Helpful Acronyms to Navigate the World of Special Needs.
The special needs world is full of acronyms that people constantly use in writing and in conversation. Acronyms are used to abbreviate names or phrases. It is useful when navigating the special needs world and education to know what those acronyms stand for. Most of the ones included here are from the United States.
A
AAC | Alternative Augmentative Communication
ABA | Applied Behavioral Analysis
ABC | Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence
ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD | Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADLs | Activities of Daily Living
ADR | Alternative Dispute Resolution
ADRC | Aging & Disability Resource Centers
AIM | Accessible Instructional Materials
ALJ | Administrative Law Judge
AP | Assessment Plan
APA | American Psychological Association
APE | Adapted Physical Education
APR | Annual Performance Report
APS | Approved Private School
ARD | Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee
ARRA | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
AS | Asperger Syndrome
ASA | Autism Society of America
ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorders
ASL | American Sign Language
AT/AAC | Assistive Technology/Augmented Communication
ATA | Assistive Technology Act
AYP| Adequate Yearly Progress
B
BASC | Behavior Assessment System for Children
BCBA | Board Certified Behavior Analyst
BD| Behavioral Disorder
BHHF | Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities
BI | Behavior Intervention
BIA | Behavior Intervention Assistant
BIP | Behavioral Intervention plan
BIS | Behavior Intervention Supervisor
BOE | Board of Education
BSP | Behavioral Support Plan
C
CAA | The California Alternate Assessments
CAASPP | The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress
CAC | Community Advisory Committee on Special Education
CAHSEE | California High School Exit Exam
CAP | Client Assistance Program
CAP | Corrective Action Plan
CAPD | Central Auditory Processing Disorder
CAPTA | Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CASE | Community Alliance for Special Education
CBA | Curriculum Based Assessment
CBI | Community Based Instruction
CCS | California Children’s Services
CCSS | Common Core State Standards
CD | Cognitive Delay
CDA | Child Development Associate
CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDE | California Department of Education
CEC | Council for Exceptional Children
CF | Cystic Fibrosis
CFR | Code of Federal Regulations
CHIP | Children’s Health Insurance Program
CIFMS | Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System
COP | Community of Practice
COTA | Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
CP | Cerebral Palsy
CSHCN | Children with Special Health Care Needs
CSPD | Comprehensive System of Personnel Development
CST | Child Study Team
D
DB | Deaf-Blind
DD | Developmental Delay
DD Act | Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
DIBELS | Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy
DIS | Designated Instruction and Services
DoDDS | Department of Defense Dependent Schools
DOE | U.S. Department of Education
DoH | Department of Health
DOR | Department of Rehabilitation
DPH | Due Process Hearing Officer
DREDF | Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
DS | Down Syndrome
DSM | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association
E
EC | Early Childhood
ECE | Early Childhood Education
ECSE | Early Childhood Special Education
ED | Emotional Disturbance/Emotional Disability
EHA | Education of the Handicapped Act (now IDEA)
EHDI | Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program
EI | Early Intervention
EIS | Early Intervening Services
ELA | English Language Arts
ELL | English Language Learner
EMD | Established Medical Disability (Age 3-4 only)
EPSDT | Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment
ESD | Extended School Day
ESL | English as a Second Language
ESSA | Every Student Succeeds Act
ESY | Extended School Year
F
FAA | Functional Analysis Assessment
FAPE | Free and Appropriate Public Education
FAS | Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FBA | Functional Behavioral Assessment
FC | Facilitated Communication
FDA | Food and Drug Administration
FEOG | Full Educational Opportunity Goal
FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FOIA | Freedom of Information Act
G
GE | General Education
GPRA | Government Performance and Results Act
GT | Gifted and Talented
H
HASCI | Head and Spinal Cord Injury
HHS | Health and Human Services
HI | Hearing Impaired
HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HO | Hearing Officer
HoH or HH | Hard of Hearing
HOUSSE | High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation
I
IA | Instructional Assistant
IAES | Interim Alternative Educational Setting
ID | Intellectual Disabilities
IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IEE | Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP | Individualized Educational Program
IES | Institute of Education Sciences
IFSP | Individualized Family Service Plan
IHE | Institution of Higher Education
IPP | Individual Program Plan (Regional Center)
ITCA | Infants and Toddlers Coordinators Association
ITP | Individualized Transition Plan
IWD | Individual with Disability
J-K
JC | Job Coach/Job Coaching
L
LD | Learning Disability
LEA | Local Education Agency
LEP | Limited English Proficiency
LRE | Least Restrictive Environment
LSW | Licensed Social Worker
M
MD | Muscular Dystrophy
MDET | Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team
MDR | Manifestation Determination Review
MH | Multiple Disabilities or Multiply Handicapped
MI | Mental Illness
MM | Mild to Moderate
MOU | Memorandum of Understanding
MS | Moderate to Severe
MTSS | Multi-tiered System of Supports
N
NASDSE | National Association of State Directors of Special Education
NCLB | No Child Left Behind Act
NIH | National Institutes of Health
NIMAS | National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
NIMH | National Institute of Mental Health
NPA | Non-Public Agency
NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rule Making
NPS | Non-Public School
O
OAH | Office of Administrative Hearings
OCD | Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
OCR | U.S. Office for Civil Rights
ODD | Oppositional Defiant Disorder
OEO | Office of Equal Opportunity
OHI | Other Health Impairment
OI | Orthopedic Impairment
O & M | Orientation and Mobility Services
OSEP | U.S. Office of Special Education Programs
OSERS | U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Programs
OT | Occupational Therapy
P-Q
P&As | Protection and Advocacy Systems
PALS | Peer-Assisted Learning System
PARCC | Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
PASS | Plan for Achieving Self-Support
PBS | Positive Behavioral Supports
PCA | Personal Care Attendant
PD | Physical Disability
PDD | Pervasive Developmental Disorder
PDD/NOS: Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified
PII | Personal Identifiable Information
PLEP or PLP | Present Level(s) of Educational Performance or Present Level(s) of Performance
PP | Paraprofessional
PS | Preschool
PSAT | The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
PSRS | Procedural Safeguards and Referral Services / CDE
PT | Physical Therapy/Therapist
PTAC | Parent Technical Assistance Center
PTI | Parent Training and Information Center
PWD | Person/People With Disabilities
PWN | Prior Written Notice
R
RDA | Results-Driven Accountability
RFP | Request for Proposals
RS | Related Services
RSP | Resource Specialist Program
RTI | Response to Intervention
S
SA | Self-Assessment
SAS | Supplementary Aids and Services
SAT | Student Assistance Team
SAT | The Scholastic Aptitude Test
SB | Spina Bifida
SCHIP | State Children’s Health Insurance Program
SCI | Spinal Cord Injury
SDC | Special Day Class
SE | Supported Employment
SEA | State Education Agency
Section 504 | Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
SED | Serious Emotional Disturbance
SELPA | Special Education Local Plan Area
SEPAC | Special Education Parent Advisory Council
SI | Sensory Integration
SIG | State Improvement Grant
SIMR | State-Identified Measurable Results for Children with Disabilities
SIP | State Implementation Plan
SLD | Specific Learning Disability
SLI | Speech/Language Impairment
SLP | Speech/Language Pathologist
SPED | Special Education
SPOA | Specific Power of Attorney
SPP | State Performance Plan
SSDI | Social Security Disability Income
SSI | Supplemental Security Income
SSIP | State Systemic Improvement Plan
SST | Student Study TeamSWD | Students With Disabilities
T-U
TANF | Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
TBI | Traumatic Brain Injury
TDD | Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf
TS | Tourette Syndrome
T-TA | Training and Technical Assitance
TWWIIA | Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act
V-Z
VI | Visual Impairment
VocEd | Vocational Education
VR | Vocational Rehabilitation
Disclaimer: The info here is for educational purposes only and shouldn't be seen as any kind of legal advice.