Terms in Special Education

 

Annual Review-a yearly review of the student’s existing IEP and special education placement.

 

Assistive Technology-any device, piece of equipment, or product that is necessary to increase functional capabilities of a child with a disability.  Examples are pencil grips, communication devices, special eating utensils, special chair or desk, software, etc

 

Child Find- the process established by a school district in which good faith effort is made to locate all children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services. We conduct regular preschool screenings to fulfill this requirement.

 

Case Study-This is the evaluation under IDEIA which is completed in order to determine whether or not a student is eligible for special education and related services

 

Disability- the disabilities defined by IDEIA are:

           

            ·Autism- a developmental disability affecting language, social interactions and behavior.

·Deaf Blindness-hearing and visual impairments, which cause educational deficits

·Developmental Delay-students between the ages of 3-5 years old who exhibit delays in one of the following: physical, communication, and cognitive, social or adaptive development

·Emotional Disturbance-when students exhibit difficulty with the ability to develop and maintain peer relationships/adult relationships, unreasonable fears with school or personal problems, pervasive moods of anxiety, depression or unhappiness. These behavior shave been noted for an extended period of time and are outside the normal range.

·Hearing Impairment-a significant loss of hearing, which prevents the student from being able to benefit from education.

·Mental Retardation-cognitive development, adaptive behavior, and academic achievement are significantly delayed.

·Orthopedic Impairment- the student has a physical condition that hinders their ability

to access the educational environment and activities.

·Other Health Impairment-The student has significant health issues, which limit thewir access to instruction.

·Speech/Language Impairment-includes difficulty producing speech sounds, difficulties understanding and/or expressing themselves with language, outside the acceptable range.

·Specific Learning Disability-a disorder in which the student exhibits processing deficits and a discrepancy between their average to above average ability in at least one academic area.

·Traumatic Brain Injury-an injury to the brain from an accident.

·Visual Impairments-a significant loss of vision.

 

 

 

Domain-The domains are: health, vision, hearing, social/emotional, intellectual functioning, academic performance, communication and motor abilities.  At a Domain meeting an Individual Assessment Plan may be written to evaluate a child for eligibility. Sometimes the assessment is called the case study.

 

Extended School Year (ESY)-special education and/or related services that are provided for a student outside of the regular school year (summer). Eligibility for ESY is based on specific factors and determined by the student’s IEP team.

 

IDEIA-The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act.  This is the law under which all special education services are provided.  The law was reauthorized in July 2005

 

IEP-The Individual Education Plan.  This is the education plan developed for the student after eligibility for special education services, modifications and placement has been established.

 

IEP Meeting- is held annually , sometimes called, annual review to discuss progress and determine needs of the student.

 

IEP Team-the team consists of the student’s general education teacher, special education providers, parents, administrator, and others whose expertise is necessary to identify the educational needs and develop the educational plan for the student.

 

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)-the setting that permits a child with a disability to be educated with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.  The LRE for each child is determined by his/her IEP team and is not simply based on the child’s disability.

 

Multidisciplinary Conference (MDC)-the meeting held after the completion of the evaluation to share results with the parents and staff.  This may also be referred to as a staffing or eligibility staffing.

 

Placement-the educational setting necessary for the student so that the goals and objectives of the IEP can be reasonably met. 

 

Reevaluation-an evaluation conducted every three years after the preceding evaluation; its purpose is to determine whether or not the student continues to be a student with a disability who requires special education and/or related services.

 

Referral-a formal procedure which involves assistance to teachers and students and the request for a case study evaluation.

 

Related Services- these are services which a  student needs to benefit from the educational environment.  These may include but are not limited to, the following: speech/language therapy, occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), social work services, transportation, teacher assistant.

 

 

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