Glossary of Terms

Accommodations – adjustments or modifications made by classroom teacher(s) and other school staff to enable the children to benefit from their educational program.  Accommodations may provide support of a physical, instructional, and/or social/emotional nature.

ADA – Americans With Disabilities Act – a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in the areas of accessibility, employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation, and communication.

Building Level Team* - A group of teachers convened to assist/support classroom teachers in addressing individual learning needs of their students.  The BAT will be utilized to gather, review, and provide evaluative procedures.  Additional persons (i.e., school nurse, school psychologists, consultants, social worker, and teachers with specialized training) may be used on an ad hoc basis.  At least one person involved in the case must be knowledgeable about the referral concern.  *(This could be known in your district as one of the following teams: 504, Building Assistance Team (BAT), Student Assistance Team (STAT, SAT); School Wide Assistance Team (SWAT); Student Assistance Program (SAP): At Risk; Students with Special Health Needs; Problem Solving Team, etc.)

Contagious Diseases Protected Under 504 – Contagious diseases are those that can be transmitted from person to person.  Examples are such diseases as AIDS, HIV, and tuberculosis.

Evaluation – A 504 evaluation must cover the area(s) of concern and must be completed within 30 school days from the time parental notice was given.  Evaluation information from a variety of sources should be considered.  Much of the information may already be available in the student’s record.  Need for special education must be considered.  While medical records can be provided by the parent and since the district cannot require that a student be medicated, it is not mandated the district gain doctor’s input.  It is an option for the parents to hire a physician in order to determine a medical condition, (i.e., vision, ADD/ADHD, substance abuse, etc.)  All information on medical conditions must be considered.

FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education –FAPE is one provided by the public elementary or secondary school which includes regular or special education and related aids and services that: 1) are designed to meet the individual educational needs of persons with a disability, as adequately as the needs of a non-disabled person are met, and 2) are based upon adherence to evaluation, placement and procedural safeguard requirements.

IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Federal special education law and regulations. (P.L. 105-17)

Major Life Activity – Functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

Office for Civil Rights (OCR) – This federal agency has three primary responsibilities:  investigating complaints, conducting compliance reviews, and providing technical assistance.

Physical or Mental Impairment – 1) any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or 2) any mental or physical disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

            The term “physical or mental impairment” includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, drug addition, and alcoholism.

Placement – Any accommodation or service that has been determined necessary for children eligible under Section 504.

Program Accessibility – The school will ensure programs and activities are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities.  In many instances, programs and activities may be made accessible through slight modifications and adjustments in procedures, practices, and policies.  In others, building renovation or construction may be required.  Structural change is required only where program accessibility cannot be achieved effectively through other means.

Program or Activity – In the context of Section 504, this includes all operations of state and local agencies that receive federal funds.  This includes colleges, universities, and/or school systems.

Public Notice – The school is required to provide public notice and internal notice (i.e., to staff, individuals with disabilities, and children) stating it does not discriminate on the basis of a disability.

Qualified Child or Individual – Any child or other individual who 1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 2) has a record of such an impairment, or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

Reasonable Accommodation – Modifications or adjustments to allow for known physical or mental impairments of children, individuals, or employees with disabilities to benefit from their education, employment, or activity.

Section 504 Coordinator – The school employing 15 or more persons must assign a person to coordinate compliance with Section 504 regulations. 

Self-Evaluation – Section 504 requires that federal fund recipients evaluate their programs, physical accessibility, and employment practices to determine the extent to which programs and activities require modification to ensure full participation by students with disabilities.  These evaluations should be updated frequently.

Transition – If a recipient determines that structural modifications are necessary to meet Section 504 program accessibility requirements, the school must develop a plan specifying the steps necessary to complete such changes and the time frame for completion.  The document containing these steps and a recipient’s schedule for making structural changes is termed a “transition plan.”  This Transition Plan should not be confused with a “transition plan” under IDEA which outlines an individual student’s transition goals and objectives on the IEP.