Glossary

This is a glossary of terms associated with special learners.  Many of these terms and definitions were taken from a brochure titled "Pennsylvania Parent Guide to Special Education for School Age Children", created by PDE's Bureau of Special Education and revised 2/07.

 

Assistive Technology Device: A piece of equipment or product that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the way a child with a disability interacts and communicates with the world around them.  This does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted or the replacement of such a device.

Assistive Technology Services: Services to help a child with a disability use an assistive technology device.  These services include evaluating the needs of the child; providing the device; and then training the child, the child's family, and the professionals who work with that child in the use of the device.

Chapter 14: The PA state regulations pertaining to the delivery of special education services and programs.

Child with a Disability: A child identified as having one of the following recognized disabilities -

• mental retardation
• hearing impairment, including deafness
• speech or language impairment
• visual impairment, including blindness
• emotional disturbance
• orthopedic impairment
• autism
• traumatic brain injury
• another health impairment
• specific learning disability
• deaf-blindness
• multiple disabilities

 - and who, as a result of the disability, needs special education and related services.

Due Process: The procedures that parents can use to disagree with the decisions of school district officials concerning special education.  The parent is informed of this right by written notice, which describes the options of a prehearing conference, a preliminary resolution session, a formal hearing and appeals.

Evaluation: The process used to determine if a child has a disability and if special education is needed.  The evaluation looks at how the child learns and the kinds of instruction that have been unsuccessful in the past, and then identifies instructional strategies that may be successful in the future.

Evaluation Report (ER): The report that is compiled and written by the evaluation team following an evaluation.  It describes all of the information gathered from the team members, including the results of assessment.  From the report, the evaluation team determines the student's eligibility and need for special education services.

Evaluation Team: A team of educators, other professional individuals (psychologists, for example), and the child's parents, that reviews all of the child's formal testing and other evaluation material.  The evaluation team must issue a written report stating if the child has a disability, whether he/she is eligible for special education services, and which programs and services are needed.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): A program of education and related services for a child with a disability that is designed to meet the child's special education needs.  Appropriate services are those which allow the child to make meaningful progress in the educational setting.  FAPE is provided without charge to parents.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA '04): The federal law that governs the provision of special education services and the rights of parents of a child with a disability.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): The plan written by the IEP team that specifically describes the programs and services necessary for a free appropriate public education for the child with a disability.  All teachers responsible for educating special education students must, by law, have access to IEPs for each of these students.  This includes general classroom teachers; single subject teachers (including art, music, dance and theatre); librarians; speech pathologists; and any other person responsible for adapting instruction to meet the needs of these students.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Students eligible for special education will be educated to the maximum extent appropriate with students who are not disabled.  In Pennsylvania, an important legal precedent, the Gaskin case, has further clarified what LRE means.

Notice of Recommended Educational Placement (NOREP): The form issued to parents to inform them of the placement recommended by the IEP team.

Related Services: Services necessary to provide specially-designed instruction to ensure the child benefits from the special education program.  Examples are special transportation, counseling, school health services and physical therapy.

Special Education: An educational program individually designed to meet the unique educational needs of a child with a disability.  A special education professional is directly involved as either a consultant or a provider of services.

Specially Designed Instruction: Adapting the content, methods or delivery of the instruction as is appropriate based on the unique needs of the child with a disability.

Transition Services: Specific planning in the school setting that helps to prepare students with disabilities to participate more effectively in higher education or job training, the community, independent living, continuing and adult education, and employment when they leave school.