Academy Modules: Modules developed for students in the three content areas are referred to as Academy modules. The instructor's modules are created for orientation purposes and are not intended for professional development. Rather, they are designed to convey information about Academy modules and how they can be integrated into teacher education programs.

Assistive Technology: Any type of item, equipment, or product system (acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or customized) that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a person with a disability. An assistive technology service is any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

Causal Agent: Someone who makes or causes things to happen in his or her life.

Content Areas: OSEP has specified three content areas within the teacher education curriculum for the Academy to focus on. The content areas include reading, positive behavioral supports and technology in education. These are the content areas from which research-based interventions will be selected and transformed into instructional modules.

Directed Questions: A series of questions about lesson content has been included as a feature in each module. A question is presented. Once students enter their response they are able to access exemplary answers. This allows them to compare their response to responses prepared by the Academy staff.

Functional Assessment: Also known as Functional Behavioral Assessment. The process of collecting information in order to develop hypothesis statements regarding the variables that maintain and predict problem behavior. Functional assessment strategies include indirect assessment methods, direct observation, and functional analysis.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): An educational planning tool required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and its 1997 reauthorization, enabling a student to participate in regular educational activities and curriculum. An IEP must contain: a statement of the student's present levels of educational performance, a statement of measurable annual goals, a list of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services needed, and a description of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the student to meet the annual goals.

Menu: There are menus for each level and lesson in an Academy module. Links to the level menus appear in the center of the menubar. Access any level menu by clicking the level titles in the center of the menubar. Click the up arrow (top right) to access the menu for the current level or to go to the next higher menu level. For example, if you are viewing a page in a lesson the up arrow takes you to the current Lesson menu then to the menu for all Lessons then to the Table of Contents (ToC) for the entire module.

Navigation: Navigation refers to the technical process of moving from one feature to another in an online module. The navigation system for Academy modules allows students to follow a critical path, but also to exercise flexibility when they wish to vary from the normal path of progressing through a module.

Person-Centered Plan: The process of gathering information and goal development that has an individualized focus. The person for whom the planning is done is present at the meeting and the input from that person guides or directs the planning process.

Person-Centered Planning: The process of gathering information and goal development that has an individualized focus. The person for whom the planning is done is present at the meeting and the input from that person guides or directs the planning process.

Positive Behavioral Support: A comprehensive set of strategies that are meant to redesign environments in such a way that problem behaviors are prevented or inconsequential, and to teach students new skills, making problem behaviors unnecessary.

Positive Behavioral Support Plan: A written plan that is developed based on a functional assessment of problem behavior. Behavioral support plans contain multiple intervention strategies designed to modify the environment and teach new skills.

Quality of Life: A variety of elements in a student's life including predictability, environmental stability, level of social belonging, empowerment and control, well-being and satisfaction.

School-Wide Discipline: A unified approach for implementing behavioral support strategies by all staff members within a school. The purpose of a school-wide discipline plan is to increase the consistency and effectiveness of behavioral support strategies and to prevent problem behaviors by teaching and reinforcing desirable behaviors.

Self-Determination: Taking charge of one's own life and playing an active role in important decision-making processes. Characteristics that have been used to describe self-determination include, self-evaluation, personal responsibility, choice, preference, autonomy, self-regulation, empowerment, and self-realization.

Self-Management: An intervention approach that is considered part of self-determination and involves teaching a student new skills for self-monitoring, self-evaluating, and self-recording behavior.

Systems: Sets of related or interacting variables which function together for a specific purpose. Systems are dynamic and often change over time.

Table of Contents: Each module includes a general Table of Contents (ToC) covering the entire module. Click "ToC" in the top right of the menubar to access the Table of Contents