Vocabulary in Out of My Mind

A permanent condition caused by brain damage, usually before or during birth, that affects a person's ability to control their muscles, move, and sometimes speak.

In medical terms, relating to muscles that are stiff and uncontrollable due to a neurological condition; used in the text to describe Melody's type of cerebral palsy.

Having permanent paralysis or loss of muscle control in all four limbs, so that a person cannot move their arms or legs voluntarily.

The practice of placing students with disabilities into mainstream, general-education classrooms alongside non-disabled peers, rather than keeping them in separate special-education rooms.

Any method — from picture boards to electronic devices — used to help people who cannot speak express themselves; a supplement or replacement for spoken language.

A computerized speech-generating device that Melody uses; she selects words or symbols on a screen and the machine speaks them aloud for her.

A paid assistant assigned to help a student with disabilities throughout the school day, assisting with physical needs and communication.

Individualized Education Program — a legal document required by U.S. law that outlines the specific educational goals, services, and accommodations for a student with a disability.

A trained professional who works to improve a patient's physical, speech, or occupational abilities through structured exercises and activities.

A chair mounted on wheels used by people who cannot walk; in the text Melody uses a motorized version she controls herself.

An involuntary, sudden, repeated movement or sound that a person cannot control, caused by a neurological condition.

The ability to recall images, text, or sounds with extremely high precision after only brief exposure, as if taking a mental photograph.

Unable to produce spoken words; communicating without speech, through gestures, devices, or other means.

The label for the special-education classroom Melody is placed in at school; the 'H' wing houses students with significant disabilities.

The name of the academic quiz-bowl team at Melody's school that competes in a televised scholastic competition.

A test or audition in which students compete for a limited number of spots on a team or in a group.

Adjustments or modifications made to rules, formats, or environments so that a student with a disability can participate on equal footing.

Behaving as though others are inferior or less intelligent; talking down to someone in a patronizing way.

To speak up or argue strongly on behalf of someone else's rights or needs, especially in an official or institutional setting.

The painful feeling of being made to look foolish, incompetent, or worthless in front of others.

A rapidly flashing light used in stage or television settings; in the text it refers to bright, flickering lights at the competition venue that can trigger seizures.

A sudden, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause shaking, loss of consciousness, or other involuntary movements.