Plain Language Glossary
This glossary will help you understand words that you may hear at our meetings and events.
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Ability - a person can do something.
Ableism - unfair treatment toward a disabled person.
Assistive Technology - any item, piece of equipment, or software program that will help people with disabilities.
Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder - distraction, forgetfulness, or disorganization.
Autism - a condition in how a person communicates with others, causing problems in social interactions.
Blindness - a person cannot see.
Cerebral Palsy - condition that affects movement and muscle tone or posture.
Closed Captioning - a service that provides sentences that the person is saying.
Deafness - a person who cannot hear.
Deaf-Blindness - loss of both hearing and vision.
Descriptive Video - narrated voice-over for a TV show or book
Developmental Disability - a group of conditions that can impair learning and language
Disability - any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person to do “normal” activities.
Down Syndrome - has an extra chromosome in the body
Emotional Disability - an outburst that prevents a child from doing well in school and making friends.
Epilepsy - causing seizures.
Inclusion - someone is included in the classroom and extra-curricular activities.
Intellectual Disability - has problems with general mental abilities.
Learning Disability - dyslexia, academic skills
Mental Illness - a disorder that affects mood and behavior. Can include depression and anxiety.
Orthopedic Impairment - a disability in which a bone, joint, or muscle-related disability affects educational performance.
Paraplegia - cannot use both legs.
People First - includes employees and co-workers who advocate for the disability community.
Physical Disability - limitation on a person’s physical mobility
Prosthesis body-powered equipment - to help move someone’s legs and arms.
Quadriplegia - paralyzed from the neck down.
Reasonable accommodation - accommodate a disabled person.
Speech impairment - people with problems speaking in a “normal” voice.
Tourette Syndrome - people who have sudden twitches throughout the body.
Visual Disability - a person who cannot see.
