5.

02TermsSpecialNeeds
Term

Definition

Hearingimpairments
hearingimpaired

Apersonwhohasatleastsomedegreeofhearingloss

mildhearingloss

Duetoaminordegreeofhearingloss,achildsvocabularywillnotbeaslargeasthatofhis/her
peerswhohavenormalhearing

profoundhearing
loss

Alargeamountofhearinglosswithlittleunderstandablespeech

Visionimpairments
amblyopia

Thisdisorderistheresultofamuscleimbalancecausedbydisuseoftheeyealsocalledlazy
eye.

glaucoma

Aconditioncausedbyfailureoftheeyefluidtocirculateintheproperway.Overtimethepressure
destroystheopticnerve.

nearsightedness
(myopia)

Inabilitytoseethingsthatarefaraway

farsightedness
(hyperopia)

Inabilitytoseethingsthatareclose

colordeficiency
(colorblindness)

Ahereditaryproblemorinabilitytoseeacolor,ususallyoneormoreprimarycolors

tactile

Thesenseoftouch

olfactory

Thesenseofsmell

auditory

Thesenseofsound

Physicalandmotorimpairments
ambulatory

Abletomovefromplacetoplace

amputation

Removalofoneofapersonsappendagese.g.,legorarm

augmentative
communication
device

Adeviceusedtohelpachildwithcerebralpalsycommunicatehaspicturesforthechildtopoint
to.

milddisabilities

Smallorminorimpairmentsthatcausechildrentoneedmoretimetomoveaboutordotasks

moderate
disabilities

Mediumlevelimpairmentsthatmeanachildcandosomethingsforhimself/herself,butstillneeds
adaptations

severedisability

Seriousdisabilitythatpreventsachildfrommovingindependently

prosthesis

Anartificialarmorleg

spinabifida

Acongenitalconditioninwhichpartofthespinalcordprotrudesthroughthespinalcolumn,
causinglossofvoluntarymovementinlowerbody

Giftedness
acceleration

Agiftedchildisassignedtoaclasswitholderchildren

giftedness

AchildwithexceptionalskillsandIQinoneormoreofsixspecificareasofintelligence

Cognitiveimpairments
attentiondeficit
disorder(ADD)

Achildwhohastroublestayingontaskandiseasilydistracted

learningdisability

Achildwhohasaproblemwithoneormorebasicskillsoflearning

articulation
problems

Omissions,distortions,orsubstitutionsofvowels/consonantsboth

lazytongue

Anarticulationproblemcausedbyinabilityofthetonguetoformsoundsasintended

babytalk

Useofincorrectwordsintendedtoplaywithchildrennotanappropriatemodelforchildrento
emulate

breathyvoice

Avoicethatsoundslikeawhisperandisweakandnotclearlyphonated

expansion

Atechniqueusedtoexpandchildrensmispronouncedwordsintocompletesentences

harshvoice

Avoicethatislouderthannormal

loudness

Theamountofenergyorvolumeusedwhenspeaking

nasality

Soundspassingthroughthenasalcavitiesinsteadofthethroat

phonation

Thepassingofsoundsacrossthevocalcords

pitch

Thelownessorhighnessofthevoice

voiceflexibility

Agoodspeakingvoiceduringroutineconversationusesavarietyofpitchesandloudnesslevels

voicequality
disorders

Harshness,hoarseness,breathiness,andnasality

Behavioralandemotionaldisorders
attentiondeficit
hyperactivity
disorder(ADHD)

Anoveractive,restless,andimpulsivechildwhooftenbecomeshostileandfailstoobserve
classroomlimits

autism

Aconditioninwhichchildrenareunabletointeractsociallywithothers

Accommodatingspecialneeds
Inclusion/mainstr
eaming

Placingspecialneedschildreninregularclassroomstoallowthemtolearnintheleastrestrictive
environment

Individualswith
Disabilities
EducationAct
(IDEA)

Requiresallstatestoprovideeducationforchildrenwhoaredevelopmentallydelayedallchildren
agesthreetofivewhohavedisabilitiesandrequirespecialeducationalservicesmusthavean
individualeducationprogram

Individualized
EducationPlan
(IEP)

Aplanforachildsdisabilitycontainingassessmentinformation,goals,objectives,statementof
involvement,services,andevaluationcriteriadevelopedjointlybythechildsteacher,parentsor
guardians,andanexpertonthechildsdisability

Healthconditions
allergens

Theoffendingsubstanceintheenvironmenttowhichapersonisallergic

arthritis

Aconditionbroughtonbyinflammationthatproducesswellingofthejointsandsurrounding
tissues

asthma

Achronicinflammatorydisorderoftheairways

chronichealthneed

Anillnessthatpersistsoveraperiodoftime

contactants

Thingsthatmakecontactwiththebodybytouch

cysticfibrosis

Ahereditarydiseasethatoccursalmostfrombirthinvolvespersistentandseriouslung
infectionsfailuretogainweightandloose,foulsmellingstools

desensitized

Injectionsofallergensinsmallamountsgivenbyadoctorintothebodyoveraperiodoftimeto
reducesensitivitytoallergies

diabetes

Insulinisnotproducedbythepancreastoburnorstorefoodsasenergy,causingthebodys
sugarcontenttoincrease

epilepsy

Aconvulsivedisordercausedbydamagetothebrain

grandmalseizure

Aseizureduringwhichachildlosesconsciousness,jerks,thrashes,orbecomesstiff

hemophilia

Ageneticblooddiseaseinwhichthebloodcannotclotnormally

ingestants

Foods,drugs,oranythingtakenbymouth

inhalants

Airbornesubstancesthatareinhaled

injectables

Chemicalsordrugsinjectedintothebody

insulinreaction

Animbalancebetweenphysicalactivity,insulin,anddietofapersonwithdiabetes

petitmalseizure

Aseizureduringwhichachildisunconsciousforaveryshortperiodoftime

rheumatoidarthritis

Themostcommonformofjuvenilearthritis