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APPENDIX A
SPECIAL EDUCATION ACRONYMS AND GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ACRONYM
TERM
Definition
ADL
Activities of Daily Living
Activities that make a student independent in his environment, such as dressing, eating, and
toileting.
ADR
Alternative Dispute Resolution An interest-based
approach to resolving disagreement between two parties
Ad PE or APE Adapted Physical Education
Specialized physical education
for students with disabilities not able to participate effectively in general
education physical education.
ASD
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
A group of disorders which
includes autism and nonautistic pervasive developmental disorders
(PDD) including Asper's Syndrome, PDD not otherwise specified
(NOS), Fragile X Syndrome, Rett's Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder.
Assessment
Observations and testing of children to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the
child in order to develop an appropriate educational plan.
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Behavioral Intervention
The systematic implementation of procedures that results in lasting positive changes in
the individual's behavior.
BICM
Behavioral Intervention Case Manager A designated certificated
schoolol/district/county staff member(s) or other qualified personnel contracted
by the school district or county office who has been trained in behavior analysis
and positive behavioral interventions.
BIP
Behavioral Intervention Plan A written document
which is developed when an individual exhibits a serious behavior problem that significantly
interferes with the implementation of the goals and objectives of the individual's
IEP. The behavioral intervention plan becomes part of the IEP.
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CCS
California Children's Services State agency that
provides specialized medical care and rehabilitation for children with physical impairments who
have a medically eligible condition.
CD
Communication Disability Disorders in
processing of language and/or speech sounds.
COS
Council of Superintendents Decision making body
of the SELPA composed of the superintendents of the districts and county office as well as the
SELPA director.
CAC
Community Advisory Committee A legally mandated organization of
parents, school personnel, and various agency representatives which advises the SELPA in development
and revision of the Local Plan for Special Education.
CBI
Community Based Instruction A form of instruction in which IEP goals are
met in a "natural" environment with community. For example, math, sequencing, travel, and
social skills may be developed through a trip to the grocery store.
Complaint Compliance
The process of resolving an alleged violation of special
education laws or regulations.
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DIS
Designated Instruction and Services
Also known as related services, specialized instruction,and/or support services
identified through an assessment provided as necessary for a child to benefit from his/her
educational program.
Differential Proficiency Standards
Alternative performance standards designed for special education
students to permit them to meet graduation requirements.
Due Process
All procedural safeguards of P.L.94-192 and related
laws and regulations. A process for
resolving disagreements regarding IEP issues.
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EC
California Education Code The body of regulations
which governs education in the State of California.
ESY
Extended School Year
The special education program provided between school sessions when the IEP
team determines they are needed to prevent regression of skills.
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Fair Hearing
A formal hearing that is requested by parents or school district personnel.
Issues that may be considered under the fair hearing procedure are limited to
eligibility assessment, the individualized education program, and placement
of individuals with exceptional needs. A specially trained hearing officer resolves
the issues.
FAPE
Free and Appropriate Public Education
Every school-age child with a disability is entitled to an education that meets his/her
individual needs, which is at no cost to parents.
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Inclusive Education
Supported Education
Full Inclusion
A process in which a continuum of supported education options are considered for all
students and which provides for equal access to the school community. Placement decisions and
programming are based on the agreed upon identified educational outcomes.
IEP
Individualized Education
Program
A written document,mandated by law, that defines a child's disability, states current
levels of educational performance, describes educational needs, and specifies annual goals
and short-term objectives/benchmarks, and an evaluation and
progress reporting schedule.
IEPT
Individualized Education Program Team
A minimum of four individuals who meet to develop and review the
student's IEP. The team is composed of an administrator or his/her designee, the student's
special education and general education teacher, and the parents. Other members may include the
student, those who have assessed the student, and others as appropriate.
IFSP
Individualized Family Service Plan An individualized education plan for
an infant or which is developed by the team to identify strengths, needs, concerns, and
priorities for early intervention services for students under 3 years of age.
ITP
Individualized Transition Plan That portion of the IEP that specifies
activities and services for students age 14 and older to facilitate their transition
from high school to the adult world. Developed at an IEP meeting, the ITP includes parents,
student, school personnel, and agency representatives as appropriate.
IDEA 97 Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Reauthorized
in 1997
An amendment to and reauthorization of Public Law 94142, the Education
for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which mandates a free, appropriate public
education for all children with exceptional needs.
IWEN Individuals With Exceptional Needs
Individuals from infancy through age 22 identified by an individualized
education program team as having a disability or condition that requires specialized instruction
and/or services.
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LAC
Local Advisory Committee A local branch of the
SELPA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) which meets in each district on a
monthly basis to discuss special education issues and concerns. A representative from each
LAC attends and give input to the monthly CAC meetings and takes CAC information back to the
LAC.
LRE
Least Restrictive Environment A learning environment
for a student with exceptional needs that meets his learning needs
while providing maximum interaction with the general school population in a manner
appropriate to the needs of the student and his/her peers.
LEP
Limited English Proficiency Students whose primary
language is other than English, who lack competence in the English language,
and for whom linguistically appropriate goals and objectives are developed.
LEA
Local Education Agency
(Now known as Public Education Agency)
A school district providing special education service within the SELPA. There are
five LEAs within our SELPA.
LP
Local Plan
The document developed by staff and the community that describes the delivery of
special education programs and services which will be provided by all districts in the SELPA
to meet the educational needs of eligible individuals with exceptional needs. Each
SELPA develops a new plan every four years that is approved by the State Department of
Education.
LI
Low Incidence Disabilities
Those severe disabling conditions with an expected incidence rate
of less than one percent of the total statewide enrollment in kindergarten through
grade 12. These conditions are hearing impairments, vision impairments, severe
orthopedic impairments,or any combination of these.
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Multidisciplinary Team
Using a combination of the skills of several persons with specialized areas of training for a
common purpose, i.e., assessment of a student to determine eligibility for services.
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NPS
Non-Public School
Licensed private, nonsectarian school that provides special
education programs and services for a child whose needs cannot be
served within the SELPA.
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O&M
Orientation and Mobility Specialized instruction
for students with significant visual impairments to develop spatial awareness skills
that enable them to move through space and travel independently.
OHI
Other Health Impaired
An eligibility categor that specifies certain chronic and acute health problems that result in
the students having limited strength, vitality, and alertness which adversely affect
his/her educational performance.
OI
Orthopedic Impairment
A physical disability impairment that adversely affects
child's educational performance, such as congenital anomalies,impairments caused by
disease and from other
causes.
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PDD
Pervasive Developmental Disorders A term defined in
DSM-IV which encompasses Autistic PDDS: Asperger's Syndrome, PDD-NOS, Fragile X,
and Rett's Syndrome as well as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
PEA
Public Education Agency See LEA above.
PL 99-547 Public Law 99-547
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of provides for coordination
of early intervention services for all young children with disabilities (age 0-3).
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Referral
The request to identify and assess a child's
possible education needs; referral may be made by a parent, teacher,
medical personnel, anyone with
knowledge of the child.
Related Services
Those additional services that a child requires in order to benefit from educational program.
RSP
Resource Specialist Program Provides students with special education
instruction for a portion
of their day. Students
may receive RSP services
in general
classrooms, in a
education classroom, or in both settings.
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SEC
Special Education Council Decision making body composed of directors
special education
SELPA director.
SED
Seriously Emotionally Distrubed An emotional problem
that has existed for a marked degree and over
long period of time which interferes with learning.
SELPA
Special Education Local Plan Area A single large school district or a group
of smaller school within a geographic area in accordance with the law to coordinate
the administration and delivery of special
education services.
SDC
Special Day Class
An instructional setting through which the
receives special education instruction.
Sp. Ed.
Special Education
Instruction that is specifically designed for each individual student to meet his unique needs. Students who receive
special education must meet eligibility requirement under
specific disability categories as specified in federal and state law and regulations.
SLD
Specific Learning Disability
A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or
using spoken and/or written language, as well as a severe discrepancy between
intellectual ability and achievement.
SLI Speech/Language Impairment
Difficulty in understanding or the extent that it interferes with
learning; also a disability category which includes severe language disorders, hearing impairment, and language delay.
SST
Student Study Team
Child Study Team
A general education process designed to make instructional modifications within the general education
program when a student is experiencing difficulties.
Surrogate Parent
A person selected by the local school district to act as the parent after determination that the
child's actual parent(s) cannot be located. Or after the child has been made a ward of the court, the court has removed the parent's right to make educational decisions for the
child.
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Transdisciplinary
A type of assessment approach in which the family and professionals work together to train each other
in their area of expertise.
VI
Visual Impairment
Student whose visual acuity, even with correction, adversely affects educational performance. This includes
students who are blind or have limited vision.
VocEd
Vocational Education
Programs and curriculum designed to assist students in developing self-confidence and
vocational competencies to secure future employment and become productive members of their community.
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