Assistive Technology Device (AT) any item, piece of equipment, or product system, that is used to, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities

Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) a medically diagnosed disorder. There are three types within ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and combined.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Autism occurs on a continuum from mild to severe. This is a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The educational diagnosis differs from the medical diagnosis.

 

Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) a plan to address challenging behaviors; it addresses both the source of the behavior and techniques to deal with the behavior so that the student can manage the behavior more appropriately

Curriculum - the coursework being taught

 

Deaf/blindness (DB) means medically verified visual impairment coupled with medically verified hearing impairment that, together, interferes with acquiring information or interacting in the environment. Both conditions need to be present simultaneously and must meet the criteria for both vision and hearing impairments.

 

Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) means a diminished sensitivity to sound that is expressed in terms of standard audio logical measures.

 

Developmental Adaptive Physical Education (DAPE) A D/APE teacher is a physical education (PE) teacher who has advanced training in Special Education. A D/APE teacher works with students of all disabilities who demonstrate specific needs in the areas of gross motor skills. D/APE teachers work with students in the mainstream PE class, in small groups or individually. D/APE teachers consult with mainstream PE teachers about adaptations and safety issues.

 

Developmental Cognitive Disability (DCD) refers to students with significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning resulting in or associated with concurrent deficits in adaptive behavior that may require special education instruction and related services

Developmentally Delayed (DD) is available to students from birth to seven years of age who have a substantial delay or disorder in development, or have an identifiable sensory, physical, mental, or social/emotional condition or impairment known to impede normal development and need special education.

Direct Service a special education service provided directly to the student by special education staff

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) programming for children birth to two years that can enhance children's development and supports their readiness for kindergarten.

Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD) a disability area that means an established pattern characterized by one or more of the following behavior clusters: 1) severely aggressive or impulsive behaviors, 2) severely withdrawn or anxious behaviors, general pervasive unhappiness, depression, or wide mood-swings 3) severely disordered thought processes manifested by unusual behavior patterns, atypical communication styles, and distorted interpersonal relationships.

Extended School Year (ESY) additional services provided over breaks in the educational calendar that is determined by the IEP team based on the students individualized needs

Evaluation student assessments and observations used to determine the eligibility of the student for special education services which may take up to 30 school days. Upon qualification assessments occur every three years.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as mandated by Federal Law

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) systematic behavior assessment that identifies challenging behaviors then determines factors precipitating those behaviors

Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act-2004 - The Individuals with Disabilities Act is the federal special education law that defines the rights of the student with disabilities

 

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) a written document for a student ages 3 up to 21. It describes the special education and related services necessary for a student with a disability to receive a free appropriate public education

IEP Team - the group of people responsible for initially and annually defining a student's education plan. The Team must include a parent, a representative of the district, one of the student's special education teachers and one of the student's regular education teachers.

Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) a written document for a student birth through two years. It describes the special education and related services necessary for a student in Early Childhood Special Education

Individual Interagency Intervention Plan (IIIP) coordinates school and community services for students from age 3 to 21

Inclusion students with disabilities are educated with their peers in a general education setting

Indirect Service consultation among team members to develop methodology to support goals on an IEP but may not be working directly with the student

Intervention typically takes place before a child receives a special education evaluation. It is a 4-6 week period of time where interventions are implemented and documented

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) the educational setting that provides an appropriate program, including special supports needed for the student, so that the student spends as much time as possible in the general education environment

 

Occupational Therapy (OT) is an applied science that provides skilled treatment to help individuals develop, regain or maintain the skills necessary to participate in school.

 

Other Health Disability (OHD) means a medically diagnosed chronic or acute health condition that may adversely affect academic functioning and result in the need for special education and related services. Modification a change that alters the rigor of the curriculum

 

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) the most recent authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is the federal law affecting K-12 education.

 

Personal Care Attendant (PCA) a staff person hired by the family to help a child learn skills so he or she can be more independent at home or in the community

 

Physically Impaired (PI) means a medically diagnosed chronic, physical impairment, either congenital or acquired, that may adversely affect physical or academic functioning and result in the need for special education and related services.

Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP) a statement in the IEP that explains where the student is currently functioning, their needs, their strengths and the extent to which their disability impacts them in the general education curriculum.

Related Services support services provided that are related to a child's disability

Resource Room a student may receive his or her special education and related services in the resource room located outside of the regular education setting within the main building

Self Contained Room/Program a student may receive his or her special education and related services in one room for the majority of the school day. Specially Designed Instruction addresses the unique needs of the child and adapts the curriculum based on their needs.

Special Education instruction specially designed to meet the unique needs of a student with disabilities, at no cost to parent(s)

Speech/language Impairments (S/L) is a disability area where the student has needs in one of the three different areas: 1) a fluency disorder means the intrusion or repetition of sounds, syllables, and words; prolongation of sounds; avoidance of words; silent blocks; or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation patterns, 2) a voice disorder is displayed when a student's voice interferes with communication, due to quality, progidy or health factors, 3) an articulation disorder is the absence of or incorrect production of speech sounds that are developmentally appropriate 4) a language disorder means a breakdown in communication as characterized by problems in expressing needs, ideas, or information that may be accompanied by problems in understanding.

 

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) means a condition within the individual affecting learning. It is manifested by interference with the acquisition, organization, storage, retrieval, manipulation, or expression of information so that the individual does not learn at an adequate rate when provided with the usual developmental opportunities and instruction from a regular school environment. A specific learning disability is demonstrated by a significant discrepancy between a student's general intellectual ability and academic achievement

 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

 

Visually Impaired (VI) means a medically verified visual impairment accompanied by limitations in sight that interfere with acquiring information or interaction with the environment to the extent that special education instruction and related services may be needed.