Special Education Terms
Explanations of commonly used words and phrases in the special education program.
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ADA |
Americans with Disabilities Act – Civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination. |
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ASL |
American Sign Language |
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AUT |
Autism |
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BIP |
Behavior Intervention Plan |
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DB |
Deaf Blindness |
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DD |
Developmental Delay |
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DDA |
Developmental Disabilities Administration – Public agency that offers various services to qualified individuals with disabilities. |
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DHH |
Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
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DK |
Developmental Kindergarten |
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EBD |
Emotional Behavioral Disabilities |
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ESD |
Edmonds School District #15 |
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ESY |
Extended School Year Services – ESY is the special education and related services provided to students beyond the regular 180 day school year to maintain a student’s learned skills/behavior, not the teaching of new skills/behaviors. The IEP team decides whether or not the student requires ESY services and the location of these services. |
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FAPE |
Free Appropriate Public Education – Legal requirement for school districts to provide free appropriate public education to qualified students with disabilities, regardless of disability. |
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IDEA |
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – Federal law ensuring services to children with disabilities. Governs how states and public agencies provide education to youth with disabilities. |
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IEP |
Individual Education Program – Personalized education program for students with disabilities. |
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IFSP |
Individual Family Service Plan (0-3 yrs) |
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IS |
Intensive Academic Support |
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ISES |
Intensive Social Emotional Support |
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LRE |
Least Restrictive Environment – Requirement to educate special needs children with children who are not disabled, to the extent appropriate. |
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LS |
Learning Support |
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OHI |
Other Health Impaired |
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OSPI |
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction – Oversees public education in Washington state. |
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OT |
Occupational Therapy |
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PT |
Physical Therapy |
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SDI |
Specially Designed Instruction – Appropriate instructional adaptations that meet the needs of eligible students. |
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SE PTSA |
Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association – Advocacy organization that promotes the improvement of health, welfare, and education of children. |
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SLD |
Specific Learning Disability |
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SLH |
Speech, Language, and Hearing |
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SLI |
Speech Language Impairment |
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SLP |
Speech Language Pathologist |
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SPED |
Special Education |
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TBI |
Traumatic Brain Injury |
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VI |
Visually Impaired |
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VOICE |
Vocational Opportunities in Community Experiences (18-21 yrs) |