Core Concepts
27 terms
AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Tools and methods that support or replace spoken language so people can communicate (e.g., symbol boards, text-to-speech, sign, eye-gaze).
Accommodations
Changes to the environment, tools, timing, or expectations that remove barriers so a person can participate on an equal basis.
Alexithymia
Difficulty identifying and describing one’s own emotions; common in autistic people and others.
Autistic Burnout
A state of intense physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion experienced by autistic people.
Co-regulation
Supporting someone’s nervous system to calm or activate through shared cues: steady presence, tone, breath, and environment.
Emotional Contagion
Absorbing others’ emotions automatically; can be stronger for autistic and highly sensitive people.
Emotional Dysregulation
Difficulty adjusting the intensity and duration of emotions to match the situation, especially under stress.
Executive Dysfunction
Difficulties with a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.
Interoception
The sense of internal body signals (hunger, heartbeat, temperature, tension) that inform emotions and regulation.
Monotropism
A theory that autistic attention tends to focus deeply on a small number of interests at a time, shaping perception, learning, and overwhelm.
Neuroaffirming
Creating spaces, practices, and attitudes that accept and support neurodivergent people as they are, rather than trying to change, fix, or hide their differences.
Neurodivergence-In-Context
The idea that many difficulties arise from inaccessible environments, not deficits in the person.
Neurodivergent
Having a brain that functions differently from what is considered typical or 'normal' in society.
Neurodiversity
The natural variation in human brains; emphasizes difference as diversity rather than deficit.
Neurotypical
Having typical neurological development and functioning that aligns with societal norms and expectations.
Sensory Avoidance
Reducing or avoiding certain inputs (noise, light, textures, smells) to prevent overload and stay regulated.
Sensory Integration
How the brain combines input from different senses to guide movement, learning, and comfort.
Sensory Overload
When sensory input (sound, light, touch, smell, movement) exceeds the brain’s capacity to process it comfortably, leading to distress and reduced functioning.
Sensory Processing Disorder
A condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses.
Sensory Seeking
Preferring or seeking extra sensory input (movement, pressure, sound, texture) to feel regulated.
Special Interest
An intense, focused passion for a specific subject, often a hallmark of autism.
Spiky Profile
A very uneven pattern of abilities—strong strengths in some areas, significant challenges in others.
Spoon Theory (Energy Accounting)
A metaphor for limited daily energy (“spoons”) used to plan, pace, and communicate capacity.
Time Blindness
Time blindness is the difficulty sensing how much time has passed or accurately estimating how long tasks will take, making it hard to manage schedules and deadlines.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
A framework for designing learning goals, materials, and assessments that are accessible from the start via multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression.
Visual Schedules
External, visual plans (lists, cards, timelines) that show what’s happening and in what order, to reduce cognitive load and uncertainty.
Working Memory
The mental workspace that holds and manipulates information for short periods (seconds to minutes) to guide actions.