Special Education Glossary

A change in how a student accesses or demonstrates learning that does not alter the content standard or expectation.

Any device, equipment, or system used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a person with a disability.

A developmental disability characterized by differences in social communication, social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests.

A written plan based on a Functional Behavior Assessment that outlines strategies to address challenging behavior.

The IDEA mandate requiring states to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities who may need special education services.

An instructional model in which a general education teacher and a special education teacher share responsibility for planning, delivering, and assessing instruction for a diverse group of students.

Procedural safeguards under IDEA that protect the rights of families, including notification, consent, participation, and dispute resolution.

A specific learning disability in reading characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, decoding, and spelling.

The formal determination that a student meets the criteria for one of the 13 IDEA disability categories and requires special education services.

Special education services provided beyond the regular school year for students who would otherwise experience significant regression.

Free Appropriate Public Education; the right of every eligible student with a disability to receive special education at no cost.

A systematic process for identifying the function of a student's challenging behavior by examining antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; the primary federal law ensuring special education services for eligible students with disabilities.

Individualized Education Program; a legally binding document outlining a student's goals, services, accommodations, and progress monitoring.

The practice of educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms with appropriate supports and services.

A disability characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, originating before age 22.

The IDEA principle that students with disabilities should be educated with non-disabled peers to the greatest extent appropriate.

A review to determine whether a student's behavior leading to disciplinary action was caused by or related to the student's disability.

A change to what a student is expected to learn or the level at which the student is expected to demonstrate mastery.

A trained individual who provides instructional and behavioral support to students with disabilities under the supervision of a licensed teacher.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports; a multi-tiered framework for establishing school-wide positive behavior expectations.

Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance; the IEP section describing a student's current abilities.

Supportive services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling that a student needs to benefit from special education.

A multi-tiered framework for identifying and supporting students with learning and behavior needs through evidence-based interventions.

IEP-based planning for a student's movement from school to post-school life, including employment, postsecondary education, and independent living.