Activities of Daily Living (ADL) - activities that
make a student
independent in his environment, such as dressing, eating,
and toileting.
Adaptive Development - development of the child in
comparison to other
children the same age. This might include the child's ability
to dress
himself, feed himself, toilet training, how he/she plays with
other
children, how he/she plays along, understanding dangers in
crossing the
street, how he/she behaves if mother leaves the room, etc.
Adaptive Physical Education (APE) - a related service;
an individual program
of developmental activities, games, sports and rhythms suited
to the
interests, capacities, and limitations of students with disabilities
who may
not safely or successfully engage in unrestricted participation
in the
vigorous activities of the general physical education program.
Advocate - someone who takes action to help someone
else (as in "educational
advocate"); also, to take action on someone's behalf.
Amendment - a change, revision, or addition made to
a law. Appeal - a
written request for a change in a decision; also, to make
such a request.
Appropriate - able to meet a need; suitable or fitting;
in special
education; it usually Q means the most normal situation possible.
Assessment - a collecting and bringing together of
information about a child
's needs, which may include social, psychological, and educational
evaluations used to determine services; a process using observation,
testing, and test analysis to determine an individual's strengths
and
weaknesses in order to plan his or her educational services.
Assessment Plan - the description of the battery of
tests (psychological,
achievement, language, etc.) to be used in a particular student's
assessment.
Assessment Team - a team of people from different
backgrounds who observe
and test a child to determine his or her strengths and weaknesses.
At Risk - a term used with children who have, or could
have, problems with
their development that may affect later learning.
Audiological Services - a related service; includes
identifying children
with hearing loss and providing services that will help children
with
hearing losses maximize their strengths and abilities.
Auditory Processing - the ability to understand and
use information that is
heard, both words as well as other non-verbal sounds.
Autism - a disability; characterized by severe language
and communication
deficits, lack of normal relatedness, bizarre movement and
self-stimulatory
patterns, lack of normal handling of toys and other objects,
and lack of
most normal functional skills.
Behavior Disorder - a disability; a behavior which
causes a child to have
difficulty learning or getting along with others, the causes
of this
disorder may vary greatly.
Child Find - a service directed by each state's Department
of Education or
lead agency for identifying and diagnosing unserved children
with
disabilities; while Child Find looks for all unserved children,
it makes a
special effort to identify children from birth to six years
old.
Chronologically Age-Appropriate - making the activities,
behaviors, or
settings of a disabled child as similar as possible to those
of a
non-disabled child of the same age.
Cognitive - a term that describes the process people
use for remembering,
reasoning, understanding, and using judgment; in special education
terms, a
cognitive disability refers to difficulty in learning.
Community Advisory Committee for Special Education (CAC)
- a group of
parents and professionals, mandated by law, that advises the
Board of
Education, Superintendent of Schools and school district administration
about special education programs and policies.
Community Mental Health Services (CMHS) - the agency
designated to provide
mental health assessment and services to students with special
needs.
Community-Based Instruction (CBI) - a model for delivery
of instruction in
which IEP goals are met in a "natural", age-appropriate
setting. For
example, math, sequencing, travel, and social skills may all
be developed in
the setting of a trip to the grocery store.
Communicatively Handicapped (CH) - a disability; difficulty
understanding
language or using language to the extent that it interferes
with learning;
also a disability category containing the currently-used labels
of severe
disorder of language, hearing handicapped, and language delay.
Compliance Complaint - the specific issue and/or resolution
process involved
when a school district is accused of violating educational
law.
Comprehensive Service System - refers to a list of
14 areas each
participating state is to provide under early intervention
services. These
14 points range from definition of developmentally delayed,
to guidelines
for identification, assessment, and provision of early intervention
services
for the child and family, and include timelines and quality
control.
Counseling - a related service; advice or help given
by someone qualified to
give such advice or help (often psychological counseling);
includes parents
and children receiving assistance from social workers, psychologists,
and/or
guidance counselors.
Deaf-Blind (DB) - a disability; a loss of both hearing
and vision abilities
requiring special education to achieve full potential.
Designated Instruction and Services (DIS) - sometimes
called related
services; specialized instructional, and/or support services
identified
through an assessment and written on an IEP as necessary for
a child to
benefit from special education (e.g. speech/ language therapy,
vision
services, etc.)
Developmental - having to do with the steps or stages
in growth and
development before the age of 18 years
Developmental History - the developmental progress
of a child (ages birth to
18 years) in such skills as sitting, walking, talking or learning
Developmental Tests - standardized tests that measure
a child's development
as it compares to the development of all other children at
that age
Developmentally Delayed (DD) - a term used to describe
the development of
children who are not able to perform the skills other children
of the same
age are usually able to perform.
Differential Proficiency Standards - the standards
for graduation adopted by
ihe school district for special education students who cannot
attain the
regular proficiency standards due to their disability.
Disability - the result of any physical or mental
condition that affects or
prevents one's ability to develop, achieve, and/or function
in an
educational setting at a normal rate
Due Process (procedure) - action that protects a person's
rights; in special
education, this applies to action taken to protect the educational
rights of
students with disabilities. Also, the legal procedures set
up to resolve
disagreements between parents and school districts over some
part of a child
's special education program.
Early Intervention Policies - see policy/policies
Early Intervention Program - a program in which problems
that have been
discovered in a child's development are remediated before
the child's later
development and learning are seriously affected.
Early Intervention Services - programs or services
designed to identify and
treat a developmental problem as early as possible, before
age 3 (services
for 3-5 year olds are referred to as preschool services)
Early Interventionist - someone who specializes in
early childhood
development, usually having a Master's degree or Ph.D. in
an area related to
the development of infants, toddler, and preschoolers
Educable Mentally Handicapped (EMH) - a disability;
having a mild delay in
the ability to learn and to function independently in the
everyday
environment; a mild delay is defined as a rate of development
and learning
that is 50% to 75% of what is expected of a person the same
age.
Eligible - able to quality
Evaluation - (as applied to children from birth through
two years of age)
the procedures used to determine if a child is eligible for
early
intervention services; (as applied to preschool and school-aged
children)
the procedures used to determine whether a child has a disability
and the
nature and extent of the special education and related services
the child
needs
Extended School Year (ESY) - summer school for children
with special needs.
Fair Hearing - the same as a due process hearing;
a formal hearing that is
called by parents or school district personnel when they cannot
agree on a
student's educational program; the decision about the student's
program is
made by an outside, impartial individual.
Free Appropriate Public Education (often referred to as
FAPE) - one of the
key requirements of IDEA, which requires that an education
program be
provided for all school-aged children (regardless of disability)
without
cost to families; the exact requirements of "appropriate"
are not defined,
but other references within the law imply the most "normal"
setting
available
Full English Proficiency (FEP)
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) - a program designed
to meet the
educational needs of students with above average intelligence
in specific
learning areas; a student may be eligible for both special
education and
GATE.
Guidance - a related service; similar to counseling.
Handicap - see disability
Health and Nursing Service - a related service; health-related
services
provided by a school nurse or by another trained professional.
Hearing Handicap/Hearing Impairment (HH) - a disability;
a hearing loss that
interferes with the ability to understand or use language
and that affects
learning in school.
Heterogeneous Classroom - a grouping of children with
similar educational
needs but with dissimilar disabilities.
Homogeneous Classroom - a grouping of children with
similar disabilities.
Identification - the process of locating and identifying
children needing
special services. Also, the referral to the school district
of a child who
might be eligible for special education services.
Identification and Assessment (I & A) - the process
or unit where students'
special educational needs are evaluated.
Individualized Education Program (IEP) - a written
education plan, mandated
by law, for a school-aged child with disabilities developed
by a team of
professionals (teacher, therapists, etc.) and the child's
parents that
defines a child's disability, states current levels of educational
performance, describes the child's learning and educational
needs, what
services the child will need, and specifies annual goals and
short-term
objectives. It is reviewed and updated yearly. (For children
ages birth
through 2 years, the IFSP is used.)
Individual Transition Plan (ITP) - an educational
plan designed to
facilitate a student's move from one setting to another (e.g.
from one
classroom or school to another, or from school to work).
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) - a written
statement for an
infant or toddler (ages birth through 2 years old) developed
by a team of
people who have worked with the child and the family; the
IFSP must describe
the child's development levels; family information; major
outcomes expected
to be achieved for the child and family; the services the
child will be
receiving; when and where the child will receive these services;
and the
steps to be taken to support the transition of the child to
another program;
the IFSP will also list the name of the service coordinator
assigned to the
child and his/her family.
Individuals With Exceptional Needs (IWENS) - legislative
term for students
with special needs.
Individual Program Plan (IPP) - an annually-reviewed
record of program and
service needs provided by the regional eenter (e.g. respite
care, behavior
management training, etc.).
Integration - the joining of two groups that were
previously separated; in
this case, non-disabled children and children with disabilities.
For
example, a child in a special day class has opportunities
to interact and
learn with nondisabled peers; these interactions can occur
in the regular
education classroom or during nonacademic activities such
as recess, lunch,
or physical education.
Language Delay - a delay in the development of a child's
ability to use or
understand language.
Lead Agency - the agency (office) within a state or
territory in charge of
overseeing and coordinating service systems for children ages
birth through
2.
Learning Disability (LD) - see "specific learning
disability."
Learning Handicapped (LH) - a disability; a child's
regular education
classroom performance is significantly below expected levels;
also a
disability category containing the currently used labels of
severely
learning disabled, educable mentally handicapped, and mildly
mentally
handicapped.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) - a term referring
to a federal mandate
that students with special education needs are offered programs
to promote
maximum interaction with regular education students as close
to home as
possible. The LRE is an educational setting or program that
provides a
student with disabilities with the chance to work and learn
to the best of
his or her ability; it also provides the student as much contact
as possible
with children without disabilities, while meeting all of the
child's
learning needs and physical requirements.
Limited English Proficiency (LEP) - refers to students
whose primary
language is other than English; a student may be eligible
for both bilingual
and special education.
Low-Incidence Disability - a state defined disability
that qualifies for
certain extra funding; includes visual and/or hearing impairments.
Mainstreaming - a term referring to the time during
which a special
education student participates in chronologically age-appropriate
regular
education activities, either academic or non-academic (e.g.
math and reading
or lunch, recess, and art).
Mediation - an informal meeting held when parents
and school district
personnel cannot agree on a child's educational program; this
step comes
before a due process hearing.
Medical Therapy Unit (MUT) - the unit providing assessment
and remediation
services by occupational therapists, physical therapists and
adaptive
physical education teachers to children who have fine and
gross motor
problems that are interfering with their educational progress.
Mildly Mentally Handicapped - see educable mentally
handicapped.
Moderately Mentally Disabled - a disability; having
a moderate delay in the
ability to learn and to function independently in the everyday
environment;
a moderate delay is defined as a rate of development and learning
25% to 50%
of what is expected of a child the same age.
Multidisciplinary - a team approach involving specialists
in more than one
discipline, such as a team made up of a physical therapist,
a speech and
language pathologist, a child development specialist, an occupational
therapist, or other specialists as needed.
Multiply Handicapped (MH) - a disability; having two
or more disabilities.
Non-Public School (NPS) - private placement of a child
whose needs cannot be
served by the special education programs offered within the
school district.
Occupational Therapy - a therapy or treatment provided
by an occupational
therapist that helps individual development of physical skills
that will aid
in daily living; it focuses on sensory integration, on balance
and
coordination of movement, and on fine motor and self-help
skills, such as
dressing, eating with a fork and spoon, etc. Given when assessment
shows
that motor and perceptual difficulties interfere with classroom
performance.
Orientation and Mobility (O&M) - a related service;
a child with visual
impairments is trained to know where his or her body is in
space and to move
through space.
Orthopedically Handicapped (OH) - a disability; a
disability involving the
neuromuscular skeletal system that affects the ability to
move, as in
paralysis or cerebral palsy.
Other Health Impaired (OHI) - a disability; having
a chronic health problem
which affects learning in school.
P.L. 94-142 - Education For All Handicapped Children
Act which guarantees a
free, appropriate education for children with exceptional
needs.
Parent Counseling - a related service; parents receive
help and support in
understanding the special needs of their child.
Parent Training and Information Programs - programs
that provide information
to parents of children with special needs about acquiring
services, working
with schools and educators to ensure the most effective educational
placement for their child, understanding the methods of testing
and
evaluating a child with special needs, and making informed
decisions about
their child's special needs.
Parent Training - a related service; parents receive
specific training in
skills required to implement their child's IEP as well as
an understanding
of special education law and parental rights and responsibilities
under
these laws.
Perceptual Motor Skills - the ability to perceive
a situation, evaluate it
and make a judgment on what action to take (e.g. copying shapes
or crossing
a street).
Physical Therapy - treatment of (physical) disabilities
given by a trained
physical therapist (under doctor's orders) that includes the
use of massage,
exercise, etc. to remediate mobility and gait and to modify
strength,
balance, tone, and posture and help the person improve the
use of bones,
muscles, joints, and nerves. Given when assessment shows a
discrepancy
between gross motor performance and other educational skills.
Placement - the classroom, program, service, and/or
therapy that is selected
for a student with special needs. Placement occurs after the
IEP is written.
Policy-Policies - rules and regulations; as related
to early intervention
and special education programs, the rules that a state or
local school
system has for providing services for and educating its students
with
special needs.
Pre-School - refers to classrooms which serve three
to five-year-old
children. Private Agency - a non-public agency which may be
receiving public
funds to provide services for some children.
Private Therapist - any professional (therapist, tutor,
psychologist, etc.)
not connected with the public school system or with a public
agency.
Program(s) - in special education, a service, placement,
and/or therapy
designed to help a child with special needs.
Psychological Services - a related service; includes
psychological testing
and psychological counseling for children and parents.
Psychologist - a specialist in the field of psychology,
usually having a
Master's degree or Ph.D. in psychology.
Public Agency - an agency, office, or organization
that is supported by
public funds and serves the community at large.
Public Law (P.L.) 94-142 - a law passed in 1975 requiring
that public
schools provide a "free appropriate public education"
to school-aged
children ages 3-21; and provides funds for states and territories
to plan a
comprehensive service system for infants and toddlers (ages
birth through 2
years) with disabilities.
Referral - the request to identify and assess a child's
special education
needs; a referral may be made by a parent, teacher, medical
personnel, or
anyone with specific knowledge of the child.
Related Services - transportation and developmental,
corrective, and other
support services that a child with disabilities requires in
order to benefit
from education; examples of related services include: speech
pathology and
audiology, psychological services, physical and occupational
therapy,
recreation, counseling services, interpreters for the hearing
impaired, and
medical services for diagnostic and evaluation purposes.
Resource Room - a classroom in which a student may
receive resource
specialist instruction.
Resource Specialist Program (RSP) - students receiving
special education
instruction for less than 50% of the school day are enrolled
in the RSP;
these students can be "pulled out" of the regular
education classroom for
special assistance during specific periods of the day or week
and are taught
by credentialed resource specialists;
Reverse Mainstreaming - when non-disabled children
go to the special
education classroom to play and learn with children who are
disabled.
Self-Help Skills - see activities of daily living.
Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (SED) - a disability;
having a behavior
problem which prevents learning and/or getting along with
other people; the
behavior must have continued for at least six months and be
severe.
Service Coordinator - someone who acts as a coordinator
of an infant's or
toddler's services, working in partnership with the family
and providers of
special programs; service coordinators may be employed by
the early
intervention agency.
Services/Service Delivery - the services (therapies,
instruction, treatment)
given to a child with special needs.
Severe Disorder of Language (SDL) - a disability;
having extreme difficulty
acquiring, understanding or using language.
Severely Handicapped (SH) - a disability category
containing the currently
used labels of trainable mentally handicapped, severely/profoundly
handicapped, severely emotionally disturbed, autistic, and
multihandicapped.
Severely/Profoundly Handicapped (SPH) - a disability;
having a very sever
delay in the ability to learn and to function independently
in the everyday
environment; a severe delay is defined as a rate of development
and learning
that is below 25% of what is expected of a person the same
age.
Special Day Class (SDC) - a self-contained classroom
in which only students
who require special education instruction for more than 50%
of the school
day are enrolled.
Special Education (sped) - instruction or education
that is required to meet
the needs of children with special needs that cannot be supplied
through
some modification in the regular education program.
Special Education Coordinator - the person in charge
of special education
programs at the school, district, or state level.
Special Education Intake Unit (SEIU) - the intake
center within the Special
Education Department which processes the referrals and conducts
the
assessments of children referred for special education services.
Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) - the county
office from which
some special education services are funded.
Special Education Programs/Services - program, services,
or specially
designed instruction (offered at no cost to families) for
children over 3
years old with special needs who are found eligible for such
services; these
include special learning methods or materials in the regular
classroom, and
special classes and programs if the learning or physical problems
indicate
this type of program.
Special Needs - (as in "special needs" child)
- a term to describe a child
who has disabilities or who is at risk of developing disabilities
and who,
therefore, requires special services or treatment in order
to progress, or
who require special adaptations made to their instruction
or environment in
order to learn.
Specific Learning Disability (SLD) - a disability;
a chronic condition that
selectively interferes with the development, integration,
and/or
demonstration of verbal and/or nonverbal abilities.
Speech Therapy - a related service - helps children
learn to speak and use
language; speech therapy is given by a speech pathologist
or a speech and
language therapist.
Speech/Language Pathology - a planned program to improve
and/or correct
communication problems.
Student Study Team (SST) - a regular education process
designed to make
preliminary modifications within the regular education program
of a student
not succeeding in class.
Timeline - time limit. Trainably Mentally Handicapped
(TMH) - see moderately
mentally handicapped.
Transdisciplinary Team - an approach to education
in which a number of
professionals from different fields work together and teach
each other when
they are working with a child with disabilities.
Transition - a time in a child's life when he or she
moves from one
educational program to another (e.g. from an infant program
to preschool or
from school to work).
Travel Training - training to enable a student to
be independent on public
transportation.
Vision Services -a related service; instruction that
helps children with
visual impairments maximize their visual abilities.
Visual Motor Skills - the ability to adjust movement
based on what is seen -
includes eye-hand coordination (activities such as cutting
and handwriting)
as well as gross motor skills (like kicking and throwing).
Visually Handicapped/Visually Disabled/Visually Impaired
(VH) - a
disability; a vision loss affecting the ability to learn in
school.
Vocational Education (voc ed) - education beginning
a middle school through
age 21, in which special education students participate in
an adequately and
appropriately supported work model that will include off-site
job training,
travel training, stranger training, social interaction, time
management and
communication skills.
Adapted from "Dictionary of Special
Education Terms" and "Parent's
Dictionary of Terms Used in Special Education"
