One or more persons assisting another person with tasks the individual would typically do if he or she did not have a disability. It includes assistance with bathing, dressing, getting in and out of bed or one’s wheelchair, toileting, eating, cooking, cleaning house, on-the-job personal support, handling money and planning one’s day.

The term "personal assistance services" means a range of services, provided by 1 or more individuals, designed to assist an individual with a disability to perform daily activities, including activities on or off a job that such individual would typically perform if such individual did not have a disability. Such services shall be designed to increase such individual’s control in life and ability to perform everyday activities, including activities on or off a job.  (114 STAT. 1682 PUBLIC LAW 106–402—OCT. 30, 2000)

The treatment or management of physical disability, malfunction or pain by a number of non-invasive methods such as exercise, massage and hydrotherapy. For persons with developmental disabilities, PT may assist to enhance body function and prevent secondary disability.

An approach for understanding why challenging behavior occurs, including what function or purpose the behavior has for the individual. Unlike earlier behavior management techniques that emphasize the use of consequences to affect behavior, positive behavior support considers such things as pain or medical conditions, environmental conditions, actions of others, lack of choice and autonomy, and lack of skills as potential sources of challenging behavior.

The term "prevention activities" means activities that address the causes of developmental disabilities and the exacerbation of functional limitation, such as activities that—(A) eliminate or reduce the factors that cause or predispose individuals to developmental disabilities or that increase the prevalence of developmental disabilities; (B) increase the early identification of problems to eliminate circumstances that create or increase functional limitations; and (C) mitigate against the effects of developmental disabilities throughout the lifespan of an individual. (114 STAT. 1682 PUBLIC LAW 106–402—OCT. 30, 2000)

As defined by federal law, (a) engagement in income producing work by a person with a developmental disability which is measured through improvements in income level, employment status, or job advancement, or (b) engagement by a person with a developmental disability in work which contributes to a household or community.