Glossary

There are some of the terms used on this portal. You can filter the terms alphabetically or view all terms at once.

Terms used across the portal
Term	Definition
Accessible	Available: education is available to everyone, including people with disability. When necessary, supports are provided and barriers are removed. For example, ramps replace stairs, or words that are easy to understand replace complex terms.
Adaptive technology	A device that enables participation by changing content or user responses from one form to another. For example, a computer converts text-to-speech, or changes a person’s speech into onscreen text.
Adjustment	Adjustments are actions taken to enable a student with disability to access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
Advocacy	Advocacy for people with disability can be defined as speaking, acting or writing with minimal conflict of interest on behalf of a disadvantaged person or group in order to promote, protect and defend the welfare of and justice for the person or group by: being on their side and no one else's being primarily concerned with their fundamental needs remaining loyal and accountable to them in a way which is empathic and vigorous (whilst respecting the rights of others) ensuring duty of care at all times.
Advocate	Someone who provides advocacy for a person or persons with disability (adapted from National Disability Advocacy Program).
Affirmative action	Active support for a group (such as students with disability) to compensate for their previous lack of opportunity.
Assessment	A test or any task or activity designed to find out what a student has learnt or is able to do.
Assistive technology	A tool to help a person with disability. Any device or system used by a person with disability to do something they are otherwise unable to do.
Associates	For most students, 'associates' means their parents, guardians or carers but can include other nominated persons or advocates. 'Associate' includes: a relative of the person a carer of the person a spouse of the person another person who is living with the person on a genuine domestic basis another person who is in a business, sporting or recreational relationship with the person.