What Does That Mean? Plain-English NDIS & Support Glossary
Compiled by Jenny Mathers | Principal Support Coordinator, Author & Carer Advocate | Updated September 2026
At a Glance & Practice Summary
Central Takeaway: The NDIS is filled with acronyms, clinical terms, and complex legal jargon that can feel overwhelming. This accessible index translates difficult terms from our core guides into clear, 1-2 sentence plain-English definitions so you can navigate your plan with confidence.
- Executive Dysfunction & Neurodiversity: Clear explanations for Declarative Language, Energy Accounting, Environmental Scaffolding, PDA, and Decision Fatigue.
- NDIS Legislation & Plan Reassessments: Plain-English definitions for Section 100 Reviews, Section 34 Reasonable & Necessary, Section 9B, and Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA).
- Self-Advocacy & Communication: Simple breakdowns of the C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. framework, Assertive Communication, Non-Negotiable Boundaries, and Lived Impact.
- Regional Queensland Support: Local market terms including Thin Markets, Travel Blocks, Modified Monash Model (MMM), and Place-Based Support.
Active Support
A person-centred way of working that helps people with intellectual or developmental disabilities take part directly in everyday domestic tasks and community activities, rather than having tasks done for them.
Advocate
A person who stands up for, speaks on behalf of, or supports you to make sure your voice is heard, your rights are respected, and you get the services you need. An advocate can be a family member, a friend, or an independent professional worker.
Assertive Communication
Expressing your needs, facts, and personal boundaries clearly, calmly, and directly while respecting both yourself and the person you are speaking with.
Astalty
The secure, enterprise-grade participant relationship management platform used by Steady Guide to store and organise clinical coordination files and task logs in full compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles.
Budget
The specific allocation of funds within an NDIS plan, divided into categories such as Core Supports (daily help), Capacity Building (skills and independence), and Capital Supports (equipment or house modifications).
C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Framework
A 7-step self-advocacy communication method (Clear Facts, Lived Impact, Ask Directly, Reward, Intent, Trustworthy, Yield) developed by Steady Guide to help participants express their needs during NDIS plan reviews and medical meetings.
Capacity Building
NDIS support funding designed to build your skills, independence, and confidence over time so you can direct your own life and rely less on formal services.
Choice and Control
The core legal right of NDIS participants to make their own decisions about their lives, including who delivers their supports, when they are provided, and how funding is managed.
Cognitive Energy Accounting
A practical technique for managing daily mental energy by balancing cognitive or sensory ‘withdrawals’ (demands) with restorative ‘deposits’ (rest, unmasking, and calm activities).
Conflict of Interest (COI)
A situation where a worker or provider has competing professional or personal interests that could influence their advice. Steady Guide maintains a strict ethical firewall so our coordination advice remains 100% independent.
💡 Jenny’s Learning Note: You do not need to memorise these terms! This glossary is always here as a quiet, glare-free reference whenever you read an NDIS email or report that feels confusing.
Decision Fatigue
Mental exhaustion caused by having to make too many choices or process dense information throughout the day, which makes task initiation and problem-solving much harder.
Declarative Language
A low-demand communication style that shares observations, feelings, or curious thoughts (‘I notice it is cold outside’) instead of giving direct imperative commands (‘Put your coat on’).
Demand Avoidance / PDA
A neurological stress response where direct commands, expectations, or high-pressure requests trigger intense anxiety, sensory overload, or task resistance.
Dignity of Choice
The fundamental moral and legal principle that honors your right to make your own decisions, learn through experience, and direct your life free from clinical steering or pressure.
Dignity of Risk
The legal and human right of every person to make choices, take ordinary everyday risks, and learn from life experiences, rather than having their choices over-protected or restricted.
Environmental Scaffolding
Building low-demand visual systems, schedules, and environmental adjustments around a person so they can complete routines without exhausting their mental energy.
Ethical Firewall
Strict operational and technical boundaries that keep NDIS support coordination completely independent from external family businesses, commercial products, or retail stores.
Executive Dysfunction / Executive Functioning
A neurological difference in how the brain manages task initiation, working memory, organisation, emotional regulation, and planning—causing a gap between intention and execution.
Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)
A detailed clinical report written by an Occupational Therapist or allied health professional explaining how a person manages daily living tasks and what supports they require.
Legislative Reform / NDIS Amendment Bill
Formal legislation passed by Parliament that updates the NDIS Act 2013, changing how plan reassessments, budget allocations, and support eligibility rules operate.
Lived Impact
Explaining in plain words how a functional barrier, diagnosis, or lack of support directly affects your daily living, family life, and emotional well-being.
MAPS (Making Action Plans)
A creative person-centred planning process that brings a participant’s support network together to focus on their personal story, strengths, gifts, and future goals.
Modified Monash Model (MMM)
An official Australian government classification system (MMM1 to MMM7) used to measure how rural or remote a regional town is for healthcare funding.
myNDIS Portal
The secure online website where NDIS participants and their nominees can view their active plan, track spending, view claims, and check contact details.
Nominee
A person legally appointed under NDIS law to act or make decisions on behalf of a participant who requires support to manage their plan.
Non-Negotiable Boundary
A core personal need, safety requirement, or boundary that you cannot compromise on during NDIS plan reviews or provider negotiations.
🌱 Jenny’s Advocacy Tip: Knowing your terms is a powerful form of self-advocacy. When you understand what Section 34, Section 100, or Functional Capacity mean, you can speak to the NDIA from a position of confidence.
PACE
The computer system introduced by the NDIA to manage participant plans, provider registration, and budget processing across Australia.
PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope)
A step-by-step visual person-centred planning tool that maps long-term future goals into small, manageable, low-demand action steps.
Place-Based Support / Local Advocacy
Disability coordination delivered by experienced locals who live in the community and understand regional Queensland’s thin markets and travel challenges.
Provider Pulse
A free monthly regional directory published by Steady Guide showing real-time therapist capacity (OTs, Speech Pathologists, Psychologists) across Toowoomba and the Western Downs.
Psychosocial Recovery Coach (PRC)
A specialist mental health worker who helps participants with psychosocial conditions build capacity, navigate episodic mental health fluctuations, and lead recovery goals.
Rogerian Theory & Person-Centredness
A psychological approach built on unconditional positive regard, empathy, and the belief that the individual is the true expert in their own life.
Section 100 Review (Internal Review)
A formal request made under Section 100 of the NDIS Act asking the NDIA to review and reconsider a decision they made about a plan or funding request.
Section 34 (Reasonable and Necessary)
The statutory criteria under NDIS legislation used by planners to determine whether a requested support or funding allocation can be legally approved.
Section 9B (Functional Capacity Framework)
The statutory section of NDIS law that governs how functional impairment and daily living needs are evaluated during plan assessments.
Self-Advocacy
Speaking up for your own human rights, making your own choices, and expressing your needs clearly during NDIS meetings, medical visits, and daily life.
Social Network Analysis (SNA)
A method of mapping out all the supportive people, community groups, and informal supports in a participant’s local area to build a strong safety net.
Social Role Valorisation (SRV)
A practice framework focused on combating social devaluation by helping people with disabilities secure and maintain valued social roles in their community.
Support Coordination
A capacity-building NDIS support that helps you understand your plan, connect with local therapists, resolve service issues, and build skills to direct your own support.
Support Needs Assessment
An evaluation framework used under NDIS rules to measure a participant’s ongoing support requirements and calculate flexible plan budgets.
Thin Market
A regional or rural town (such as Miles, Chinchilla, or Tara) where there are very few local therapists, support workers, or healthcare options available.
Three Provider Rule
Steady Guide’s mandatory ethical policy: when helping you find allied health therapists or services, we always present at least three independent options so you have true choice and control.
Travel Blocks
Scheduling appointments for several regional families on the same travel day so clinician travel fees can be shared fairly across multiple NDIS plans.
United Nations Convention (UNCRPD)
An international human rights treaty that protects and promotes the full equality, dignity, autonomy, and human rights of all people with disabilities.
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