These definitions are simplified for easier understanding and use. Different professionals, agencies, school districts and educators may use these words in somewhat different ways. You should always feel free to ask for definitions of words being used to describe your child or your child's communication, learning or social relating developmental delay or disorder.

Accommodation: Learning to do things differently from other students because of a handicap, impairment, or disability. An example of ''accommodation'' is the visually impaired student who reads by listening to a recording of a textbook.

Appeal: A written request for a Commissioner of Education or a court to change the decision of a Hearing Officer.

Apraxia: Motor speech disorder characterized by inconsistent substitutions and a significant breakdown in conversation. 

Arthritis: Inflammation and pain in the joints. 

Asperger's Syndrome: Severe impairment in social interaction and development of restrictive repetitive patterns of behaviors. Unlike Autism there are no significant delays in language or overall cognitive development. 

Assessment: A way of collecting information about a student's special learning needs, strengths, and interests. An assessment may include giving individual tests, observing the student, looking at records, an talking with the student and/or his parents. Assessment is also an ongoing process by which qualified professionals, together with families, through standardized tests and observation, look at all areas of a child's development: motor, language, intellectual, social/emotional and self-help skills, including dressing, toileting, etc. Both areas of strength and those requiring support and intervention are identified. Types of assessments include: 

• Developmental assessment: An ongoing process of observing and thinking about a child's current competencies (including knowledge, skills, and personality), and the best ways to help the child develop further.
  
• Family assessment: A systematic process of learning from family members their ideas about a child's development and their strengths, priorities, and concerns as they are related to the child's development.
  
• Multidisciplinary assessment: A form of developmental assessment (see above) in which a group of professionals with different kinds of training and experience work with a child and family, directly or indirectly. This type of assessment can be helpful because professionals with different kinds of training are skilled in observing and interpreting different aspects of a child's development and behavior. 
  
• Play-based assessment: A form of developmental assessment that involves observation of how a child plays alone, with peers, or with parents or other familiar caregivers, in free play or in special games. This type of assessment can be helpful because play is a natural way for children to show what they can do, how they feel, how they learn new things, and how they behave with familiar people.  

Assistive Technology: Are any equipment which will assist in making an accommodation for a person with a disability such as use of computer for handwriting or speaking.

Ataxia: This describes the condition in which a child's balance and depth perception are disturbed. This is a type of cerebral palsy.

Athetoid: This describes the condition in which the child has involuntary and uncontrolled motion. This is a type of cerebral palsy.

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD is an exceptionality which is covered by the Section 504 Plan. The student with ADHD is one who seems to have average or better ability, health, vision, hearing, and intelligence, but is still unable to learn things as easily or quickly as most other students his age due to a severe inability to stay on task or pay attention (distractibility) and/or inability to control behavioral impulses (hyperactivity).

Audiologist: A professional trained in assessing a child's hearing. In a developmental assessment of an infant or young child, an audiologist would look for signs of whether or not there are any hearing impairments or loss, usually by placing earphones on a child through which sounds are transmitted at various frequencies. Audiologists often work closely with speech and language specialists to address problems in communication. 

Auditory and Visual Processing Disabilities: Processing/sensory disabilities is a learning disability in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.

Auditory Attention: The ability to maintain focus to sound over extended periods of time. 

Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A word which describes a kind of sensory, motor planning, communications and emotional exceptionality. The student with the autistic spectrum disorder may seem to act, talk, think or behave very differently from other students his age. He may not like to close to people.

Autistic: (Traditional Meaning) The autistic child may seem to act, talk, think or behave very differently. Delay or abnormal functioning may be noted in at least one of the following three areas with onset prior to age 3: social interaction, language used in social communication and symbolic or imaginative play. These children may have difficulty with peer relationships and lack of engagement with others. There may be a delay or total lack of language, use of repetitive and idiosyncratic language. Other behaviors can include preoccupation with parts of objects, hand or finger flapping, and rocking. 

Blind/Visually Impaired: The visually impaired student is one who has a loss of some or all of his ability to see. This includes students who are blind or partially sighted. In order to be eligible for "visually impaired" programs and services, a student must meet all the requirements listed in the State board of Education rules. 

Central Auditory Processing: Refers to skills used to understand and store what is heard. Skills typically develop in first five years of life along with receptive and expressive language.

Central Auditory Processing Disorders - CAPD: Difficulty in attending to, discriminating, recognizing and understanding what is heard, even though hearing and intelligence are normal. CAPD creates difficulty in developing speech and language skills. These children are often thought to have hearing problems. Diagnosis is by a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Treatment includes speech pathologist  intervention, adaptations in the environment and computerized therapy. 

Cerebral Palsy: A general term for a group of permanently disabling symptoms caused by damage to the developing brain before, during, or after birth. People with cerebral palsy may have poor balance, difficulty in walking, movement, and speech impairment. 

Child Development Specialist: A professional who is trained in infant/toddler development and in identifying developmental delays and disabilities. In a developmental assessment, a child development specialist would help identify a child's strengths and areas of concern, and suggest strategies to promote optimal social, emotional and intellectual development. 

Cleft Palate: Congenital groove in the roof of the mouth due to failure of the palate bones to unite. 

Development: The process of how a child acquires skills in the areas of social , emotional, intellectual, speech and language and physical development including fine and gross motor skills (See Developmental Domains). Developmental stages refer to the expected, sequential order of acquiring skills that children typically go through. For example, most children crawl before they walk, or use their fingers to feed themselves before they use utensils. 

Developmental Domains: Term used by professionals to describe areas of a child's development, for example: "gross motor development" (large muscle movement and control); "fine motor development" (hand and finger skills, and hand-eye coordination); speech and language/communication; the child's relationship to toys and other objects, to people and to the larger world around them; and the child's emotions and feeling states, coping behavior and self-help skills. 

Developmental Milestone: Term frequently used to describe a memorable accomplishment on the part of a baby or young child - for example, rolling over, sitting up without support, crawling, pointing to get an adult's attention, walking. 

Developmental Pediatrician: A pediatrician with specialized training in children's social, emotional, and intellectual development as well as health and physical growth. 

Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia: A neurological speech disorder that affects the motor planning of speech. 

Developmentally Delayed/Disabled: A term used to describe infants and toddlers who need early intervention services because they: (1) are experiencing developmental delays, a term used when a child has not achieved skills and abilities which are expected to be mastered by children of the same age. Delays can be in any of the following areas: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, speech and language and/or adaptive development, sometimes called self-help skills, which include dressing, toileting, feeding, etc. or  (2) have a diagnosed physical or mental condition which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay. Some examples include: chromosomal abnormalities; genetic or congenital disorders; severe sensory impairments, including hearing and vision; inborn errors of metabolism; disorders reflecting disturbance of the development of the nervous system; congenital infections; disorders secondary to exposure to toxic substances, including fetal alcohol syndrome; and severe attachment disorders. Caution: the term developmental delay may be used loosely and occasionally is used incorrectly, giving a false impression that the child will "catch up." 

Diagnosis: Term used to describe the critical analysis of a child's development in all the developmental domains, after reviewing all the assessment results, and the conclusion reached by such analysis. From this diagnosis, professionals should offer parents a precise and detailed description of the characteristics of a child's development, including strengths and the ways in which a child learns. 

Due Process: A set of rights having to do with how decisions are made. These rights help to make sure that exceptional students and their parents are treated fairly.

Due Processing Hearing: A meeting held to settle disagreements between parents and schools in a way that is fair to the student, his parents and the school. The meeting is run by an impartial Hearing Officer.

Early Childhood Special Educator: A professional trained in young children's typical and atypical development. An early childhood special educator would assist with developing plans and implementing intervention services based on the outcomes of the evaluation/assessment. In a developmental assessment of an infant or young child, the early childhood educator might administer developmental tests looking at the child's developmental domains (see Developmental Domains). 

Early Intervention: Refers to the range of services designed to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities or at risk of developmental delay. These services should be offered, to the maximum extent possible, in a natural environment, such as the home or in community settings, in which children without disabilities participate. Early intervention services that are under public supervision, must be given by qualified personnel and require the development of an individualized family service plan (see Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)), developed in conjunction with the family, to guide the early intervention or therapeutic services given to a child. Early intervention
services should also enhance the capacity of families to meet the needs of their infants and toddlers with disabilities. Services may include but are not limited to: speech and language therapy, physical and/or occupational therapy, special education, and a range of family support services. Early intervention is sometimes used to refer to any systematic effort to improve developmental outcomes for young children. 

Early Interventionist: General term used for a person who works with infants and young children who have developmental delays, disabilities, or are at risk of developmental problems, and their families. Early Interventionists may have different kinds of professional training (for example, in speech/language pathology or nursing), but they all have work experience and special training in helping young children and their families. 

Eligibility: Specific criteria of developmental delay that meets the eligibility level needed for publicly funded services. This criteria is unique to each state's definition. Children who have a diagnosed physical or mental condition or are experiencing developmental delays are "eligible" for services. In addition, states may choose to serve children who are "at risk" of developmental delay by making them eligible for publicly funded early intervention services. Children who may be "at risk" of a developmental delay, may be provided services in some states. Risk factors include:  

• established risk: a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay
• biological/medical risk: significant biological or medical conditions, or events that give a child a greater chance of developing a delay or a disability than children in the general population;
• environmental risk: care giving circumstances and current family situations that may place children at a greater risk for delay than the general population. Examples include: parental substance abuse, family social disorganization, poverty, parental developmental disability, parent age, parental educational attainment, and child abuse or neglect. 

Etiology: The cause or origin of a disabling condition. 

Evaluation: A way of collecting information about a child’s development, learning needs, strengths, and interests. It is used to help make decisions about whether a student is exceptional and eligible for Exceptional Student Education programs and services. It may include giving individual tests, observing the child, looking at records, and talking with the child and/or his parents. The term Evaluation is often used interchangeably with "assessment." However, in the context of services supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), evaluation refers to a procedure that is used to determine a child's eligibility for early intervention services. 

Free Appropriate Public Education: The words used in the federal law, IDEA and PL 94-142, to describe an exceptional student's rights to a special education which will meet individual special learning needs, at no cost to parents.

Gifted: A kind of exceptionality. The student who is gifted is one who is very bright or smart and who learns things much more quickly than other students his age. In order to be eligible for "gifted" programs and services, a student must meet all the requirements listed in the State board of Education Rules. 

Handicap: A problem or condition which makes it hard for a student to learn or do things in the same ways as most other students. A handicap may be short-term or permanent. See also "disability'' and ''Impairment.''

Hearing Impaired: The student with a hearing impairment is one who has a loss of some or most of his ability to hear. This includes students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Hyperlexia: a developmental disability characterized by precocious reading ability or a fascination with letters, words or numbers, coupled with significant problems in language, learning, and social skills. Children with hyperlexia are visual learners - they understand what they see much better than what they hear.

Hypotonia: low muscle tone - describes the condition where the muscle tone is very weak and it can impact both gross and fine motor coordination. Low muscle tone can also impact the development of appropriate communications and learning in children.

IDEA: An acronym for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act which provides grants to states and jurisdictions to support the planning of service systems and the delivery of services, including evaluation and assessment, for young children who have or are at risk of developmental delays/disabilities. Funds are provided through the Infants and Toddlers Program (known as Part C of IDEA) for services to children birth through 2 years of age, and through the Preschool Program (known as Part B-Section 619 of IDEA) for services to children 3 through 5 years of age. 

IEP - Individual Educational Program: A written plan which describes a student's special individual learning needs and the Exceptional Student Education programs and services which will be given to that student.

IEP Review: A meeting held at least once a year to look at, study, and talk about an exceptional student's IEP. The purpose of the IEP Review is to make decisions about changes in the IEP.

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP):  
A statement of the family's strengths and needs related to enhancing the development of the family's child, including specific statements about outcomes, criteria, and time lines regarding progress, specific services, provisions for service coordination, and dates for initiation, duration and reevaluation process. 

Informed Clinical Opinion: A term that describes professionals' use of qualitative and quantitative information to assess a child's development, especially if there are not standardized measures, or if the standardized procedures are not appropriate for a given age or developmental area. Informed clinical opinion makes use of a practitioner's training, previous experience with evaluation and assessment, previous experience with children, sensitivity to cultural needs, and the ability to gather and include family perceptions as important elements in order to make a judgment. 

Language Learning Impairments: Language based learning disorders that affect communication skills and academic performance. Typically, there are problems with receptive language and affect up to at least 10% of children. 

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): The educational setting or program which helps the exceptional student to work and learn to the best of his ability, and which allows him to spend as much time as possible, anywhere from all to none, in a regular program.

Mental Handicap: A kind of handicap or exceptionality. The student with a mental handicap is one who may not be able to learn as quickly or as much as most other students his age. This includes students who have an EMH ''educable mental handicap,'' TMH ''trainable mental handicap,'' or SPH ''severe/profound handicap.''

Motor: Use of the large and small muscles to move different parts of the body. Examples of motor skills are walking, holding and moving a pencil, or opening a door.

Multidisciplinary Team: A group of people with different kinds of training and experience working together, usually on an ongoing basis. Professionals often use the word "discipline" to mean a "field of study," such as medicine, social work, or education. Therefore, a multidisciplinary team might include a pediatrician, an occupational therapist, a social worker, and an early childhood educator.

Norms: A pattern or average regarded as typical for a specific group. 

Occupational Therapist (OT): A professional who has specialized training in helping an individual developmental or physical skills that aid in daily living activities, with careful attention to enhancing fine motor skills (hand and finger skills, eye-hand coordination and sensory integration). In a developmental assessment, the occupational therapist would assess the child's fine motor skills, coordination, and age-appropriate self-help skills (eating with utensils, dressing, etc.).

Pediatric Psychologist: A psychologist who has specialized training in working with children and adolescents. In a developmental assessment of an infant or toddler, the child and adolescent psychologist would assess a child's social, emotional and intellectual development.  A psychologist would likely administer some standardized tests that consist of presenting a variety of tasks, ranging from very easy to very challenging, in order to determine the full range of the child's skills. The Psychologist may also observe the child during free play, alone, or with caregivers as part of her assessment. (See Play-based assessment.) 

Pediatrician: A medical doctor who has specialized training in caring for the physical health and development of children. 

Phonemic/Phonological Awareness: The ability to break words and syllables into their smallest units or phonemes. New research indicates this is the core deficit in reading difficulties. Phonemic awareness can be taught.

Physical Therapist (PT): A professional trained in assessing and providing therapy to treat developmental delays, disease and injury using methods such as exercise, heat, light and massage. In a developmental assessment, the physical therapist would assess the ability and quality of the child's use of her legs, arms, and complete body by encouraging the display of specific motor tasks as well as observing the child in play. 

Physical Therapy (PT): Treatment for an exceptional student which helps to maintain or improve his use of bones, joints, muscles, and nerves. This treatment is given by a trained Physical Therapist.

Physically Impaired: The child with a physical impairment is one who has a severe illness, condition, or disability which makes it hard for him to learn in the same ways as other students his age.

Pre-Academic: Having to do with skills a child needs to master before he is ready to learn academic subjects, such as reading and math. Examples of Pre-Academic skills are knowing colors and holding a crayon or pencil correctly.

Prevalence: The number or proportion of individuals in a community or population with a given condition or problem. 

Profoundly Handicapped: An Exceptional Student Education program or kind of class for students who have very severe handicaps. Students who have a ''severe emotional disorder,'' ''severe autistic spectrum disorder,'' ''profound mental handicap,'' or '' severe deaf/blind condition'' may be in this program or class.

Spastic: This describes a child whose muscles are tight. This refers to high muscle tone. It is characterized by tense, stiff, and contracted muscles. It is a type of cerebral palsy.

Screening: A brief assessment procedure designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment. Screening is designed to identify children who are at risk for health problems, developmental problems, and/or disabling conditions, who may need to receive helpful intervention services as early as possible. In schools it is a way of looking at or testing a group of students to find out if any of them need to be referred for individual evaluation.

Self-help: Having to do with skills that allow a student to do things for himself. Examples of Self-help skills are a student being able to feed himself, dress himself, or cross the street without help.

Sensory: Having to do with the use of the senses of hearing, seeing, touching (feeling), smelling, or tasting as a part of learning. An example of a sensory skill is being able to see the differences between letters of the alphabet.

Sensory Integration: The process of how a child (person) takes in information and processes it based on their senses (touch, taste, smell, sound, sight). This may include how a child perceives his body or the world around him, or how a child adapts himself to his world. According to the theory of sensory integration, the many parts of the nervous system work together so that a child can interact with the environment effectively and experience appropriate satisfaction. Having poor sensory integration may interfere with many activities necessary for daily functioning, such as brushing teeth, playing on play equipment or even hugging. 

Social: Having to do with a student's abilities to get along with other people family, adults, or other children. An example of a social skill is a student being able to play well with other children his age.

Speech and Language: Having to do with a student's ability to speak (talk), write, listen, or read. This includes understanding others and making himself understood. An example of a speech and language skill is being able to put words together into a good sentence.

Speech/Language Pathologist: A professional who is trained in assessing and treating problems in communication including: articulation (pronunciation of sounds), receptive language (understanding and processing what is communicated by others), expressive language (the ability to communicate to others), fluency (including stuttering), and voice problems (including pitch and intonation.) A speech and language pathologist also is trained to work with oral/motor problems, such as swallowing, and other feeding difficulties. 

Temporal Processing: The rate at which auditory information is processed, also known as "rate of processing." Children with ADD, CAPD, Autism, and Learning Disabilities often have difficulty processing quickly. 

Visually Impaired: A kind of exceptionality. The student with a visual impairment is one who has a loss of some or all of his ability to see. This includes students who are blind or partially sighted.

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