9781422288245

Words t o Underst and

disabilit y : An impairment that substantially affects one or more major life activities. severe disabilit y : Needing to use a wheelchair, cane, crutches, or walker; having a mental or emotional condition that seriously interferes with everyday ac- tivities; having mental retardation; or being unable to perform activities of daily living without help.

as s is t ive t echnology dev ices : Equipment that allows people with disabilities to be more independent, including but not limited to computers, communication devices, and word prediction or word recognition software. dyslex ia: A learning disorder that causes someone to see numbers and letters backward or reversed in order. spina bif ida: A birth defect wherein the baby’s spine doesn’t de- velop properly in the womb, and that often leads to paralysis. birth def ect : A permanent physical or medical disability that is present at birth. physical therapy : Special treatment to help a patient improve gross motor skills like walking, sitting, rolling over, climbing, and going up or down steps. occupat ional therapy : Special treatment to help a patient improve fine motor skills like holding a pencil, writing, grasping, draw- ing, keyboarding, and operating a mouse. speech therapy : Special techniques used to help someone im- prove their ability to speak and be understood. pros thet ic dev ice: A man-made device used to replace a missing body part. TTY or TDD: Interchangeable acronyms referring to a device that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-dis- abled to use the telephone by typing messages instead of talk- ing and listening. TTY stands for “teletypewriter.” TDD stands for “telecommunication device for the deaf.” special educat ion: Instruction or teaching strategies designed to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.