If you have any ABCs of Special Needs to add... feel free to comment below and I'll add them in! :)
- A -
ABA: Applied Behavioral Analysis
ABC: Antecedent-Behavior-Consequenc
ABI: Adaptive Behavior Inventory
ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AIT: Auditory Integration Therapy
APD: Auditory Processing Disorder, also referred to as CAPD or Central Auditory Processing Disorder
APE: Adaptive Physical Education
ARD: Admission, Review, Dismissal (used in Texas)
AS: Asperger's Syndrome (a high-functioning form of Autism)
ASD: Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- B -
BD: Behavioral Disorder
BD/ED: Behavior Disordered / Emotionally Disturbed
BIP: Behavior Intervention Plan
BOE: Board of Education
BP: Bi-Polar (formerly called "manic-depressive")
- C -
CAPD: Central Auditory Processing Disorder, also referred to as APD, see above
CD: Conduct Disorder
CNS: Central Nervous System
CP: Cerebral Palsy
CSE: Committee for Special Education (called "MDT" in some states)
CSPD: Comprehensive System for Personnel Development
CST: Child Study Team (also called Child Find Team)
- D -
DAS: Differential Abilities Scales (an early childhood educational eval)
DD: Developmental Disabilities
Dx: Diagnosis
DOE: Department of Education
DS: Down Syndome
- E -
ECSE: Early Childhood Special Education
ED: Emotionally Disturbed
EI: Early Intervention
EPSDT: Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment
ESE: Exceptional Student Education
ESEA: Elementary & Secondary Education Act
ESL: English as a Second Language
ESY: Extended School Year
- F -
FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education
FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FBA: Functional Behavior Anaylsis
FERPA: Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FOIA: Freedom Of Information Act
- G -
GAF: Global Assessment of Functioning scale (used in psychiatric evals to state level of functioning)
- H -
HFA: High Functioning Autism (such as Asperger's Syndrome)
HoH: Hard of Hearing
- I -
IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IEE: Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP: Individualized Education Plan
- J -
- K -
- L -
LD: Learning Disability
LEA: Local Education Agency (the school district)
LFA: Low-Functioning Autism (defined as autism occurring with mental retardation, e.g. w/ IQ lower than 70)
LLD: Language-based Learning Disability
LRE: Least Restrictive Environment
- M -
M-D: Manic Depression (now referred to as Bipolar)
MBD: Minimum Brain Dysfunction (what ADD/ADHD used to be referred to as)
MDO: Major Depressive Disorder
MDT: Multi-Disciplinary Team
MH: Multiple Handicapped
MH: Mental Health
MPD: Multiple Personality Disorder
MR: Mental Retardation, IQ < 70
- N -
NAMI: National Association for the Mentally Ill
NICHCY: National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
NIH: National Institute for Health
NOS: Not Otherwise Specified, usually seen as PDD-NOS
NLD or NVLD: Non-Verbal Learning Disability
- O -
OCD: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCR: Office of Civil Rights
ODD: Oppositional-Defiant Disorder
OHI: Other Health Impaired
OSEP: Office of Special Education Programs (located Washington, DC)
OSERS: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
OT: Occupational Therapist
OT: Occupational Therapy
- P -
P&A: Protection & Advocacy
PDD: Pervasive Developmental Disorder (a form of Autism)
PDR: Physician's Desk Reference
PET: Positron Emission Tomography (Brain scan that can be used for diagnosis of Neurologically-based disorders)
PIQ: Performance IQ
PLEP: Present Levels of Educational Performance
PLOP: Present Levels of Performance
POHI: Physically or Otherwise Health Impaired
PT: Physical Therapist
PT: Physical Therapy
PTI: Parent Training and Information center
PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Q -
- R -
Rx: Prescription
- S -
SD: School District
SEA: State Education Agency
SED: Severe Emotional Disorder
SED: Severely Emotionally Disturbed
SID: Sensory Integration Dysfunction, also referred to as SI, or DSI
SIB: Self-Injurious Behavior
SIPT: Sensory Integration and Praxis Text
SLP: Speech-Language Pathologist
Sped: Special Education
SSRI: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (class of meds, incl. Prozac, Zoloft, Praxil, Luvox)
- T -
TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Disorders
TS: Tourette's Syndrome
TSS: Therapeutic Support Staff
- U -
- V -
VIQ: Verbal IQ
- W -
WAIS: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (an IQ test)
WISC: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (an IQ test)
W-J-R: Woodcock-Johnson Revised (a psycho-educational test)
- X -
- Y -
- Z -
