment Curriculum-based Measurements (CBM) Students are assessed and classified relative to the degree to which they are learning specific curriculum content. Evaluation of a student's progress in terms of her performance on the skills that comprise the curriculum of the local school. Cystic Fibrosis An inherited disorder that causes a dysfunction of the pancreas, mucus, salivary, and sweat glands. It causes severe, long-term respiratory difficulties. No cure is currently available. Deaf-Blindness Any combination of hearing and visual impairments that causes such severe communication, developmental, and educational needs such that the individual cannot be accommodated in a special education program designed solely for children with hearing impairments or visual impairments.

6 Diabetes Chronic disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy. Disability Exists when an impairment limits the ability to perform certain tasks. Discrete Trial Training (DTT) Instructional format involving a series of threepart trials: (1) an antecedent stimulus, (2) student response; and (3) feedback. Down Syndrome A chromosomal anomaly that often causes moderate to severe mental retardation, along with certain physical characteristics such as a large tongue, heart problems, poor muscle tone, and a broad, flat bridge of the nose. Due Process Set of legal steps and proceedings carried out according to established rules and principles; designed to protect an individual's constitutional and legal rights.

7 Duration (of Behavior) Measure of how long a person engages in a given activity. Dyslexia A specific language-based disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulties in single word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient phonological processing. These difficulties, which are not the result of generalized developmental disability or sensory impairment, are often unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive and academic abilities and severely impair the individual's ability to read. Echolalia The repetition of what other people say as if echoing them; characteristic of some children with delayed development, autism, and communication disorders Epilepsy A condition marked by chronic and repeated seizures, disturbances of movement, sensation, behavior, and /or consciousness caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Can usually be controlled with medication, although the drugs may have undesirable side effects. May be temporary or lifelong. Exceptional Children Children whose performance deviates from the norm, either below or above, to the extent that special educational programming is needed

8 Externalizing Behaviors The most common behavior pattern of children and emotional and behavioral disorders consists of antisocial or externalizing behaviors. Facilitated Communication (FC) A type of augmentative communication in which a 'facilitator' provides assistance to someone in typing or pointing to vocabulary symbols; typically involves an alphanumeric keyboard on which the user types out his message one letter at a time. Fragile-X Syndrome A chromosomal abnormality associated with mild to severe mental retardation. It is thought to be the most common known cause of inherited mental retardation. Affects males more often and more severely than females; behavioral characteristics are sometimes similar to individuals with autism. Diagnosis can be confirmed by studies of the X chromosome. Frequency (of Behavior) How often a particular behavior occurs per standard unit of time. Functional Assessment Experimental manipulation of antecedent or consequent events representing those observed in the child's natural environment to verify their function in either triggering or maintaining problem behavior.

9 Functional Behavior Assessment Systematic process of gathering information about the purposes a problem behavior serves for an individual; that information then guides the design of three basic types o intervention; indirect assessment, direct descriptive assessment, and functional analysis.