Exceptional Learners Vocabulary Flashcards (Chs. 1–2 & Hehir Article)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, terms, laws, and issues related to exceptional learners, inclusion, and Hehir’s perspectives on ableism.

Exceptionality

The concept that encompasses both disabilities and giftedness; individuals who require special education services.

Disability

An inability to do something most people can (e.g., blindness, dyslexia).

Handicap

A disadvantage created by the environment that limits participation (e.g., no ramp for a wheelchair user).

Inability vs Disability

Not every inability is a disability; some limitations do not meet disability criteria.

Prevalence

About 10% of school-age children in the U.S. are identified as exceptional.

High-incidence disabilities

Disabilities that occur frequently in schools, such as learning disabilities, communication disorders, and emotional disturbances.

Low-incidence disabilities

Disabilities that are less common, such as blindness, deafness, or severe intellectual or multiple disabilities.

19th Century Institutions

Institutions for the blind and deaf (e.g., Gallaudet for the deaf).

CEC (Council for Exceptional Children)

Professional organization that grew in the 20th century alongside parent advocacy.

Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act, 1973)

First civil rights law for individuals with disabilities; prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs and requires accommodations.

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) / PL 94-142 (1975)

Guarantees a Free Appropriate Public Education; requires IEPs and introduced the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

A legal document outlining a student’s goals, services, and placement.

IFSP (Infants and Toddlers Program)

Early intervention plan focusing on the family and child during infancy and toddler years.

LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)

Education with nondisabled peers as much as possible, with supports as needed.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

Expanded PL 94-142; added autism and traumatic brain injury; requires transition services by age 16; strengthens access to general curriculum and accountability.

Transition Plans

Plans required by age 16 to prepare students for adulthood and post-school life.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

Broad civil rights law covering employment, public accommodations, transportation, and schools; mandates accessibility.

NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act)

Mandated inclusion of students with disabilities in state testing and accountability; raised expectations but faced criticism for demands.

RTI (Response to Intervention)

Multi-tiered model: general instruction → targeted support → intensive interventions; helps identify true learning disabilities and prevent mislabeling.

CBM (Curriculum-Based Measurement)

Frequent, short assessments used to track student progress.

Inclusion

Students with disabilities learn alongside nondisabled peers, with supports as needed (e.g., interpreter for hearing impairment).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Curriculum designed to meet diverse learners through multiple formats (text, audio, visuals).

Assistive technology

Devices and tools (e.g., screen readers, augmentative communication) that support learning for students with disabilities.

Standards-Based Reform

Efforts to include students with disabilities in state testing and accountability within standards.

Ableism

The devaluation of disability; the belief that being able-bodied is superior; can be intentional or unintentional and harmful.

Rowley v. Board of Education (1982)

Court case that denied interpreter services in a specific situation and upheld lowering expectations for some students.

Oralism

Priority given to spoken language for Deaf students, often at the expense of sign language (ASL).

Braille

Literacy method for blind students; historically discouraged in some settings in favor of print/audio, contributing to functional illiteracy.

Discrepancy model

Identification method that requires a gap between ability and achievement before services are provided.

Penny Ford Case

Illustrates family advocacy against ableist attitudes; Penny said, “My son is a gift not a tragedy,” highlighting resistance to low expectations.