Glossary

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Looking in Category for letter A

ability grouping
A common instructional practice of clustering students according to their academic skills in classrooms. Ability grouping allows a teacher to provide the same level of instruction to the entire group. Also called tracking.
http://www.ewa.org/gloss.html

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
activities that make a student independent in his environment, such as dressing, eating, and toileting.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

Adaptive Development
development of the child in comparison to other children the same age. This might include the child’s ability to dress himself, feed himself, toilet training, how he/she plays with other children, how he/she plays along, understanding dangers in crossing the street, how he/she behaves if mother leaves the room, etc.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

Adaptive Physical Education (APE)
a related service; an individual program of developmental activities, games, sports and rhythms suited to the interests, capacities, and limitations of students with disabilities who may not safely or successfully engage in unrestricted participation in the vigorous activities of the general physical education program.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

Advocate
someone who takes action to help someone else (as in "educational advocate"); also, to take action on someone’s behalf.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

alternative assessment
Any form of measuring what students know and are able to do than traditional standardized tests. Alternative forms of assessment include portfolios, performance-based assessments, and other means of testing students.
http://www.ewa.org/gloss.html

alternative schools
Refers to public schools which are set up by states or school districts to serve populations of students who are not succeeding in the traditional public school environment. Alternative schools offer students who are failing academically or may have learning disabilities or behavioral problems an opportunity to achieve in a different setting. While there are many different kinds of alternative schools, they are often characterized by their flexible schedules, smaller teacher-student ratios and modified curricula.
http://www.ewa.org/gloss.html

Amendment
a change, revision, or addition made to a law.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

Appeal
a written request for a change in a decision; also, to make such a request.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm

Appropriate
able to meet a need; suitable or fitting; in special education; it usually Q means the most normal situation possible.
http://www.feat.org/legal/speddict.htm