CEP 240 final

Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports (PBIS)

a systematic framework for improving student behavior by creating positive, predictable, and safe learning environments through evidence-based strategies

Eligibility Determination

the official process where a team of qualified professionals assesses a child to decide if they have a disability and require special education and related services        

Internalizing Disorder

a psychological issue that manifests as inwardly directed emotions and behaviors, such as anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal, rather than outward "acting-out" behaviors

Externalizing Disorder

a category of challenging behaviors like aggression, defiance, hyperactivity, and rule-breaking that are expressed outwardly and disrupt the child's environment and social interactions

Executive Functions

 Internal regulation of one’s behavior through control of emotions, inner speech, working memory, arousal levels, and motivation. Considered impaired in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Continuum of Services

a range of support options and educational settings, from the general education classroom to more restrictive placements like home or hospital instruction

Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA)

an electronic device, also called a speech-generating device (SGD), that provides a voice for individuals with speech or communication difficulties         

Response to Intervention (RTI)

a multi-tiered system that provides early, targeted support to students struggling in academics or behavior, using data to monitor their progress and adjust interventions as needed

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

a framework for providing tiered academic and behavioral support to all students in a school

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

A behavioral strategy that seeks to determine the purpose or function that a particular behavior serves—what is occasioning and maintaining the behavior

Behavioral Intervention Plan

A plan required by Public Law 105–17 for students with disabilities who exhibit problematic behavior; a proactive intervention approach that includes a functional behavioral assessment and the use of positive behavioral support

Articulation Disorders

a speech sound disorder where a person has difficulty with the physical production of speech sounds due to issues with the motor skills of the mouth, lips, tongue, or jaw

Tourette's Syndrome

a neurological disorder that involves involuntary, sudden, and repetitive movements (motor tics) and/or sounds (vocal tics)

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

all forms of communication other than oral speech used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas for individuals with complex communication needs

Assistive Technology Device

 any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability

Comorbidity

The simultaneous existence of two or more conditions within the same person

Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)

a section of a student's IEP that outlines goals and services to help them transition from school to post-school life 

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

a written document for children from birth to age three with developmental delays or disabilities, outlining the early intervention services they and their families will receive

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

a scientific approach that uses principles of learning to change behavior, focusing on increasing positive behaviors and decreasing challenging ones

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

a developmental disability that affects a student's functioning and requires special education

Task Analysis

the process of breaking a complex skill or task into smaller, sequential, and more manageable steps

Theory of Mind

 the cognitive ability to understand that other people have their own thoughts, beliefs, and intentions that may be different from one's own

Joint Attention

the ability of two people to share a common focus on an object or event by coordinating their attention through gestures, eye gaze, and verbal cues

Audiogram

a graph showing the results of a pure-tone hearing test

Individualized Education Planning (IEP)

a legally binding written document that outlines the special education and related services a student with a disability needs to succeed in school

Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET)

a group of professionals from different fields who conduct comprehensive evaluations to determine if a student has a disability and needs special education services

Communication

the process of exchanging information, ideas, and feelings through a combination of verbal and nonverbal means, including speech, writing, and body language

Adventitious (Acquired) Hearing Loss

A hearing loss that is not present at birth

Developmental Language Delay

a communication disorder where a child has persistent difficulties with language skills like vocabulary, sentence structure, and understanding or using language, which are not due to other conditions like hearing loss or autism

Fluency Disorders

a communication disorder that interrupts the flow of speaking through disruptions in an individual's rate, rhythm, and repetitions of sounds, syllables, words, and phrases

Semantic Disorder

A communication disorder

Pragmatic Difficulties

 difficulties in social communication skills, including making inferences, understanding figurative language, and adhering to conversational norms

Phonological Disorders

a type of speech sound disorder, they know what to say but have trouble putting sounds together to create words

Syntactical Deficits

a term given when children or adults have difficulty sequencing words, thoughts and information in order

Receptive Language

the ability to understand and process spoken and written language

Expressive Language

the ability to use words, sentences, gestures, and other methods to communicate thoughts, needs, and feelings

Scaffold

a temporary support system that helps students with diverse learning needs achieve a learning goal, with the support gradually withdrawn as they gain independence

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

a permanent hearing impairment caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve, which can affect a student's ability to hear soft sounds and understand speech clearly

Total Communication

an approach that uses all available methods of communication to help an individual express themselves and understand others

Otis Media

an infection or inflammation of the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum

Cochlear Implant

a surgically implanted artificial inner ear or cochlea

Fingerspelling

using one's hand to sign specific letters and spelling out a word rather than using a gesture sign to indicate the word

Interpreter

a qualified professional who facilitates communication between students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have other language needs and their teachers, peers, and school staff

Snellen Chart

a standardized tool used to measure visual acuity, or sharpness of vision, at a distance

Orientation and Mobility

specialized instruction that teaches students with visual impairments how to travel safely and independently in their environments

Low-Incidence Disabilities

rare and affect less than 1% of the student population, requiring highly specialized personnel and services for educational support