504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the civil rights
of disabled children and adults.
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: is a wide-ranging civil rights
law that protects against discrimination based on disability,
specifically in the areas of employment, public services and
transportation, and public accommodations.
ADD
Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
DisorderPsychiatric classification used to describe individuals who
exhibit poor attention, distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
ABA
Applied Behavior(al) Analysis: ABA takes what we know about behavior
and uses it to bring about positive change (Applied). Behaviors are
defined in observable and measurable terms in order to assess change
over time (Behavior). The behavior is analyzed within the environment
to determine what factors are influencing the behavior (Analysis).
ACMH
Association for Children’s Mental Health: ACMH provides
information, support, resources, referral and advocacy for children and
youth with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders and their
families.
ADL
Activities of Daily Living, also DLS or Daily Living Skills: the things
we normally do in daily living including any daily activity we perform
for self-care (such as feeding ourselves, bathing, dressing, grooming),
work, homemaking, and leisure. Health professionals routinely refer to
the ability or inability to perform ADLs as a measurement of the
functional status of a person.
AI
Autistically Impaired: developmental disability characterized by
problems with communication and social interaction, unusual response to
sensory stimuli and repetitive movements or abnormal preoccupations.
ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder: also know as Pervasive Developmental
Disorders (PDD) cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking,
feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. Ranges from
most severe called autistically impaired (AI) through Pervasive
Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), to a much
milder, higher functioning form called Asperger Syndrome.
ASM
Autism Society of Michigan is empowering individuals with autism and
their families by offering educational resources and materials,
workshops, seminars and other services.
ASL
American Sign Language is the dominant sign language of the Deaf
community in the United States. It allows people who cannot speak or
hear to communicate through the use of hand signs.
AT
Assistive Technology: any item, equipment, or product that is designed
to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.
BIP
Behavior Intervention Plan: A written plan of strategies for teaching
and adapting behavior, specifically as an intensive response to
continuous problem behavior. A BIP is written from the data obtained in
a Functional Behavioral Analysis/Assessment.
CAFAS
Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale: is a rating scale,
which assesses a youth’s degree of impairment in day-to-day
functioning due to emotional, behavioral, psychological, psychiatric,
or substance use problems.
CAUSE
Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education: CAUSE is a statewide
non-profit coalition providing free information, referral, support,
advocacy, and workshops to parents and professionals working with
children with disabilities and special needs.
CAY
Calling All Youth: An organization of young people with disabilities to
learn leadership and advocacy and provides the forum for youth voice to
be heard for making positive changes in the Kalamazoo County System of
Care as a part of the Kalamazoo Wraps initiative.
CEN
Center for Educational Networking (CENMI.ORG): The Center for
Educational Networking (CEN) is an Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) Mandated Activities Project of the Michigan
Department of Education As a statewide education information network,
CEN provides products and services that assist education stakeholders
to improve outcomes of ALL Michigan students.
CHADD
Children with Attention Deficit Disorder: a national non-profit
organization whose mission is to improve the lives of people affected
by AD/HD.
CI
Cognitive Impairment: is a condition, typically found in children,
where the child has some type of problems with their ability to think
and learn.
CLC
Cultural and Linguistic Competence is a complicated sounding term that
just means that children who need help for emotional/behavioral
problems shouldn’t have a hard time getting that help because
of their race, or ethnicity, or sexual orientation, or family income or
the language they speak.
CMH
Community Mental Health also KCMHSAS for Kalamazoo Community Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Services – provides affordable
mental health and substance abuse services to Kalamazoo County
– a division of the (MDCH) Michigan Department of Community
Health.
CPS
Child Protective Services in Michigan, the Department of Human Services
is responsible for investigating reports of suspected child abuse and
neglect. Michigan's Child Protection Law defines child abuse and
neglect as harm or threatened harm to a child's health or welfare by a
parent, legal guardian or any other person responsible for the child's
health or welfare.
CSHCS
Children’s Special Health Care Services is a program within
the Department of Community Health. It is for children and some adults
with special health care needs and their families.
D.A.R.E.
Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education program that gives kids the
skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.
DHS
Department of Human Services – formerly FIA or Family
Independence Agency the state agency for human services.
DD
Developmentally Delayed or Developmental Disability. A developmental
delay is a delay in an area of cognition, socialization, independent
functioning, communication or motor skills which results in a child
having slower or more difficulty acquiring skills with typical age
peers. A Developmental Disability is a severe chronic mental or
physical impairment that limits several major life activities.
DIBELS
Dynamic Indications of Basic Early Literacy Skills: The DIBELS measures
were specifically designed to assess 3 of the 5 Big Ideas of early
literacy: Phonological Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, and Fluency
with Connected Text
DME
Durable Medical Equipment is a term of art used to describe certain
Medicare benefits, that is, whether Medicare may pay for the item.
EBP
Evidence Based Practice: methods, practices, approaches and techniques
that have been researched and show a history of evidence that these
methods actually work.
EI
Emotionally Impaired: student exhibits one or more of the following
characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that
adversely affects educational performance: an inability to learn that
cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; an
inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships
with peers and teachers; inappropriate types of behavior or feelings
under normal circumstances; a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or
depression; or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears
associated with personal or school problems.
EIS
Early Intervention Services: Early intervention applies to children of
school age or younger who are discovered to have or be at risk of
developing a handicapping condition or other special need that may
affect their development. Early intervention consists in the provision
of services such children and their families for the purpose of
lessening the effects of the condition.
ESY
Extended School Year for students with disabilities that require an
extended school year in order to receive a "free appropriate public
education (FAPE) An ESY program, as part of FAPE, may include education
and related services. ESY services are designed to ensure the student
maintains skills and/or behaviors learned during the school year. They
are not designed to assist in acquiring new skills or behaviors.
EBP
Evidence Based Practice: methods, practices and approaches that have
been researched and trialed to produce evidence with which to base
probability of successful outcomes.
FAPE
Free Appropriate Public Education is an educational right of disabled
children in the United States. FAPE is defined as an educational
program that is individualized to a specific child, designed to meet
that child's unique needs, provides access to the general curriculum,
meets the grade-level standards established by the state, and from
which the child receives educational benefit
FAS
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a birth defect causing symptoms similar to
mental retardation and is a direct result of heavy alcohol consumption
during pregnancy.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: a general listing of questions and answers
usually asked and pertaining to a specific topic.
FBA
Functional Behavioral Analysis/Assessment is the process of determining
the cause (or "function") of behavior before developing an
intervention. The intervention must be based on the hypothesized cause
(function) of behavior.
FERPA
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: is a Federal law that
protects the privacy of student education records.
FIA
Family Independence Agency is now the Michigan Department of Human
Services.
FSAC
Family Support Advisory Council: a formal council of parents who meet
to provide family input into decisions and policies of the KCMHSAS.
F&CS
Family and Children Services is a CMH contracted provider of mental
health and substance abuse services.
FSS
Family Support Subsidy is a Michigan program designed to help families
with special expenses while caring for their child with severe
disabilities.
GED
General Equivalency Diploma or General Educational Development tests
are a battery of five tests which (when passed) certifies that the
taker has American high school-level academic skills.
HHA
Home Health Aide is usually a non-licensed person under supervision of
licensed professional who help take care of a patient in their home in
lieu of residential placement.
HSD
High School Diploma: A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the
completion of high school.
HHS
Health and Human Services: is the United States government's principal
agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing
essential human services, especially for those who are least able to
help themselves.
HI
Hearing Impaired or hearing loss is a full or partial decrease in the
ability to detect or understand sounds.
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization is a type of Managed Care Organization
(MCO) that provides a form of health care coverage in the United States
that is fulfilled through hospitals, doctors, and other providers with
which the HMO has a contract.
IAES
Interim Alternative Educational Setting is a term for an educational
setting and program other than the student's current placement that
enables the student to continue to receive educational services
according to his or her Individualized Education Program. The setting
is designed to allow the student to continue progress in the regular
curriculum to meet the goals set out by the IEP and to allow students
to receive services and modifications designed to help students address
problem behavior.
IAT
Integrative Action Team is the governing body of the Kalamazoo Wraps
Initiative. Kalamazoo Wraps is the implementation of Kalamazoo County
mental health system of care improvement, funded by a 6 year federal
grant through SAMHSA. It is comprised of parents, youth, mental health
professionals, and community leaders.
ICT
Integrative Co-Occurring Treatment for youth with both substance abuse
and mental health disorders.
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) is a United
States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide
early intervention, special education, and related services to children
with disabilities. It addresses the educational needs of children with
disabilities from birth to the age of 21.
IEE
Independent Educational Evaluation Federal law defines an IEE broadly
as "an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed
by the public agency responsible for the education of the child in
question." 34 C.F.R. 300.503.
IEP
Individualized Education Plan is an individualized educational plan
that is designed to meet the unique educational needs of one child.
IEPT
Individualized Education Plan Team a special team formed to review the
needs of your child. Its job is to make sure that your
child’s learning program meets your child’s
particular needs. As a parent, you are a very important member of this
team.
IFSP
Individualized Family Support/Service Plan Once your child and family
are found to be eligible for Early Intervention (EI) Services, an IFSP
is written a plan is developed which includes the goals and services
that will be updated at least once a year and reviewed every 6 months.
ISD
Intermediate School District is a regional educational service agency
mandated by the legislature to provide services and programs which
enhance efficiency and economy to local school districts, as well as
compile statistical data about local schools for the state.
IQ
Intelligence Quotient measures an indication of a person's mental
abilities relative to others of approximately the same age.
IHCP
Individualized Health Care Plan is for students with mild to severe
health care needs and requires frequent nursing services at school.
ISS
Infant Support Services for families with children on Medicaid up to
age 4, provides nutritional counseling, nursing support, and a social
worker to help with needed services for the family.
ITP
Individualized Transition Plan is a written plan which outlines what a
student will need to live, work and play as an adult.
Kalamazoo
Wraps
Kalamazoo County was awarded a six-year, nine million dollar grant from
the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) to improve the system of care for
children’s mental health. This project is called Kalamazoo
Wraps because it entails the community wrapping around the youth and
their families offering support, resources and services to meet their
individual needs.
LD
Learning Disabled (or Learning Disability) refers to a group of
disorders that affect a broad range of academic and functional skills
including the ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason and
organize information.
LEA
Local Education Agency is an educational agency at the local level that
exists primarily to operate schools or to contract for educational
services, including primary and secondary public and private schools.
LEP
Limited English Proficiency Persons who do not speak English as their
primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write,
or understand English
LRE
Least Restrictive Environment means that a student who has a disability
should have the opportunity to be educated with non-disabled peers, to
the greatest extent possible. School districts are required to educate
students with disabilities in regular classrooms with their nondisabled
peers, in the school they would attend if not disabled, to the maximum
extent appropriate.
MADD
Mothers Against Drunk Driving whose mission: to stop drunk driving,
support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.
MCO
Managed Care Organization is a health organization that finances and
delivers health care using a specific provider network and specific
services and products.
MET
Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team is the eligibility evaluation team
and is made up of educational specialists with knowledge in the area of
your child’s suspected disability. These may be teachers,
school psychologists, speech therapists, social workers, and you, the
parent.
MPCB
Multi-Purpose Collaborative Body is Kalamazoo county’s health
and human services coordinating body. Members include leaders in
health, human services, workforce development, justice and education;
representatives of the County, City of Kalamazoo, and City of Portage;
and three community partners who bring the perspective of service
consumers. The group sets community priorities and coordinates plans to
achieve them.
MSW
Masters Social Work is a masters degree in social work.
NA
Narcotics Anonymous is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and
women for whom drugs had become a major problem. They meet regularly to
help each other stay clean.
NAEYC
National Association for the Education of Young Children whose mission
is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of
all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational
and developmental services and resources
NCLB
No Child Left Behind is a United States federal law (Act of Congress)
that reauthorized a number of federal programs aiming to improve the
performance of U.S. primary and secondary schools by increasing the
standards of accountability for states, school districts, and schools,
as well as providing parents more flexibility in choosing which schools
their children will attend and also an increased focus on reading.
NICHCY
National Information Clearinghouse for Children and Youth is the
national information source for information on disabled children.
OCR
Office of Civil Rights whose mission is to ensure equal access to
education and is the enforcement agency for civil rights complaints.
OHI
Other Health Impaired means having limited strength, vitality or
alertness, due to chronic or acute health problems.ORR: Office of
Recipient Rights protects the rights of those receiving mental health
services in Michigan.
OT
Occupational Therapy use of productive or creative activity in the
treatment or rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people
OTR
Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTA – Occupational
Therapy Assistant) work with people with disabilities to enable them to
maximize their skills and abilities.
PA
Physicians Assistant practice medicine under the supervision of
physicians and surgeons.
PACER
Parent Advocacy Center for Educational Rights provides assistance to
individual families, workshops, materials for parents and
professionals, and leadership in securing a free and appropriate public
education for all children
PAG
Parent Advisory Group is parents of children with Severe Emotional
Disorders that provides a forum for family voice in making positive
changes within our mental health system of care. PBS: Positive
Behavioral Support (also PBIS, PBLS) a school wide evidence based
approach to teaching and maintaining appropriate behavior through
clearly stated objectives, modeling, practice, positive reinforcement,
and data collection.
PCP
Person Centered Plan strives to place the individual at the center of
decision-making, treating family members as partners. The process is
focused on discovering the person's gifts, skills and capacities, and
on listening for what is really important to the person. It is based on
the values of human rights, independence, choice and social inclusion,
and is designed to enable people to direct their own services and
supports, rather than attempting to fit within pre-existing service
systems.
PLAAFP
Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
(formerly PLOP Present Level of Performance) should accurately describe
the student’s performance in all areas of education that are
affected by the student’s disability
PMTO
Parent Management Toolkit (PMTO is Parent Management Toolkit Oregon
model) empowers and trains parents to manage their child’s
behavioral problems by applying social learning techniques and positive
behavior principles.
PPO
Preferred Provider Organization or Participating Provider Organization
is a form of managed health care where you go to providers who agree to
participate and provide services at a group discount.
PSG
Parent Support Group is a facilitated group for parents and caregivers
of children with disabilities.
PT
Physical Therapy focuses primarily on those individuals who have
disturbed function or impairment related to the musculoskeletal,
neurological, cardiopulmonary, and (skin) systems (physical
disabilities) that has been prescribed by a physician and conducted by
a licensed practioner.
PTP
(P2P) Parent to Parent of Southwest Michigan is a non-profit community
organization offering services at no cost to families who have children
with disabilities or special needs.
RESA
Regional Educational Service Area (Agency) in Kalamazoo County KRESA is
providing educational services to educators and students
RESD
Regional Educational Service District ESDs are established to allow
school districts to work, plan, and buy equipment collectively.
RMT
Registered Music Therapist are skilled and qualified musicians and
therapists whom assess, design and implement programs that use music to
achieve therapeutic aims.
RN
Registered Nurse is a health care professional who has passed the
registered nursing certification exam. RN’s have more
training than licensed practical nurses.
ROI
Residential Opportunities, Inc. whose mission is (1) To provide
residential and support services for people affected by disabilities
living in Southwest Michigan, and (2) To provide and foster affordable
housing for people, including those with disabilities, living in
Southwest Michigan.
RR
Resource Room is used for students with disabilities in a regular
classroom for most of each day, but also receives regularly scheduled
individual services in a specialized resource classroom. (also
Recipient Rights which is designed so that all recipients of public
mental health services are empowered to exercise their rights and are
able to fully participate in all facets of their lives.)
RT
Recreation Therapy uses treatment, education and recreation services to
help people with illnesses, disabilities and other conditions to
develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health,
functional abilities, independence and quality of life.
RTI
Response to Intervention refers to a process that emphasizes how well
students respond to changes in instruction,. eliminating a
“wait to fail” situation because students get help
promptly within the general education setting.
SADD
Students Against Drunk Driving or Students Against Destructive
Decisions is a peer-to-peer youth education, substance and alcohol use
and abuse prevention organization in the USA, with over 10,000 chapters
in middle schools, high schools, and colleges.
SAMSHA
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is the
federal agency covering mental health and substance abuse. They are the
source of the grant that funds the Kalamazoo Wraps initiative to
improve mental health care in Kalamazoo County. SEA: State Educational
Agency is the state board of education or other agency or officer
primarily responsible for the State supervision of public elementary
and secondary schools
SED
Severely (or Seriously) Emotionally Disturbed is determined by a
psychologist who evaluates the child's personal, social, and emotional
status for students referred for a suspected emotional disturbance that
is educationally handicapping in nature. A period of observation of the
student and consultation with staff and parents is an integral part of
this process.
SLI
Severely Language Impaired or Speech and Language Impaired 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.
SMART
Specific, Measurable, Action, Realistic, Time Specific and is used in
reference to IEP goals.
SOC
System of Care: is a coordinated network of community services,
organizations, and supports designed to help children and youth with
mental health needs and their families.
SPED
Special Education is educational programs and practices designed for
students, as handicapped or gifted students, whose mental ability,
physical ability, emotional functioning, etc. requires special teaching
approaches, equipment, or care within or outside a regular classroom
SSA
Social Security Administration manages the SSI program
SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance provides benefits to disabled or
blind individuals who are "insured" by workers' contributions to the
Social Security trust fund
SSI
Supplemental Security Income is a program that makes payments to people
with low income who are age 65 or older or are blind or have a
disability.
ST
Speech Therapist is the one who works with your child to help them
learn who to speak correctly.
SXI
Severely Multiply Impaired refers to students who meet minimum criteria
of multiple impairments under Rule 340.1714 of the Michigan Department
of Education’s Revised Administrative Rules for Special
Education (November 2002).
TANF
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is the United States of
America's federal assistance program, commonly known as
“welfare”. Max is 60 months benefits.
TBI
Traumatic Brain Injury is an injury to the brain which is caused by an
external and physical force and which results in total or partial
functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that
adversely affects a student’s educational performance.
TDD
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf is an electronic device for text
communication via a telephone line, used when one or more of the
parties has hearing or speech difficulties.
TC
Teacher Consultant approval is granted to a teacher with a valid
Michigan teaching certificate and full endorsement in one of the
following areas: learning disability, emotional impairment, mental
impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment,
other health impairments, and autism.
USC
United States Code is a compilation of the laws of the United States.
VI
Visually Impaired or low vision is a severe reduction in vision that
can't be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses and reduces
a person's ability to function at certain or all tasks, with total
blindness is the inability to tell light from dark, or the total
inability to see.
VR
Vocational Rehabilitation provides resources related to employment
options for people with disabilities.
WIC
Women, Infants, Children Program The Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as the WIC
Program - serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants,
& children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing
nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating,
and referrals to health care.
WISC
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children developed by David Wechsler,
is an intelligence test for children between the ages of 6 and 16
inclusive that can be completed without reading or writing. The WISC
generates an IQ score.
Wraparound
is a process that brings supports - natural, community, and
professional together around the child to build on strengths, overcome
challenges and achieve goals.
Acronyms are just a jumble of letters - a real alphabet soup - until
you know what they actually mean. Each specialty seems to have it's own
language, and a good portion of the path to understanding involves
translations of communication. Translated - figure out what they
said!
To find the translation for special education
related terms, you can go here:
Special Education Terms
If you are looking for special education
assessment terms and evaluation and eligibility related terms try
looking here:
Assessment Terms
Return
from Acronyms to the Start Here page
