Autism Glossary

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

A

AAC: See Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

ABA: See Applied Behavior Analysis.

ABC's of Behavior Management: A technique for evaluating undesirable behavior that analyzes: A-Antecedent or what happens prior to the behavior; B-Behavior or what happens as a result of A; and C-Consequence or what happens as a result of B.  See also Applied Behavior Analysis.

Absence Seizure: Once called a petit mal seizure, this type of seizure is characterized by blank staring and eye blinking.

Accommodation: An adaptation of the environment, format, or situation made to suit the needs of those participating.

Activities of daily living (ADL): The activities that each person engages in daily for personal care and hygiene.  Dressing and bathing are examples.

ADA: See Americans with Disabilities Act

Adaptive Behavior (Functioning) (AB): The ability to adjust to new environments, tasks, objects, and people, and to apply new skills to those situations; the capacity to meet the demands of daily life for personal self-sufficiency and independence.

Adaptive development: How a child grows in behavioral skills as compared to other children of the same age.  Among the benchmarks are dressing and feeding oneself, toilet training, social interaction with other children, responding to potentially dangerous situation, and behaving when unattended by adults.

Adaptive physical education (APE): A personally tailored program of activities, games, and sports suitable to the special capacities of students with disabilities; an alternative to a general physical education program.

ADD: See Attention Deficit Disorder.

ADHD: See Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee (ARD Committee): A committee made up of teacher and other professionals responsible for the admission of children to special education, review of the progress of children in special education programs, and dismissal of children from special education.

Advocacy: Supporting or promoting a cause.  Speaking out.

Advocacy Groups: Organizations that work to protect the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities and their parents.

Advocate: Individual who promotes or reforms a cause that benefits an individual or groups, as in educational advocate.

Age Equivalent Score: The age (in years and months) that the child's performance would be typical of in the "normal" population.  For example if the child's ability to understand words was an age equivalent of 2-10 this would mean it is the kind of score that an average 2-year 10-month-old child would achieve.  This is not the same as standard score.

American Sign Language (ASL): The primary sign language used in the United States.  It was developed for people with deafness and is often conceptually based.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Signed in 1990, this law legally forbids discrimination against people with disabilities in the areas of jobs, housing, and public service.

Annual Goal(s): A set of reasonable expectations for pupils in a period of one year, as documented in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Annual Review: A re-examination of every twelve-month period of a pupil's IEP to determine if changes should be made in the next year's IEP.

Anticipated Regression: The process of assessing the likelihood that a person with disabilities will lose skills and knowledge through lack of use or practice.

Anticonvulsant: Medication used to control seizures.

Anxiety: A feeling of unease, dread, fear, or "nervousness," which can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased heart rate or sweating.  Some degree of anxiety may be normal (for example, in new situations), but when anxiety is irrational, excessive, or causes distress or impairment, it can be part of an anxiety disorder.

ARD Committee: See Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee.

Area Education Agency (AEA): Provides support services (ed consultation, psycho, social work, nursing, speech and language, etc.) to local education agencies.

ASA: See Autism Society of America.

ASD: See Autism Spectrum Disorder(s)

Asperger's Disorder (or also known as Asperger's Syndrome): A pervasive developmental disorder characterized by early language and cognitive skills that seem relatively normal, but significant difficulties with social skills.

A disorder on the autism spectrum characterized by normal speech and social difficulties.  Diagnosis may not occur until the child is older.

Asperger's Syndrome: See Asperger's Disorder

Aspie: A person with Asperger's syndrome.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): A term sometimes used for a condition that does not inc1ude the hyperactivity found in ADHD.

A developmental disorder that is characterized by short attention spans and a lack of concentration on tasks.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD): A condition characterized by distractibility, restlessness, short attention span, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

A developmental disorder that is composed of ADD and hyperactivity within the same individual.

Attention Span: The amount of time one is able to concentrate on a task

Audiologist: A healthcare professional who evaluates hearing and prescribes assistive listening devices (such as hearing aids).

Auditory: Relating to the ability to hear.

Relating to hearing skills and abilities.

Auditory Integration Training (AIT): A treatment method of rehabilitation for the auditory system.  Developed by Dr. Guy Berard, an eminent ear, nose, and throat physician.

Auditory Processing: The capability to understand aural stimuli, both words and nonverbal sounds.

Auditory process disorder (APD): A disorder in which language is heard correctly but not understood or not processed correctly by the brain.

Auditory Stimulus: Any sound that stimulates the nervous system.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Any method that assists or supplements speech and language (augmentative communication) or replaces speech as the primary communication system (alternative communication). Examples include sign language, picture cards, or electronic communication devices.  

A communication aid to assist people with limited or no verbal ability.  A communication board is the most commonly used tool.

Autie: A person with Autism.

Autism or Autistic: A form of pervasive developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication acquisition and use, as well as odd or unusual mannerisms, behaviors, and habits. Mental retardation is frequently present.

A neurological disorder characterized by communication difficulties (expressive and receptive), sensory problems, and socialization issues.  Usually appears between sixteen months and two years of age.

Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC): A method of measuring the level of autistic behaviors in individuals by giving each autistic behavior a weight score.

Autism Society of America (ASA): One of the leading autism organization in the United States.  A parent organization that advocates for the rights of individuals with autism and their families, monitors legislation pertaining to individuals with developmental disabilities, provides information to interested parties regarding autism and issues surrounding autism, and functions as a gateway to the media.

Autism Spectrum Disorder(S) (ASD): Another term sometimes used for Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

A collection of disorders characterized by symptoms such as impaired verbal ability and social dysfunction.

Encompasses the following five disorders as defined in the DSM-IV-TR: Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett's Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified.

Autistic Disorder: The "official" term for autism used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Autistic-Like Behaviors: Behaviors that include verbal and physical perseveration and rituals, poor eye contact, and limited social awareness; sometimes seen in individuals with developmental disorders who do not have autism.

Autistic Savant: A person who expresses extraordinary mental abilities, often in the fields of numerical calculation, art, or music, but usually set within the context of autism or mental retardation.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Another term sometimes used for Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Aversive: An unpleasant stimulus that follows an undesirable targeted behavior, the application of which is intended to reduce that behavior.

Avoidant Personality Disorder: A disorder characterized by long-standing feelings of social inhibition, oversensitivity, and feelings of social inadequacy. This condition is typically diagnosed in adults; as children, these individuals often are shy and become more so during adolescence.