The following are federal definitions defined in the IDEA and NCLB laws. Connecticut may differ slightly on some of the definitions and have been noted. Click here for a glossary of acronyms.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Adapted Physical Education (APE): A component of the educational curriculum in which physical, recreational, and other therapists work with children who exhibit delays in motor development and perceptual motor skills. It is a related service some children might need in addition to or in place of physical education.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): The degree of progress for children in academic areas established by the State Education Agency.
Advocate: An individual who represents or speaks on behalf of another person’s interests (as in a parent with his/her child).
American Sign Language (ASL): A method of communicating by using hand signs. Each sign represents either one word or a concept that is typically expressed with several spoken words. For words that do not have a sign, finger spelling is used.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): The National professional association for speech and language therapists and audiologists.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A law that took effect in 1992 that defines “disability” and prohibits discrimination by employers, by any facility open to the general public, and by State and local public agencies that provide such services as transportation (Public Law 101-336)
Annual Performance Report: The report that is submitted by each State to the U.S. Department of Education that provides data and information on compliance and results of special education for children with disabilities.
Aphasia: A communication disorder characterized by difficulty with producing language and/or with understanding language.
Assessment: The gathering of information by qualified personnel on a child’s development and on the needs and priorities of the family. This information about the child and family is used in planning the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).
Assessment Team: A team of people from different backgrounds who observe and test a child to determine his or her strengths and weaknesses.
Assistive Technology (AT) Device (ATD): Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Public schools are required to consider the assistive technology needs of students with disabilities.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): A neurobiological disorder. Typically, children with ADD have developmentally inappropriate behavior, including poor attention skills and impulsivity. These characteristics arise in early childhood, typically before age seven, are chronic, and last at least six months. Children with ADD may also experience difficulty in the areas of social skills and self-esteem.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A neurobiological disorder, typically children with ADHD have developmentally inappropriate behavior, including poor attention skills, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These characteristics arise early in childhood, typically before age seven, are chronic, and last at least six months. Children with ADHD may also experience difficulty in the areas of social skills and self-esteem.
Autism (AU): A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction.
Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Developmental disabilities that share many of the same characteristics. Usually evident at age three, autism and PDD are neurological disorders that affect a child’s ability to communicate, understand language, play and relate to others.
Return to Top
B
Behavioral Assessment (BA): Gathering (through direct observation and by parent report) and analyzing information about a child’s behavior. The information may be used to plan ways to help the child change unwanted behaviors. Observations include with a behavior occurs as well as the frequency and duration of the behavior.
Behavior Disorders (BD): A term used by some States for children who exhibit difficulties with social interactions and inappropriate behavior that interferes with learning.
Behavior intervention Plan (BIP): A plan that is put in place to teach a child proper behavior and social skills. It should be positive in nature, not punitive.
Birth to Three Program: An agency under contract with the Birth to Three System to provide services and supports that your child and family may use to reach your outcomes.
Birth to Three Team: People who have specialized knowledge about how to reach developmental goals; always includes your family, and may include one or more therapists, a teacher, and other professionals who match your goals needs.
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): The government agency that oversees and assists the affairs of the Native Americans. The BIA operates schools in 22 States
Return to Top
C
Cerebral Palsy (CP): A disorder of movement and posture control resulting from non-progressive damage to the brain during fetal life, the newborn period, or childhood. Both genetic and acquired factors may be involved. It may be caused by lack of normal fetal brain development or by injury to the brain. The extent and location of the brain damage determine the type of cerebral palsy and the associated symptoms.
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA): An individual who has received special training and instruction in the area of occupational therapy.
Child Find (CF): A required federal program that requires States to actively locate children, birth to age 21, with developmental disabilities or who are at risk for developmental disabilities. It particularly focuses on children not enrolled in school programs.
Child Study Team (CST): A regular education process designed to make preliminary modifications within the regular education program of a student not succeeding in class.
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD): A national organization that provides information, training and support for individuals interested and/or impacted by ADD/ADHD.
Cognitive Delay (CD): A disability where a child’s intellectual and adaptive behavior is below average and impacts the child’s education.
Confidential: Private; cannot be shared without your permission.
Consent: The approval that you give for someone to do something that they could not otherwise do; consent is always voluntary and may be concealed at any time.
Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring Process (CIFMP): The monitoring process used by the U.S. Department of Education to check compliance and results of special education in states.
Co-payment: The part of the total cost of a medical bill that you are responsible for paying.
Council on Exceptional Children (CEC): The largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.
Comprehensive Educational Evaluation: The tests and observations done by the school staff to find out if the child has a disability and requires special education and related services. The school’s multi-disciplinary team is required to do this evaluation and hold a meeting with the parent to discuss the results. A parent may choose to share any evaluation and assessment information done by the child and family agency or by other qualified persons.
Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD): A State or school plan to train and provide technical assistance for school staff and parents.
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.
Return to Top
D
Deaf-Blindness (DB): Concomitant hearing and visual impairments that cause severe communication, developmental, and educational needs.
Deductible: The amount of money that you must pay each year before your health insurance will begin to pay for services.
Department of Health (DOH): The government agency whose mission is to promote health and sound health policy, prevent disease and disability, improve health services systems, and ensure that essential public health functions and safety net services are available.
Development: The process of learning and mastering new skills over time; includes ability to move, communicate, think, see, hear, and play with toys or other people.
Developmental Disability (DD): Any physical or mental condition that begins before the age of 18 years, causes the child to acquire skills at a slower rate that his/her peers, is expected to continue indefinitely, and impairs the child’s ability to function in society.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV): The American Psychiatric Association’s classification and description of behavioral and emotional disorders.
Disability: A substantially limiting physical or mental impairment that affects basic life activities such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, caring for oneself, learning, or working.
Due Process: A process for resolving a dispute between the family and the child and family service agency related to the delivery of early intervention services. In special education, due process refers to a process for resolving a dispute between the family and the public school related to the identification, evaluation, or placement of a child with disabilities.
Due Process Hearing: A legal proceeding, similar to a court proceeding, where a hearing officer is presented evidence by disagreeing parties. A verbatim record is taken of the proceedings, and a hearing officer writes a decision that may be appealed to the State education agency, and if desired to a civil court.
Due Process Hearing Officer: The trained and neutral individual who conducts the due process hearing.
Dyslexia: A learning disability in which the child has difficulty with reading due to difficulty distinguishing written symbols. For example, transposing letters and words such as reading “top” as “pot.”
Dyspraxia: Difficulty with planning and performing coordinated movements although there is no apparent damage to muscles.
Return to Top
E
Early Intervention (EI): Specialized services provided to infants and toddlers ages birth to three who are at risk for or are showing signs of developmental delay.
Educational Assistant (EA): A person who provides assistance to students under the supervision of the teacher.
Eligible: Meeting the requirements to participate.
Emotional Disturbance (ED): A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance.
A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances; D) A tendency to develop general pervasive moods of unhappiness or depression; or E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fear associated with personal or school problems.
Entitlement: All eligible children will receive services regardless of any other factor (such as family income, birth country, etc.)
Evaluation: Having professionals trained in different areas (e.g. speech pathologist; physical therapist) use tests to identify your child’s eligibility for the Birth to Three System as well as his or her abilities and needs.
Extended School Year (ESY): The delivery of special education and related services during the summer vacation or other extended periods when school is not in session. The purpose for ESY is to prevent a child with a disability from losing previously learned skills. The IEP team must consider the need for Extended School Year services at each meeting and must describe them specifically with goals and objectives. Not all special education students require an extended school year. Extended school year services must be individually crafted.
Return to Top
F
Family Infant Toddler Program (FIT): A program that provides early intervention services to help families who have concerns about the development of their young child (birth to three).
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): A federal law that protects the privacy and transfer of student education records.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): An individualized educational program that is designed to meet the child’s unique needs and from which the child receives educational benefit.
Focused Monitoring: A monitoring approach that examines those requirements most closely relating to improving results for children with disabilities and those States most in need of support to improve compliance and performance.
Functional Behaviors: Behaviors (basic skills, such as meal-time skills) the child has mastered, or needs to master, in order to get along as independently as possible in society.
Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA): A process that examines why a child behaves the way he or she does given the nature of the child and what is happening in the environment. It is a process for collecting data to determine the possible cause of problem behaviors and to identify strategies to address the behaviors.
Functional Living Skills: A curriculum or program for teaching students to function as independently as possible in their daily life.
Return to Top
G
Gifted and Talented (GT): Those students above average intellectual abilities.
Gross annual family income: The total amount of money you (and your spouse) earn before any taxes or other costs are taken out.
Guidance: A related service; similar to counseling.
H
Head Start: A federal program started in 1965 aimed at providing a comprehensive preschool program for children ages three to five from low-income families. Planned activities are designed to address individual needs and to help children attain their potential in growth and mental and physical development before starting school. A certain percentage of the enrollment must be children with disabilities.
Heath Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPPA): Federal regulation that outlines the confidentiality and protection of medical records.
Return to Top
I
Inclusion: A philosophical and programmatic orientation toward placement in the least restrictive environment of students with disabilities in regular education classes with appropriate support. It promotes a normalized educational experience for students and their families.
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE): An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the school district responsible for the education of the child.
Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The federal law that provides the legal authority for early intervention and special education services for children birth to age 21. Part B outlines services for children ages three to 21. Part C outlines services for children birth to age three.
Individualized Education Program (IEP): A written statement of a child’s current level of educational performance and an individualized plan of instruction, including the goals, specific services to be received, the staff who will carry out the services, the standards and timelines for evaluating progress, and the amount and degree to which the child will participate with typically developing peers (Inclusion/Least Restrictive Environment). The IEP is developed by the child’s parents and the professionals who evaluated the child and/or are providing the services. It is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for all children eligible for special education.
Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP): The written document that defines the early intervention services provided to the child and family. The program is designed to meet the needs of the child and the family, and is based on family-identified priorities.
Interagency Agreement: A document signed by authorized representatives of at least two agencies outlining mutually agreed upon responsibilities to perform certain duties under specified conditions.
Interagency Coordinating Council: A council established for the purpose of advising and assisting in the development and implementation of quality services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. State councils are required by IDEA.
Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP): A plan developed by the school nurse in collaboration with parents and teachers that outlines specific health care procedures to be provided to a student.
Intelligence Quotient (IQ): The score of an intelligence test that is a form of psychological testing of an individual’s capacity to learn and deal effectively with his/her environment.
Return to Top
L
Learning Disability (LD): A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, or spell or to do mathematical calculations.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): The placement that is as close as possible to the general education environment. This is the educational setting that permits a child to receive the most educational benefit while participating in a regular educational environment to the maximum extent appropriate. LRE is a requirement under the IDEA.
Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Children whose primary language is other than English.
Local Education Agency (LEA): The public schools operating in accordance with statutes, regulations and policies of the State Department of Education.
Return to Top
M
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, reading, lunch, recess, art).
Mediation: A way to settle a conflict so both sides win. Parents and professionals discuss their differences and, with the help of a trained mediator, reach a settlement that both can accept.
Multidisciplinary Evaluation: Having professionals with different kinds of training (e.g. a speech pathologist and a physical therapist) use tests to identify your child’s abilities and needs.
Music Therapy: A therapeutic service to meet recreational or educational goals. Music therapy includes playing instruments, moving to music, singing, and listening to music. It is utilized in a variety of applications in schools, hospitals, and private settings through both individual and group approaches, often in conjunction with other types of therapy. Both music education and music therapy contribute to special education by promoting learning and self-growth through enjoyable activities.
Return to Top
N
National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE): The national organization for State Special Education Directors, which provides support in the delivery of quality education to children and youth with disabilities throughout the country. www.nasdse.org/
National Early Childhood and Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC): The organization funded by the U.S. Department of Education that provides technical assistance in the area of early childhood special education.
Natural Environment: The natural or everyday settings for your child. These are places where the child would be if they didn’t have a special developmental concern. (e.g. where all children would be home, childcare, playgrounds, etc.)
No Child Left Behind (NCLB): Reauthorized in 2001, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the principal federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school for children “at risk.” The NCLB provides opportunities for children to learn and progress.
Non-Public School: Private placement of a child whose needs cannot be served by the special education programs offered within the school district.
Return to Top
O
Occupational Therapist (OT): A professional who provides therapy services based on engagement in meaningful activities of daily life such as self-care skills, education, recreation, work or social interaction.
Office for Civil Rights (OCR): The office for Civil Rights enforces several federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education.
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): Dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing oversight, leadership and financial support to assist States and local districts. OSEP administers the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Children who exhibit defiant and anti-social behaviors over a long period of time and in all environment.
Orientation and Mobility (O&M): Services provided to the blind or visually impaired by qualified personnel to enable a child to safely move in school and other environments.
Orthopedic Impairment (OI): Any orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Other Health Impairment (OHI): An educational classification that describes students with chronic or acute health problems causing limited strength, vitality, or alertness that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Outcomes: Goals or changes that you want to work toward.
Return to Top
P
Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD): Refers to the overall category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders that includes Autism, Rett Syndrome, Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
Part B: The section of the federal special education regulations (IDEA) that address school-aged children ages 3-21.
Part C: The section of the federal special education regulations (IDEA) that address children birth through 2 years of age.
Physical Therapist (PT): A professional who is devoted to improving a person’s physical abilities through activities that strengthen muscular control and motor coordination.
Planning and Placement Team (PPT): A group or professional from your LEA who will determine your child’s eligibility for preschool special education after age three, and help to develop your child’s IEP.
Preschool Special Education: An educational program that is designed to meet the unique development needs of an individual child with a disability who is three, four, or five years of age. It is a child-focused educational effort. It is sometimes referred to Section 619 of the law (IDEA).
Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP): Statements written in the IEP that accurately describe the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles.
Prior Written Notice (PWN): A form that the school must use to tell parents either why they are following the chosen course or why they are not employing certain available options – they must tell parents in writing and inform them of their rights.
Protection and Advocacy (P&A): The Protection and Advocacy System is a private, nonprofit organization that protects and promotes the rights of people with disabilities. (Note: In Connecticut the P&A is part of the state system. Please refer to the Resource Section of this website to access contact information.)
Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC): Each State has a Parent Training and Information Center to assist parents of children with disabilities to become more knowledgeable about special education and their child’s disability. Note: In Connecticut this organization is called CPAC. Please refer to the resource section of this website for contact information.
Procedural Safeguards: Written “Steps to Protect a Child’s Right to Special Education” can be downloaded from State of Connecticut Department of Education’s website at www.state.ct.us/sde.
Return to Top
R
Regional Resource Center (RRC): Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, there are six RRC’s that provide technical assistance in special education for State Education Agencies. Connecticut belongs to the Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC). For more information see www.rrfcnetwork.org.
Related Services: Specific services, also called designated instruction and services, which are required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education or general education. Includes: transportation; speech-language pathology; audiological services; psychological services; physical and occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; social work services; counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling; orientation and mobility services; medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.
Response to Intervention (RtI/SRBI (CT): Response to intervention integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavior problems. With RTI, schools identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence-based interventions and adjust the intensity and nature of those interventions depending on a student’s responsiveness, and identify students with learning disabilities. (www.rti4success.org)
Reverse Mainstreaming: When non-disabled children go to the special education classroom to play and learn with children who are disabled.
Return to Top
S
Screening: The process of looking at a child’s development to find out if there are any areas of concern. It is used to recommend children for more in-depth evaluation.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: A federal law that protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. This law is closely intertwined with IDEA. Children with disabilities who are not eligible for special education may qualify for accommodations under Section 504.
Section 619: Authorizing section of Part B of IDEA that requires States to provide preschool services to children with disabilities from age’s three to five.
Self-Assessment (SA): The State Steering Committee uses current and reliable data to analyze how successful the State has been on achieving compliance and positive results for children with disabilities.
“Self-funded” Health Insurance: Insurance coverage in which actual medical bills are paid by an employer who contracts with an agency to manage those payments (rather than the more common type of health insurance in which an employer pays a flat fee per employee to a health plan). Self-funded health insurance plans are not required to follow the specific terms of Connecticut’s Birth to Three law, therefore Birth to Three asks for special permission to bill this type of plan because your annual and lifetime caps are not automatically protected.
Self-Stimulation: Often referred to as stemming, these are abnormal behaviors, (e.g. head banging, watching the fingers wiggle, or rocking side to side), that interfere with the child’s ability to “sit still” and pay attention or to participate in meaningful activity.
Sensory Integration Disorder (SID or SI): Also known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction – The inability to process information received through the senses, causing problems with learning, development, and behavior.
Service Coordination: A way to bring people, information and resources together for your child and family may need. Your service coordinator is the person who will help to make these connections and identify resources.
Short Term Objectives (STO): Part of a child’s IEP that breaks down an annual goal into small measurable steps.
Special Education (Sped): Specialized instruction tailor-made to fit the unique learning strengths and needs of students with disabilities. A major goal of Special Education is to teach the skills and knowledge the child needs to be as independent as possible. Special Education programs focus on academics and also include therapy and other related services to help the child overcome difficulties in all areas of development. These services may be provided in a variety of educational settings but are required by IDEA to be delivered in the least restrictive environment.
Specific Learning Disability (SLD): A disorder that affects the ability to listen, think, speak, read, spell, or do mathematical calculations.
Speech Language (SL) Disorders: Problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function. These delays and disorders range from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, mental retardation, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and vocal abuse or misuse. Frequently, however, the cause is unknown.
Speech and Language Services: Activities or materials designed to improve your child’s ability to understand and express thoughts and information.
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.
State Board of Education: Determines public school and vocational education policy and manages and directs all public schools under provisions of applicable laws.
State Department of Education: Oversees all aspects of education in the State.
State Education Agency (SEA): The State Board of Education or other agency responsible for the State supervision of public elementary and secondary schools.
State Improvement Grant (SIG): A competitive grant offered to the states by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of improving special education services.
State Improvement Plan (SIP): The State plan that includes strategies to correct areas needing improvement and/or noncompliance issues discovered in the State self-assessment.
State Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) (SAC): Under IDEA Law, each state is required to have an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities. (Note: Connecticut’s SEAP is called the State Advisory Council (SAC) on Special Education. Please refer to the resource section of this website for contact information).
Student Assistance Team (SAT): Made up of a variety of educators who provide the teacher with ideas for interventions in the classroom.
Return to Top
T
Tactile Defensiveness: An abnormal sensitivity to touch indicated by avoidance or rejection of touching and handling. The child who has tactile defensiveness may resist touching or being touched by something that is wet, that is an unusual texture, or that is an unfamiliar temperature or pressure.
Teacher Assistance Team (TAT): A team of general education staff trained to assist school personnel and parents in solving difficult instructional and behavioral challenges. It is also known as a pre-referral team of a school based support.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD/TTY): An assistive technology device to a telephone to enable individuals who are deaf to communicate with others.
Therapy: A Treatment for certain physical or psychological conditions. The most common forms of therapy provided through early intervention and special education include occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech/language therapy.
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: The movement from one service, location, or program to another. Young children with disabilities transition at age three from early intervention to preschool special education services or to other community settings and services (early intervention and special education). Adolescents transition from school to adult services.
Transportation: A related service. If it is determined that the child needs this service to benefit from their education, the school district must provide the transportation, contract with another agency, or contract with the parents to bring their child to school. Transportation could mean round trip services - home to school and school.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Physical damage to the brain that could result in physical, behavioral, or mental changes depending on which area of the brain is injured. TBI could impact a student’s education resulting in the need for special education services.
Return to Top
U
United States Department of Education (USDE) (USDOE): Provides guidance, fiscal support, and technical assistance to the States.
Return to Top
V
Visual Impairment (VI): An impairment in visual ability that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Vocational Education (Voc Ed): Education beginning at 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.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR): A program of rehabilitation through job training focusing on the participant moving toward gainful employment.
Return to Top
