Content Areas: OSEP has specified three content areas within the teacher education curriculum for the Academy to focus on. The content areas include reading, positive behavioral supports and technology in education. These are the content areas from which research-based interventions will be selected and transformed into instructional modules.

Directed Questions: A series of questions about lesson content has been included as a feature in each module. A question is presented. Once students enter their response they are able to access exemplary answers. This allows them to compare their response to responses prepared by the Academy staff.

Juror: Researchers and content experts were selected nationally to assist in the selection of research-based interventions which are the focus of instructional modules within each of the content areas. There is a team of such individuals for each content area. They are referred to as jurors because of their role in selecting interventions. They also provide consultation when needed.

Menu: There are menus for each level and lesson in an Academy module. Links to the level menus appear in the center of the menubar. Access any level menu by clicking the level titles in the center of the menubar. Click the up arrow (top right) to access the menu for the current level or to go to the next higher menu level. For example, if you are viewing a page in a lesson the up arrow takes you to the current Lesson menu then to the menu for all Lessons then to the Table of Contents (ToC) for the entire module.

Module: A module is an instructional unit. It contains the pedagogical features necessary for instruction. Examples of features include objectives, the presentation of content, activities designed to engage the learner, assessments of learner performance and opportunities to apply what has been learned.

OSEP: The office within the U.S. government having primary responsibility for national leadership in special education is the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). OSEP is a division of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) within the department of Education. OSEP oversees the operation of the Online Academy.

Readings: References have been selected as resources for each lesson. Students are able to access the reading online. They can read the selections online or print them for reading at a later time.

Research-Based Interventions: Instructional interventions that have been subjected to evaluation are considered to be research-based. To be included in the instructional modules of the Academy they must be designed for use with students having disabilities, and they must also meet specified standards recommended by the jurors.

Standards: Standards are the criteria by which programs are compared when assessing quality. In the context of the Academy two types of standards have been developed. One set of standards was created to guide the selection of research-based interventions to be transformed into instructional modules. A second set of standards was developed guide the staff in the design on online modules. These standards set forth specific criteria that each module must meet to be judged of sufficient quality to be included as an Academy online module.