Adaptive Behavior

The collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that people learn and perform in everyday life. Conceptual skills include language, literacy, and self-direction; social skills encompass interpersonal abilities and social responsibility; practical skills involve personal care, occupational skills, and use of technology. Adaptive behavior is now central to defining intellectual disability, replacing sole reliance on IQ scores. Understanding adaptive behavior helps accessibility practitioners design solutions that match users' real-world capabilities rather than assumptions based on diagnostic labels.