Frequently Used Acronyms

The following is a list of often used acronyms in the special needs arena:

Category: Eligibility / Disabilities

• AUT - Autism
• OHI - Other Health Impairment
• ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder
• ADHD - Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder
• ODD - Oppositional Defiance Disorder
• DD - developmental Delay
• DS - Down Syndrome
• ED - Emotional Disturbance (or Emotionally Disturbed)
• MR - Mental Retardation
• LD - Learning Disabled
• SLD - Specific Learning Disability
• CP - Cerebral Palsy

Category: Agencies

• LEA - Local Education Agency
• SEA - state education agency
• SELPA - Special Education Local Plan Area
• CDE - California Department of Education
• OSEP - Office of Special Education Programs (US DOE)
• OAH - Office of Administrative Hearings
• IHO - Independent Hearing Officer
• CCS - California Children's Services
• CMH - Community (County) Mental Health
• DMH - Department of Mental Health
• DSS - Department of Social Services
• RC - Regional Center
• SC - Service Coordinator (at RC)
• OCR - Office for Civil Rights

Category: Services, supports, etc

• DIS - Designated Instruction Services
• APE - Adaptive Physical Education
• OT - Occupational Therapy or Occupational Therapist
• PT - Physical Therapy or Physical Therapist
• RT - Recreational Therapy
• S/L - Speech and Language (used interchangeably with LAS)
• LAS - Language And Speech services
• ESY - Extended School Year
• EYS - Extended Year Services
• TSA - Temporary Support Aide
• RSS - Resource Specialist Services
• RSP - Resource Specialist Program
• SDC - Special Day Class
• NPS - Non-Public School
• RS - related services
• PBIP - Positive Behavior Intervention Plan
• FAA - Functional Analysis Assessment
• BICM - Behavior Intervention Case Manager

Category: Assessment Measures and Test Names

• WISC-III; WAIS-III; WPPSI-R - Wechsler Tests (evaluation of cognitive ability)
• DAS - Differential Ability Scale (evaluation of cognitive, verbal, non-verbal, etc)
• EVT - Expressive Vocabulary Test
• VMI - Vision Motor Integration test
• WJ - Woodcock Johnson test
• CAHSEE - California High School Exit Exam
• HSEE - High School Exit Exam

Category: Misc. Terms Related to Assessments

• PR - Percentile Rankings
• SD - Standard Deviations
• SS - standard score or scaled score

Category: General Special Education Terms

• FAPE - Free and Appropriate Public Education
• LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
• ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act
• IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• IDEIA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
• EAHCA - Education for All Handicapped Children Act (pre-IDEA)
• IEP - Individualized Education Program (Plan)
• CCR - California Code of Regulations
• CFR - Code of Federal Regulations
• IPP - Individual Program Plan (Regional Center)
• IFSP - Individualized Family Service Plan

LET US ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. Call 888 IDEA-ADA (888-4332-232), or contact a Special Education Attorney