Special Needs

A 504 plan is a formal document that outlines accommodations for students with disabilities, ensuring equal access to education under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

ADHD accommodations in homeschool include flexible scheduling, movement breaks, fidget tools, hands-on learning activities, reduced distractions, and tailored curriculum pacing to match how ADHD brains learn best.

Accommodations are changes to how a student learns or demonstrates knowledge without altering what they learn—like extended time on tests or audio versions of textbooks.

Assistive technology (AT) includes any device, software, or equipment that helps students with disabilities increase, maintain, or improve their learning capabilities, ranging from simple pencil grips to sophisticated text-to-speech software.

Audiobooks are recorded audio versions of books that allow students to learn through listening, providing access to literature and curriculum for students who struggle with reading or benefit from auditory learning.

Autism accommodations for homeschooling include environmental modifications, curriculum adaptations, sensory supports, and therapeutic services that create individualized learning experiences tailored to each autistic child's unique needs and strengths.

Dyscalculia is a brain-based learning disability that affects mathematical understanding, number sense, and calculation abilities. It occurs in 5-10% of the population and is unrelated to intelligence.

Dysgraphia is a neurological learning disability affecting both the physical act of writing and written expression. It impacts 5-20% of children and is unrelated to intelligence or effort.

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability affecting reading, spelling, and decoding abilities. It impacts 15-20% of the population and is unrelated to intelligence or vision problems.

Gifted education refers to specialized instruction designed for children with exceptional intellectual abilities, including strategies like acceleration, enrichment, and depth-based learning tailored to advanced learners.

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding document that outlines specialized instruction and services for students with disabilities in public schools under federal law.

Learning differences describe the unique ways some people process information, encompassing conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and other variations that affect how individuals learn best.

A learning disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder causing persistent difficulties with academic skills like reading, writing, or math despite normal intelligence and adequate instruction.

Modifications are changes to what a student is taught or expected to learn—fundamentally altering curriculum content, standards, or assessment criteria—unlike accommodations, which change how students access the same material.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a comprehensive framework providing differentiated academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support to students at increasing levels of intensity based on individual needs.

Occupational therapy (OT) helps children develop the skills needed for daily living—including fine motor abilities, sensory processing, and self-care—through targeted therapeutic interventions that can be accessed privately or through ESA funding.

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered educational framework that provides increasingly intensive support to struggling learners before they fall significantly behind, using data-driven decisions to guide instruction.

A sensory diet is a personalized activity plan—developed by occupational therapists—that provides specific sensory input throughout the day to help children with sensory processing challenges stay focused, organized, and regulated.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a condition where the brain has difficulty receiving, organizing, and responding to sensory information, affecting an estimated 5-16% of children and significantly impacting daily functioning and learning.

Speech therapy is professional treatment for communication problems and speech disorders provided by speech-language pathologists, helping children with articulation, language development, and social communication challenges.

Speech-to-text (STT) is technology that converts spoken words into written text, allowing students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or motor difficulties to write by speaking rather than typing or handwriting.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) is assistive technology that converts written text into spoken audio, helping students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences access curriculum materials independently.

Twice-exceptional (2e) describes children who are both intellectually gifted and have a learning disability or developmental challenge, such as giftedness combined with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other differences.

Visual Processing Disorder (VPD) is a neurological condition affecting how the brain interprets visual information—not a problem with eyesight itself. A child with VPD may have 20/20 vision yet struggle with reading, writing, and visual learning tasks.