Glossary
An area of student need involving a self-imposed restricted diet or refusal to eat and/or compensation actions after eating to avoid gaining weight or excessive eating.
Diagnosed conditions of eating disorders include:
Anorexia Nervosa: Self-restriction of calories leading to low body weight, impaired physical development and/or physical health and persistent behaviour to avoid weight gain, with intense fear of gaining weight and distorted body image.
Bulimia Nervosa: Recurrent episodes, at least once a week for three months, of binge eating (consuming very large amounts of food in a relatively short period of time), that feels “out of control” with inappropriate compensatory acts to prevent weight gain (vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications, fasting or excessive exercise).
Binge Eating Disorder: Recurrent episodes, at least once a week for three months, of binge eating without compensatory actions, but with three (or more) of the following: 1. Eating more quickly than normal. 2. Eating until uncomfortably full. 3. Eating large amounts when not feeling physically hungry. 4. Eating alone due to embarrassment of quantity. 5. Feelings of self disgust, depression or guilt after binging.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder: Atypical anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and/or binge eating disorder if not all the criteria are met.
An area of student needs, involving difficulty with expression of feelings appropriately.
An area of student need, involving the acquisition of the English language. While not officially part of special education, English Language Learners will have special education needs in the same proportion as students whose first language is English. ELL students often benefit from some of the resources related to special education.
A diagnosed medical condition, characterized by recurrent seizures that may include repetitive muscle jerking called convulsions, caused by a disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity.
In Ontario, some students with special needs are formally identified as exceptional by an Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), which is made up of at least three people, one of whom must be a principal or superintendent. The Committee determines if a student meets the established criteria for one of the twelve recognized exceptionalities, as determined by the Ontario Ministry of Education and reflected in the individual school board’s special education plan. The IPRC also determines the appropriate educational placement for the student’s needs. The identification and placement are reassessed every year.
An area of student need, involving challenges in prioritizing, organizing and completing tasks, especially when dealing with timelines, unexpected events, problems, and/or new challenges.