DEPARTMENT - Special Education: Glossary of Terms

Ann Arbor Huron High School - Special Education - Glossary of Terms

Special Education Glossary of Terms

Academic Support:	This is a service that is offered by Teacher Consultants. It is designed to help students be successful in their classes. It is offered in room 4206 and was formerly known as ILC. Credit is offered through this service.
ADD:	Attention Deficit Disorder. This is a medical term. This condition can be accompanied by hyperactivity. If this happens it is called (see directly below)
ADHD.	Someone who has ADD is not automatically eligible for special education services.
ASD:	Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is an educational term used to describe individuals who have significant difficulty with language as well as significant difficulty relating to people and the environment around the student. Generally, the expectation is that the student will have some independent living skills upon leaving school. Students with autism are provided service by Huron's special education team. Students who have autism are also described as "being on the spectrum".
Balas:	This is the current location of SSS. I was told that the building is named after George Balas who was a long time administrator in the district "back in the day". In fact, the University Musical Society thanked Mr. Balas for his help in procuring use of the Pattengill Auditorium for a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore in May of 1948.
CI:	Cognitively Impaired. An educational term used to describe a person who is of less than average ability. This is to be determined through performance on several tests including an individually administered test of ability (aka "IQ" test). Below average means below 70 on a scale where 100 is the mean score and 15 points is one standard deviation. Patty Carden and Greta Barfield are the teachers in our CI program. See PCP.
Disability:	This is a term used to describe student differences that make it difficult for the students to learn. The difficulty has to be such that a student cannot benefit from regular education without special education services. The correct usage of the term takes the form, "Bob is a student with a learning disability.", not "Bob is learning disabled."
EI:	Emotionally Impaired. An educational term which means that a student is of at least average intelligence but the student's behavior/emotional state is interfering with learning. The correct use of the term is, "The student has an emotional impairment."
FBP:	Functional Behavior Plan. This is necessary for students who are having behavioral difficulties. It is an attempt to identify the specific behavior and the cause(s) of the behavior so as to minimize the difficulty. This is also called a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
FTE:	Full Time "Equivalency. This is the unit of measure indicating the amount of time an individual is employed. For example, 1.0 FTE means full time and .5 FTE means half-time.
Handicap:	This term is no longer correct. See DISABILITY.
HI:	Hearing Impaired. The student's hearing and communication skills require content and presentation adaptations so that the student can benefit from an education.
IEP:	Individualized Education Plan. This is a plan created at an IEPT (see below). Teachers are required by law to follow the accommodations listed in the IEP.
IEPC:	That is what some of us still call an IEPT (see below)
IEPT:	Individualized Education Planning Team meeting. The educational plan created at the IEPT has the force of law. The first IEPT determines whether a student is eligible for special education services. Much of the decision is based on the MET report. If a student is found eligible for services, the IEPT meets at least annually. The committee is composed of a student, a teacher, counselor, parent, and special education person who meet to review the year's work and plan for the coming year. It usually lasts an hour, or so. A classroom teacher is there to report directly to the parent on how the student is doing and to make recommendations regarding appropriate accommodations.
IDEA:	Individuals With Disabilities Act. This is the federal law that creates the federal requirement to provide special education services. P.L. 94-142 was the original act, passed in 1975, and has been superseded by IDEA. IDEA was reauthorized in 1997 and 2004.
ILC:	Individualized Learning Center room 4206. This is where TCs hang out.
INCLUSION:	This word is used to describe the education of students with moderate to severe disabilities in their home schools rather than in a separate program in a separate building. Students with moderate to severe disabilities usually have multiple handicaps and consequently low skill levels. They generally receive most of their education in their home school in a self-contained classroom. Inclusion is also a term used by some to mean complete mainstreaming without regard to student disability.
ISR:	Initial Student Referral. See Referral.
LD:	Learning disabled. An educational term which means that the student is of at least average intelligence but is not learning at that level. The "not learning" is presumed to be the result of a dysfunction in basic psychological learning processes.
MAINSTREAMING:	This word is used to describe the education of students with mild disabilities (usually EI, LD, EMI) to the maximum extent possible with non-handicapped students. Maximum extent means you have to be able to prove that students can't learn the "stuff" in the regular education room and can only learn it in a special education room.
MANIFESTATION Determination Review IEP (aka MDR):	Sometimes students get involved in inappropriate behaviors that result in their being suspended or expelled from school. This meeting needs to determine if the behavior resulting in suspension/expulsion was 1) caused by the disability and/or 2) if the school had properly implemented the IEP. If the answer is "YES" to either of these questions it is quite possible that the suspension or expulsion of the student would be recinded.
MET:	Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team meeting. This meeting takes place after a student has been referred for special education services. The student is evaluated and a teacher, psychologist, special ed. person and sometimes a social worker go over the evaluation. The purpose of this meeting is to decide whether the student should be recommended to an IEPT as eligible for special education services.
MI:	Mentally impaired. This term is superseded by Cognitively Impaired. See CI.
OHI:	Otherwise Health Impaired. This is used to describe students with physical limitations that require educational adaptations. There are also students who have illnesses such as diabetes and sickle cell anemia that have a negative impact on their education. Often these students receive teacher consultant support.
OT:	Occupational Therapy. An ancillary service needed by some students. It is focused on small muscle development (aka handwriting) and life skills. It is also a term used to describe the person who provides this service.
PARAPROFESSIONAL:	A person who assists with either an individual or a group. See also Teaching Assistant.
PCP:	Personalized Curriculum Program. This is a self-contained program where students with various disabling conditions receive most of their education from one teacher. Students get grades and credit for taking classes in this room. They take electives from the general education offerings. There are two PCP classrooms. The students are generally divided by age. One classroom has 9th and 10th graders. The focus of their program is academic with a community based component. Greta Barfieldis the new hire in this program. The other class is mostly 11th and 12 graders. It has a community based focus with an academic component. This is where Patty Carden hangs her hat.
PLAAFP:	Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional performance. This a phrase used on an IEP to direct the writing of goals.
PI:	Physically Impaired. This term describes students with limited dexterity or mobility.
PT:	Physical Therapy. This is an ancillary service designed to promote development of large muscles and skills dependent on large muscles. It is also used to identify the person who delivers this service.
REFERRAL:	If a teacher or staff member suspects that a student is in need of special education support that person writes a note to the counselor indicating their concern and describing the specific issues that raise that concern. The counselor then seeks input and information from the student’s teachers and administrator. If the information indicates that that the concern is specific to the referring person, that is reported to that person. If the concerns are generalized throughout the student’s educational program the counselor meets with the student, the student’s parent, teachers and together they make modifications or accommodations to see if they can improve the student’s performance (See SAT). If, after attempting these interventions, improvement is not noted the counselor and parent complete an Initial Student Referral-ISR. That form is sent to the special education department. It is then forwarded to the administrator in charge of special education who signs it and returns it to the special education department. The process then follows the Michigan Mandatory Special Education and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Guidelines. All of the above is circumvented if a parent requests to have this/her child referred to special education. At the request of the parent the ISR is filled out and submitted to the special education department.
RESOURCE:Academic Support Math and Academic Support English	This is a program where students with various handicapping conditions receive one or two academic classes from one teacher. Students get grades and credit for their classes in this room. The students receive most of their education from the general education curriculum. Jamie Labrosse (Math) and Gary Bartosik (English) run this program.
(School) Psychologist:	A service provided by SISS to assist with the identification and servicing of students with disabilities. The traditional role of a psychologist in a school is diagnostic. At Huron the role has expanded to providing support, whenever possible, to all students whether or not they are eligible for special education. Dr. Byron Douglas is our psychologist at Huron. He is a fully licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. D's phone is 994-2594.
SISS (aka SISSy):	Student Intervention and Support Services. This is the department of AAPS that is responsible for special education. SISS has a new administrator, Larry Simpson. His phone is 994-2318. Cassandra Benion and Bernice Fluker, are assistant directors of SISS.
SAT:	Student Achievement Team is a process to provide interventions for students who are having academic difficulty. It boils down to the student, teachers, counselors and administration trying to work together to help the student become successful. They are organized by grade level. In addition, SATs are held prior to a referral. Special ed provides support to this process.
TSLI: TEACHER OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION:	This is the "Speech Teacher". The TSLI provides services to students who have difficulty with expressive and receptive language. Often the TSLi will provide suggestions to teachers to help students be more successful. Jonelle Gillette is our TSLI. She has an office in COE. There was no room in the inn in 4208. Her phone is 994-2095.
Social Worker:	A service provided by SISS to assist students whose level of emotionality over an extended period of time interrupts their ability to benefit from school. Social work services are specified in a special education student's IEP. When possible support for non special education students is also provided. Waleed Samaha is Huron's current social worker. His phone number is 994-2040, x 37566
SXI:	Severely Multiply Impaired. This is a term to describe a student who is disabled in two or more areas. Often, but not always, mental impairment is among the handicaps.
TA:	Teaching Assistant (See also Paraprofessional). A TA is a person who provides support to individual students as assigned by an IEP. Sometimes the support can also be provided to other students or to teachers whose classes are heavily impacted by students eligible for special education. They are there to meet the requirements of the IEP. They are often assigned to Inclusion students.
TBI:	Traumatic Brain Injury. This is also known as closed head injury. The injury can occur pre-, peri, post birth as well as later on in life. The injury results in the individual experiencing significant learning difficulty.
TC:	Teacher Consultant. Special education teachers who work with students who receive all of their education from the general education program are called TCs. TCs at Huron are Carmen DiFranco, Linda Jeffries, Kathy Chaney-White, Bob Kokoszka, Diane Rosenblum, and Mary Joslin.
30 DAY REFERRAL:	See also Referral. This type of referral results when a student arrives at Huron after having attended another school in another district. Upon enrolling, parents have to identify that their child received services and sign a form that gives their permission for their student to receive services here. When that form is processed, the special education department has 30 school days within which to have an IEP. During that 30 days, services are provided the student and the staff gathers information to present at the 30 Day IEP. The referral is a professional courtesy that our district extends to another in that it accepts the diagnosis and service recommendation pending review by our staff.
TMI:	Trainable Mentally Impaired. This is the name of a handicapping condition that describes individuals who function more than three standard deviations below the mean (See definition of MI for clarification). Students who are eligible for services are enrolled in a WISD program located in room 2103.
VI:	Visually Impaired. The student sees so poorly that s/he needs content and presentation adaptations.
4208:	This room is the international headquarters for special education services at Huron. Bob, Carmen, Diane, Jamie, Kathy, Mary, Gary, Judy, and Linda have offices here. The phone number is 4-2070. Waleed Samaha (social worker,) and Byron Douglas (Psychologist, Dr. D.) also have offices here.
504:	This is also known as Section 504. It is Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act that requires any institution receiving federal funds to accommodate persons who have handicaps but do not need special education services. A 504 plan is a written document that indicates what accommodations are to be provided for the person to be successful in school or work. This is a general education program coordinated by class administrators. Teachers are required by law to follow the accommodations listed in the 504 plan.
* These are meant to be jargon free definitions. The legal definitions are available upon request. In addition, these definitions are not meant to be comprehensive but rather illustrative of the vocabulary used by special education. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Bob Kokoszka. Department Chair, Special Education, Huron High School. Any errors or problems should be directed to Carmen.