Glossary


504-plan- Section 504 is a civil rights law of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which provides certain education remedies (504 plans) for such students that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Section 504 ensures that the child with a disability has equal access to an education.

504-only student- those students who are entitled to the protections of Section 504, but are not also eligible under the IDEA. A student may be disabled within the meaning of Section 504 and therefore entitled to the rights and protection of Section 504 and its regulations, even though the student may not be eligible for special education under the IDEA.

Academic performance- measurement of a student’s achievement; usually recorded as a grade point average (GPA).

Awareness- describes a person’s perception and cognitive reaction to a condition or event. Awareness does not necessarily imply understanding.

Chronic health issue- a health problem that (1) has lasted more than 3 months; (2) has caused hospitalization more than once; or (3) was likely to last for a while, or not go away, according to a doctor.

Cognition(s)- a piece(s) of knowledge about an attitude, an emotion, a behavior, etc..

Cognitive dissonance- psychological term used to describe mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information; arouses unease or tension; relieved by one of several defensive maneuvers: rejecting, explaining away, or avoiding new information; persuading self that no conflict really exists; reconciling differences; or resorting to any other defensive means of preserving stability or order in conception of world and of self.

Educational Outcome- a judgment by testing or analysis as to what a student learns, or becomes competent in, within a specific timeframe

Individual Education Program (IEP)- A formal plan for instruction mandated by laws governing special education that sets forth the educational needs of a student, the goals and objectives that direct his or her program, the educational programming and placement, and the evaluation and measurement criteria that were developed during the IEP creation process.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)- is the law that guarantees all children with disabilities access to a free and appropriate public education.

Nervous stomach-an older term for the medical disorder known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Its symptoms are diarrhea and/or constipation, and abdominal pain. There are no known cures for this disorder.

Prognosis- a prediction of the course of a disease

Psychologic factors- n individual’s psyche elements which includes anxiety, depression and hostility.

Social factors- a group of character traits common to the majority of society which allows an individual to operate successfully within the society.  When social changes occur, it can have a negative impact on an individual if they do not adjust to these changes.

Vicious cycle- one trouble leads to another that aggravates the first