Decoding The Acronyms

Have you ever looked over an IEP, 504 plan, or other documentation for a student and been overwhelmed by the complex language and sheer number of acronyms that are used? Here is a quick guide to twenty-five of the most commonly used acronyms to help you navigate individualized educational programming and school-provided educational services:

AAC / Augmentative and/or Assistive Communication - Overarching term for communication systems used in addition to and/or in place of verbal communication, sign language, or braille, including core boards, assistive technology devices, and more.

ABA / Applied Behavior Analysis - A form of therapy commonly practiced with those with ASD or other cognitive disabilities, focusing on acquiring skills and decreasing dangerous behaviors through the science of reinforcement.

ASD / Autism Spectrum Disorder - A developmental disability. The widely appropriate term for those with autism and those previously identified with Asperger's Syndrome, which is no longer classified as a diagnosis. A category of eligibility for a student with an IEP.

BASC / Behavior Assessment System for Children - An assessment tool measuring both clinical and adaptive aspects of cognitive, adaptive, social, and intellectual skills.

BCBA / Board Certified Behavioral Analyst - A behavior analyst, supervisor of behavioral technicians, and consultant on behavior plans and behavior intervention strategies in the school and private therapy settings.

BIP / Behavior Intervention Plan - A written plan detailing antecedents of, responses to, and interventions for specific behaviors as they impact a specific student in the school setting. Based on the outcomes of a functional behavioral analysis (FBA).

ERP / Emergency Response Plan - A written plan detailing strategies, resources, plans, procedures, and guidelines through which a team will respond to behaviors in the school setting that could cause harm from a student to themselves or to others.

ESY / Extended School Year - Services provided by the public education system to students with disabilities during times of the year in which school is not in session, developed under the IDEA act to support students with disabilities making and maintaining progress at school.

FBA / Functional Behavioral Analysis - A process conducted by a school psychologist that gathers information about behaviors of concern in the school setting, working in tandem with behavior intervention plans and MTSS.

IEP / Individualized Educational Program - A legal document detailing the instruction and services needed by a student with disabilities in order for them to receive equitable access to their education.

LRE / Least Restrictive Environment - Refers to the environment for each individual student that meets their needs while also being the least restrictive possible and offering them as much access to their same-age peers as is appropriate.

MLL / Multilingual Learners - Students who are receiving services and/or living in a multilingual environment.

MTSS / Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - A framework used across educational settings that uses data to provide students with resources academically, socially, behaviorally, and more.

THI / Teacher of the Hearing Impaired - A teaching professional who facilitates the personal, social, and intellectual development of students with hearing loss.

TO&M / Teacher of Orientation & Mobility - A teaching professional who specializes in teaching individuals with visual impairments to navigate familiar and unfamiliar environments confidently and independently.

TVI / Teacher of the Visually Impaired - A teaching professional who facilitates and supports the personal, social, and intellectual development of students with vision impairments.

OHI / Other Health Impairment - A health impairment outside of ASD that affects a student’s educational performance and/or their ability to access their education alongside same-age peers. A category of eligibility for a student with an IEP.

OTR / Registered Occupational Therapist - Healthcare professionals who evaluate and treat people with injuries, illnesses, and disabilities, helping them meet goals to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for daily living and working.

PLOP / Present Levels of Performance - A student’s current abilities, strengths, and areas for growth in a goal area such as reading, fine motor skills, and more.

PT / Physical Therapist/Therapy - Healthcare professionals who evaluate and treat people with injuries, illnesses, and disabilities, helping them develop, recover, improve, and maintain physical stability and physical skills necessary for work and life.

PWN / Prior Written Notice - A document created and included each time an IEP team meets, comprehensively documenting all items discussed in the meeting and any action taken or denied through the team’s interactions.

SEL / Social Emotional Learning - Learned skills such as self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are key to positive interactions and success in school, work, and life.

SDI / Specially Designed Instruction - Instruction that is specifically created for an individual student based on their knowledge, needs, and methods of communication. Delivered in many areas including reading, writing, math, cognitive skills, adaptive skills, and more.

SLD / Specific Learning Disability - A disorder in one or more of the basic learning processes involved in understanding or in using language that may create difficulties affecting the ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell, or do math. A category of eligibility for a student with an IEP.

SLP / Speech Language Pathologist - Experts in communication, specializing in supporting verbal speech development, cognitive communication skills, oral skills including chewing and swallowing, and augmentative and assistive methods of communication.

Is there another acronym you use regularly in your classroom or workplace? Comment below!