Abscess – A cavity containing pus, deep under the skin.
Accessible – Easy to approach or enter, as in a building or classroom that is designed to accommodate students who are disabled (e.g., wheelchair accessible).
Acute care – Medical services provided after an accident or for a disease, usually for a short time.
Adapted – Changed, altered, or adjusted to meet a student’s unique needs (e.g., curriculum, materials, equipment, toys, activities, classroom environment).
Adapted physical education – Physical education that is designed to be safe and successful for students with disabilities; ideally taught by a certified adapted physical education teacher.
Advocate – A person knowledgeable about disability issues and procedures who takes action to help a child with disabilities; an advocate can be a parent of a child with disabilities or a professional.
Ambulatory – Capable of walking.
Ambulatory care – Care provided in an outpatient clinic.
Anaphylaxis – A severe, sometimes fatal allergic reaction involving breathing problems. The allergic reaction can be due to a substance, a drug, vaccine, food, venom, or chemical.
Ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) – Hard plastic braces that make the ankles stable.
Assessment – Gathering information about the strengths and needs of a student to determine the level of functioning and learning characteristics (learning needs).
Assistive technology – Any device, piece of equipment, or apparatus designed to help a child compensate for an impairment (e.g., computer, voice synthesizer, Braille writer).