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A neurological disorder beginning in childhood that involves stereotypical, repetitive motor movements (tics). These are often accompanied by multiple vocal outbursts such as grunting or inappropriate words such as swearing. It is about three times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

A genetic condition occurring as a result of an abnormality in the twenty-first pair of chromosomes. It is characterized by mental retardation and physical characteristics such as eyes that appear slanted, hypotonia, a single crease across the palm of the hand, short stature and a tendency for being obese.

A condition resulting in low cognitive ability and low adaptive behavior skills. Individuals with mental retardation may have other related physical, behavioral, and language disorders, as well, although the condition varies widely among individuals. The disability can be mild to severe and is can be caused by a number of factors including genetics, environment, trauma, neglect, etc. The evaluation of someone for mental retardation would include an IQ test and a measure of adaptive behavior skills.

Assumed to be caused by central nervous system dysfunction that results in processing problems, learning disabilities can take a number of forms and impact a number of academic, behavioral, and social areas. It is usually manifested in a significant discrepancy between a person's ability (as measured by an IQ test) and his or her achievement. Individuals with learning disabilities often have difficulty processing language, organization, visual and/or auditory perception and discrimination, and social skills. The characteristics and severity of a learning disability can take many different forms and not all students with a learning disability have the same learning needs.

One of five disorders along the autism spectrum it is characterized by extreme social withdrawal and impairments in communication. Individuals with autism often have stereotypical behaviors, over reaction to environmental or sensory stimuli and any changes to their routine. It is usually manifested by age three and can vary widely in its level of severity. Individuals with autism often (but not always) have impairments in cognitive ability, language and social skills.

A teaching method which focuses on drill and practice with lots of immediate feedback and student response. Lessons are fast-paced, highly sequenced, and scripted. It is most often used to teach academic subjects such as reading and math.

A disorder characterized by overt, aggressive behavior or obvious antisocial behavior that may include such things as lying, stealing, and destruction of property. This behavior may be overt or covert.

The ability to stop an intended response, or an ongoing response, to protect an ongoing response from interruption, and the inability to refrain from responding immediately to a stimulus, thought, or impulse. It makes it difficult for an individual to delay gratification and can interfere with executive functions. It is usually delayed or impaired in students with ADHD.

A communication system in which raised dots on a page allow an individual who is blind to read with their fingertips. It consists of quadrangular cell containing from one to six dots. The way the dots are arranged denotes different letters or symbols.

A condition characterized by paralysis, weakness, lack of coordination and other type of motor problems. It is caused by damage to parts of the brain, before, during or shortly after birth. Some individuals have mental retardation and some do not. The severity depends on the parts of the brain that are damaged and the extent to which they are damaged.

ARD stands for Admission, Review and Dismissal. An ARD committee exists for each student receiving special education services. The ARD committee is responsible for determining if a student is eligible for special education and for developing an appropriate educational program for the student. The ARD committee has sole authority to review and change a special education student's eligibility for services, educational placement or IEP.

Social, behavioral, and practical skills used to function in everyday life. This is one of the two areas, along with intellectual functioning, used to determine the presence of mental retardation. In some individuals adaptive behavior is not age or developmentally appropriate. It is usually measured by a scale that is completed by individuals who know the person being assessed.

Used to refer to five conditions that are very similar; autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. All involve varying degrees of difficulty with communication, social interactions and repetitive stereotypical behaviors.

A method of behavior change, which focuses on the control of environmental events, particularly consequences. It includes such things as reinforcement, punishment, modeling, guided practice, self-management or any technique to strengthen or weaken an identified behavior. It is based on the assumption that behavior is predictable, observable and measurable.

An instruction approach that involves a special and a general educator working together to develop instructional strategies or solutions to specific classroom problems. It is built on a shared, equal partnership of expertise, authority, responsibility, and accountability.

An instructional approach in which students work in groups that are mixed in terms of ability, gender, and ethnicity. It stresses mutual accountability, dependence and support as group members work together to solve problems and create products. The focus is not just on academic goals, but social and behavioral goals as well.

Caused by a lack of genetic material in the 15 pair of chromosomes. Usually inherited from the father. The leading genetic cause of obesity. The degree of mental retardation varies, but is usually in the mild range. Students with Prader-Willi syndrome can be rigid and oppositional. They do not respond well to sudden changes in their routine. It can also result in low muscle tone, short stature, incomplete sexual development, cognitive disabilities, problem behaviors, and a chronic feeling of hunger that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity.

Associated with the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while nursing. Disorders can vary from mild to severe and include retardation in growth and cognitive ability as well as hyperactivity, anomalies of the face, and heart failure.

Caused when the bottom of the X chromosome in the 23rd pair is pinched off. Distinctive facial characteristics include long face and large ears. Disorders can vary from mild to severe. In some individuals Fragile X results in learning disabilities, in some it can result in mental retardation and autistic characteristics. Symptoms tend to be more severe in boys due to the fact that males only have one X-chromosome in each pair. Fragile X is thought to be the most common hereditary cause of mental retardation.

Refers to motivation of an individual. A person who has an internal locus of control believes that he or she controls his or her own fate. In other words, their effort has a direct impact on their success. Those with an external locus of control believe that they have no control over what happens to them. It is all the result of external forces they cannot control, such as fate, other people, luck, etc. As a result, someone with an external locus of control does not see any connection between their effort and how successful they are.

A condition in which the head develops much smaller and in a conical shape. Because of the size and shape of the brain, proper development is impeded and results in some degree of mental retardation.

A process by which we construct meaning from print.

The component of language that consists of producing and understanding speech sounds.

The component of language that has to do with meaningful word parts such as roots and affixes.

The component of language that deals with the way words are arranged in a sentences. This component of language is sometimes referred to as grammar.

The component of language dealing with word meaning, closely related to vocabulary.

The component of language dealing with engaging in effective communication. It deals with the use of language in social situations, i.e. joining a conversation, changing the subject, sarcasm, etc.

The component of language dealing with the rhythm of speech; pitch, stress, inflection.

The process of incorporating new ideas into existing ideas. A concept developed by Jean Piaget.

The process by which concepts or schema are modified or newly created to accommodate new knowledge. A concept developed by Jean Piaget.

The area between independent performance and potential as determined through problem solving under guidance of an adult or more capable peer. A concept develop by Vygotsky.

The support and guidance provided by an adult that helps a student function or achieve at a higher level. Scaffolding is often used to assist students in initial learning, but the scaffolding is gradually reduced until the student is learning on his/her own.

The relationship between the reader and the text in which the text is conditioned by the reader.

A kind of reading in which the focus is on obtaining or carrying away information from the reading.

A kind of processing by which meaning comes from the accurate, sequential processing of words. The emphasis is placed on the text instead of the reader's background knowledge or language ability.

Deriving meaning in which the reader uses background knowledge, language ability and expectations to derive meaning from the text. The emphasis is place on the reader instead of the text.

An alternative form of assessment that reflects the actual learning and activities of students. In authentic assessment the emphasis is on the product produced, as opposed to multiple choice or other type of objective assessments. Examples of authentic assessment methods would include rubrics, observations, samples of work, anecdotal records, and portfolios.

The degree to which a test yields consistent results. For example, if you took the same test again and again, would your results be pretty much the same.

The degree to which a test measures what it is suppose to measure. There are different types of validity. Content validity refers to whether or not the content of the test is consistent with what it is suppose to measure. Predictive validity refers to whether or not a test score predicts what it is suppose to predict. Construct validity refers to whether or not the test accurately measures the construct it's suppose to measure (i.e. intelligence, self-esteem, etc.).

An assessment in which a student reads a selected series of texts that gradually increase in difficulty. The teacher records errors and assesses comprehension to determine the levels of reading materials appropriate for the student. The IRI yields three reading levels. The independent level is the level at which a student can read without any assistance. Comprehension is 90 percent or greater and word recognition is 99 percent or greater. The instructional level is the level at which the student can read with some assistance. Comprehension is 75 percent or greater and word recognition is 95 percent or greater. The frustration level is the level at which reading is so difficult that the student can't read it even with help. Comprehension is 50 percent or less and word recognition is 90 percent or less.

Tests where a student's performance is compared with a norm group, or a representative sampling students similar to the student. A person's score on a norm-referenced test describes how the student did in relation to the norm group. Tests results are reported in such formats as standard scores or percentiles.

Tests where the student's performance is compared to a standard or criterion. The student's score is not based on how he/she compared with other students, but rather on how the student did as measured by the criteria or standards. Criterion-referenced test will yield such scores as percentages or number of correct answers.

This is a particular type of criterion-referenced test in which the test items are taken from the curriculum being taught to the student. This type of test can provide information regarding how well the student is learning the curriculum being taught.

This is a particular type of criterion-referenced test that is very specific and focused on a particular part of the curriculum, i.e. two-digit multiplication, vowel diagraphs, etc., and provides more in-depth information about the exact nature of the student's academic difficulty.

An instrument used to assess a product or process. It contains a description of each of the traits or characteristics of the standard that is being measured. It helps the student to see exactly what was being assessed and the standards by which he/she is evaluated.

The process of summarizing or describing a story that the student has read. Its purpose is to assess the student's comprehension of what has been read.

Procedures n which students are asked to describe the processes they are using as they engage in cognitive activities.

A collection of work samples, test results, checklists or other information used to evaluate a student's performance.

The reading and writing behavior evolving from children's earliest experience with reading and writing and that gradually grow into conventional literacy.

The spelling that novices create before learning conventional writing systems. It is sometimes referred to as temporary, developmental or transitional spelling.

An approach to literacy teaching in which students dictate a story based on their own experiences. The story is written and used as the basis for instruction in reading and writing.

The concept that letters represent sounds. One of the earliest skills young readers must master in the emergent literacy stage.

The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another. For instance, "bit" has three phonemes, the /b/ sound/ the /i/ sound, and the /t/ sound.

Being aware of individual sounds in words. It is the understanding and recognition that spoken words consist of a sequence of speech sounds.

Broader than phonemic awareness it is the awareness of sounds in words. Included is the ability to hear rhyme and to separate the sounds in words.

When two letters are used to spell a single sound, for example the ph in phone.

The study of speech sounds related to reading.

A method of teaching reading in which students study sounds within the context of whole words. For instance, the letter /s/ is taught as the letter heard a the beginning of "sun."

A method of teaching reading in which sounds within words are taught as sounds and then synthesized into words. For example, the teacher would say, "listen to the 'sssss' sound."

Words that are recognized immediately. It can also refer to high frequency words and words that are learned only through memorization. Very few words can be learned through memory. Most are learned through phonics.

Freedom from word identification problems that might slow comprehension in silent reading or the expression of ideas in oral reading. The more fluent a student can read the higher the rate of his or her comprehension since less effort and focus is required for pronouncing words. Fluency can be increased by such things as repeated readings, choral reading, and alternate readings.

The division of words into syllables. In reading words are broken down into syllables phonemically, by sound rather than according to rules governing end-of-line division of words.

A diagram or chart to show the relationship among words, concepts or ideas.

A graphic organizer that uses lines and circles to organize information according to categories.

A graphic organizer using a grid to compare a series of words or other items on a number of characteristics.

A graphic organizer that uses overlapping circles to show relationships among words, ideas, concepts, or other things.

Processing of text involving the building of connections between one's background knowledge and the text or integrating these two sources thorough manipulating or transforming information.

Metacognition can be defined simply as thinking about thinking. Learners who are metacognitively aware know what to do when they don't know what to do; that is, they have strategies to finding out or figuring out what they need to do. The use of metacognitive strategies ignites one's thinking and can lead to more profound learning and improved performanced, especially among learners who are struggling.

A metacognitive process in which a reader guides his/her own reading process.

Refers to taking steps to correct faulty or inaccurate comprehension.

The purpose of narrative text is to entertain, to tell a story, or to provide an aesthetic literary experience. Narrative text is based on life experiences and is person-oriented using dialogue and familiar language.

Writing used to explain something or to provide information. Develops later than narration.

The way a writing selection is organized, i.e. main idea-details, compare-contrast, problem-solution, etc.

A form of cooperative learning in which students learn to use four key reading strategies to improve comprehension; predicting, questioning, summarizing and clarifying.

A series of rules that are designed to show how the parts of a story are interrelated.

Provide an overview and graphic representation of a story; characters, plot, problem, setting, etc.

A procedure in which a student demonstrates comprehension of reading by supplying missing words. An example of an oral cloze activity would be when the teacher reads a story, hesitates before a word that students have a good chance of supplying because of it's predictability and asks them to tell what comes next.

A type of reading in which the reader evaluates or judges the accuracy and truthfulness of content.

An important construct of the federal special education law (IDEA) which says that all children with disabilities will be educated free of cost to parents, in other words at public expense, and in a manner that is appropriate for each individual child.

An evaluation consisting of finding out what purpose a particular behavior serves, what triggers the behavior, and what features of a setting maintains the behavior. The FBA provides information to guide educators in planning appropriate strategies and interventions to address inappropriate student behavior.

A legal term giving a person legal authority to make decisions, including educational decisions, for another person. It can apply to parents who have children with severe disabilities.

A condition in which the head is enlarged by excessive pressure from cerebrospinal fluid. Can result in mental retardation or other conditions. Usually a shunt is implanted to assist in draining off the excess fluid.

The federal special education law (IDEA) requires that a team develop an IEP for each student receiving special education services. The IEP must contain a statement of the student's present levels of educational performance, annual goals related to areas of deficit, short-term objective describing the intermediate steps to the annual goals, criteria and procedures for determining the achievement of the objectives, and educational services to be provided to the student. Any changes to a student's IEP must be agreed upon by the entire IEP team. Changes cannot be made unilaterally by one individual.

A plan, similar to an IEP, by designed for young children (under 3 years of age) and their families. An IFSP is somewhat broader than an IEP in that it also specifies services and resource to be provided to the entire family in support of the child with disabilities.

IDEA specifies the procedures for insuring that all children with disabilities receives a free appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. It also includes requirements for parental involvement and due process procedures when parents or guardians disagree with a school's decision regarding their child

A legal term from the IDEA that specifies that students with disabilities must be educated as close to the same environment as their typical (nondisabled) peers. It is this provision on which inclusion is based.

A determination that a student's inappropriate behavior is not a result, or manifestation, of his or her disability. This is usually determined in a hearing and is required when a student's behavior violates school rules and before the school can undertake disciplinary action that might result in a student's suspension from school.

The use of memory-enhancing strategies or cues to remember something. This might include such things as rhymes, visualization or acronyms.

Refers to individuals who have a cluster of disabilities in social interaction, math, visual-spatial and tactual tasks.

A method used to integrate students with disabilities into general education settings. It is based on research that demonstrates that students can effectively tutor one another. It maximizes active student engagement with an academic task and can also improve social and communication skills. One particularly effective form is Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT).

Using methods and techniques that support desirable and appropriate behavior rather than punishing undesirable or inappropriate behavior. It usually consists of determining what types of reinforcers would promote appropriate student behavior and then using those reinforcers to help the student engage in that behavior.

A sudden alternation of consciousness, usually accompanied by motor activity and/or sensory phenomena, caused by an abnormal discharge of electrical energy in the brain.

A congenital midline defect resulting from failure of the bony spinal column to close completely during fetal development. It may occur anywhere from the head to the lower end of the spine. Because the spinal column is not closed, the spinal card can protrude, resulting in damage to the nerves and paralysis and/or lack of function or sensation below the site of the defect.

Any of a variety of repetitive behaviors that are sometimes found in individuals who have autism, blindness, or who are severely mentally retarded. May include such things as rubbing eyes, hand flapping, swaying from side to side, etc.

A method of integrating people with disabilities who cannot work independently into competitive employment. Includes the use of a job coach who helps the person with disabilities train for and succeed on the job.

Teaching that involves instructional prompts, consequences, or reinforcement, for performance, and transfer of stimulus control. It is usually used with individuals with mental retardation.

An injury through the brain due to an accident (not conditions present at birth, birth trauma, or degenerative disease). Results in total or partial disability that affects educational performance. It may affect any or all areas of cognition, language, memory, attention, judgment, motor skills, behavior, emotions, problem solving, or speech. Because as the brain heals the symptoms will change over time TBI requires close communication among education, medical and other professionals, and parents/guardians

The IDEA requires that, no later than age 16 (or earlier if appropriate), each student's IEP should contain a statement of needed transition services. In addition, the ITP must include a statement of linkages and responsibilities for each appropriate agency for provide those services. The intent is to have a plan in place to facilitate the individual's successful transition from the school setting to the community.

A person who assists workers with disabilities to be successful in a job setting. A job coach provides vocational assessment, instruction, planning, interaction and communication assistance with employers, and other services to support the individual in a job.

The ADA is a civil rights law for persons with disabilities to protect them from discrimination in a wide range of activities, such as employment, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. This is not the primary law that provides protection and safeguards educational rights of students in schools. That law is the IDEA.

Signed into law in 1998, this law provides federal funds for occupationally-relevant equipment, vocational curriculum materials, materials for learning labs, curriculum development or modification, staff development, career counseling and guidance activities, efforts for academic-vocational integration, supplemental services for special populations, hiring vocational staff, remedial classes, and expansion of tech prep programs. In special education its primary benefit is that it requires schools, and distributes funds, to provide vocational training, planning and placement for students with special needs.

An approach often used with children with autism, although it can be used for other purposes as well. It breaks a skill or task down into smaller units or steps. The teacher practices each step with the child, helping the child to connect the smaller steps with the larger task or skill. The teacher uses prompts and reinforcements to assist and encourage the child to correctly perform each step with the prompts and reinforcers gradually reduced until the skill is self-maintained by the child.

The Product of Powers Property tells us how to simplify products that have two powers, and the same base. The Product of Powers Property says that for all m and n, and all nonzero b, bm bn= bm+n. This allows us to group factors with the same base.

When mathematical expressions have more than one operation there is an order in which they must be done. This order is: First do all operations that lie inside the parentheses. Next, do any work with exponents or radicals. Working from left to right, do all multiplication and division. Finally, working from left to right, do all addition and subtraction. One way to remember order of operations is to remember the phrase "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally." (P-parentheses, E-exponent, M-multiplication, D-division, A-addition, S-subtraction.)

If the sum of the measures of two angles is 90 degrees, they are called complementary angles.

If the sum of the measures of two angels is 180 degrees, they are called supplementary angles.

When two lines intersect, four angles are formed. The angles that are opposite one another are called vertical angles.

An angle that measures more than 180 degrees is called a reflex angle.

An angle whose measure is 90 degrees is known as a right angle.

An angle whose measure is less than 90 degrees is known as an acute angle.

An angle whose measure is more than 90 degrees is known as an obtuse angle.

A natural number N= {1, 2, 3, ...}, that has exactly only two factors, 1 and itself, is called a prime number (ex. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, ...). Prime Number Factors Non-Prime Number Factors 2 1.2 4 1,2,4 3 1,3 6 1,2,3,6 5 1,5 9 1,3,9 7 1,7

A composite number is a positive integer which has a positive divisor other than one and itself. If it has more than two factors (1 and itself) it is composite. If it has only two factors (1 and itself), it is prime. Composite Number Divisors (other than 1 and the number itself) 14 2,7 15 3,5

The commutative property of addition says that we can add numbers in any order. You can remember the commutative property by thinking of the numbers "commuting," or changing places. The expression: -2 + 4 = 4 + (-2) shows that "negative two plus positive four" is the same as "positive four plus negative two." The commutative property of multiplication is very similar. It says that we can multiply numbers in any order we want without changing the result. The expression: -2(4) =4(-2) shows that "negative two times positive four" is the same as "positive four times negative two."

The associate property is much like the commutative property except that it involves three or more numbers, not just two. The associative property of addition tells us that we can group numbers in a sum in any way we want and still get the same answer. You can remember the associative property by thinking of two numbers associating with each other, and then one leaves to associate with another number. The answer will be the same no matter which way we do it. (-2 + 4) + 3 = -2 + (4 + 3) The associative property of multiplication tells us that we can group numbers in a product in any way we want and still get the same answer. The answer will be the same no matter which way we do it. -2(4) x 3 = -2(4 x 3)

The distributive property comes into play when an expression involving addition is then multiplied by something. It tells us that we can add first and then multiply, or multiply first and then add. Either way, the multiplication is "distributed" over all the terms inside the parentheses. Look at the expression below. We can either add the numbers inside the parentheses first -- 4+3 --and then multiply the result by -2 ; or we can multiply the -2 by each term separately and then add the two products together. The answer is the same in both cases. -2(4 + 3) = (-2 x 4) + (-2 x 3)

The number zero is called the additive identity because the sum of zero and any number is that number. We call zero the additive identity because when you add it to anything, the result is identical to the original number - you haven't changed anything. It will be the same no matter which way we do it. -2(4) x 3 = -2(4 x 3)

The additive inverse of any number x is the number that gives zero when added to x. The additive inverse of 5 is -5.

A geometric figure that has exactly four sides.

A geometric figures that has, 2 sets of parallel sides, 2 sets of congruent sides, opposite angles congruent, consecutive angles supplementary, diagonals bisect each other, diagonals form 2 congruent triangles.

Has only one set of parallel sides. The median of a trapezoid is parallel to the bases and equal to one-half the sum of the bases.

Has only one set of parallel sides and; base angles congruent, legs congruent, diagonals congruent, opposite angles supplementary.

An isosceles triangle is a triangle with (at least) two equal sides. An isosceles triangle has both two equal sides and two equal angles. The name derives from the Greek iso (same) and skelos (leg).

An isosceles triangle with all sides equal is called an equilateral triangle.

A triangle with no sides equal is called a scalene triangle.

In any right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of lengths of the two legs. In other words, a2 + b2+ = c2.

Passed in 1986, this law (Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments) established early intervention for young children from birth to age three and their families.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, these is the state required curriculum for all public schools in Texas. The TEKS lists the skills students should have mastered at various grade levels in all academic subjects. The TEKS do not provide information about resources to teach the skills or how to evaluate them. It is simply a list of those skills. A teacher can tell, for children at any grade level, the prerequisite skills the students should already have mastered and which skills the students will need to master next.

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, these are the standardized, criterion-referenced tests to assess student mastery of the TEKS. Schools are held accountable for their students' performance on these tests and the results are used to rate individual schools.

ADHD is a neurological disorder that can result in lack of attention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. The three types of ADHD are: Predominately Inattentive Type, Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, and Combined Type, which incorporates the all the characteristics of the other two types. ADHD is not an identified disability under the IDEA, but students with the disability may be served under the Other Health Impaired category of the IDEA, or under the Learning Disabilities or Seriously Emotionally Disordered categories.

Perseveration means to keep doing the same thing again and again. This is a common characteristic of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as well as other types of disabilities. It may manifest itself in repeating an action multiple times and not being able to stop.

Echolalia is to repeat back something that has already been said, exactly as it is said. You might ask, "What's your name?" and the person will reply back, "What's your name?" While many children with autism exhibit this characteristic, it does not fit the definition in the question stem and, thus, it is not the correct word for this question.

Encephalitis literally means an inflammation of the brain, but it usually refers to brain inflammation caused by a virus. It has no impact on the sense of thirst.

Asthma is caused by an inflammation or obstruction of the air passages, making it difficult to breath. It does not affect thirst.

This disorder, caused by the body's inability to produce insulin can sometimes result in insulin shock, which is sometimes signaled by an increased level of thirst. Both asthma and cystic fibrosis are breathing disorders not related to thirst.

Cystic fibrosis results from a buildup of mucus in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract that interferes with breathing or digestion.

Epilepsy is a neurological condition, which affects the nervous system. Epilepsy is also known as a seizure disorder. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least two seizures that were not caused by some known medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but most of the time the cause is unknown. The word "epilepsy" does not indicate anything about the cause of the person's seizures, what type they are, or how severe they are. Some are related to head injury, brain infection, stroke, or tumor, but in most cases the cause is unknown.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

An ecological assessment refers to an assessment of the child's environment. We know that a student's school achievement is affected, not just by the school alone, but also by many other factors in the child's environment. In order to obtain a true and complete picture of the child's ability and needs it is helpful to collect information on these factors, as well.

Pre-referral is when a school has a systematic process of assisting the classroom teacher with students who are having problems in the regular classroom. It involves collecting existing information of the child and assisting with the development of strategies and interventions to help the child to be successful. Research has shown that when the process is down well it reduces the number of students referred for special education because their problems are solved without special education being necessary.