IEP glossary
244 special education terms in plain language: the law, the IEP document, evaluation, data collection, services and instruction. Each one says what the term means, how it shows up in an IEP, and gives an example.
244 terms
A
- AAC (augmentative and alternative communication)
- AAC communicative competence
- ABC data
- Accommodation
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
- Adapted physical education
- Adaptive equipment
- ADHD
- Age of majority
- Age-appropriate transition assessment
- Aided language modeling
- Alternate academic achievement standards
- Alternate assessment
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- Annual goal
- Annual review
- Antecedent
- Articulation
- Assistive technology device
- Assistive technology service
- Auditory skills hierarchy
- Autism
B
C
- Carryover
- Check-in/check-out
- Child Find
- Childhood apraxia of speech
- Co-teaching
- Cochlear implant
- Community-based instruction
- Compensatory services
- Condition (in a goal)
- Constructed response
- Continuum of alternative placements
- Core vocabulary
- Correct letter sequences
- Correct word sequences
- Counseling services
- Course of study
- CRA (concrete-representational-abstract)
- Crisis plan
- Criterion
- Criterion-referenced test
- Curriculum-based measurement (CBM)
- CVC words
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
L
M
- Manifestation determination
- Mastery criteria
- Math fact fluency
- Measurable annual goal
- Measurable postsecondary goals
- Mediation
- MLU (mean length of utterance)
- Modification
- Momentary time sampling
- Morphology
- Most significant cognitive disabilities
- Motor planning (praxis)
- MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports)
- Multiple disabilities
N
O
P
- Paraprofessional
- Part C to Part B transition
- Partner-assisted scanning
- PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
- Percent accuracy
- Percentile rank
- Phonemic awareness
- Phonics
- Phonological awareness
- Phonological process
- Physical therapy (school-based)
- PLAAFP (present levels of academic achievement and functional performance)
- Place value
- Pragmatics
- Pre-employment transition services
- Preferential seating
- Preschool special education
- Presentation accommodation
- Prior written notice
- Probe
- Procedural safeguards
- Progress monitoring
- Progress report (IEP)
- Prompt fading
- Prompt hierarchy
- Prosody
- Pull-out services
- Push-in services
R
S
- Schema-based instruction
- Section 504
- Self-advocacy
- Self-contained classroom
- Self-determination
- Self-regulation
- Semantics
- Sensory processing
- Service minutes
- Setting accommodation
- Short-term objective
- SLP (speech-language pathologist)
- Special education
- Special factors
- Specially designed instruction (SDI)
- Specific learning disability
- Speech or language impairment
- Speech-generating device
- Speech-language therapy
- Speech-to-text
- Standard score
- Standards-based IEP
- State complaint
- Stay put
- Structured literacy
- Student-led IEP
- Stuttering
- Summary of performance
- Supplementary aids and services
- Supported decision-making
- Supported employment
- Switch access
- Syllable types
- Syntax
T
U
V
W
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Definitions describe federal rules under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in general terms. They are not legal advice, and states can add their own requirements. See our editorial policy for how we write and review content.