Applied Behavior Analysis/ABA: A method in which interventions are implemented to increase desired behaviors or help the student acquire targeted skills.
Assistive Technology: Support services from low tech to high tech that increase success and access to general education curriculum by alleviating barriers when possible (for example oversized keyboards, touch screens, speech generating output devices, switches, screen magnifiers, storybook readers)
Case Manager: Chairperson at student's IEP, coordinates support services within the school setting and typically serves as contact person for parents
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE): Missouri's Education Department
Effective Practice Specialist (EPS): Special School District employee with extensive experience and expertise in narrow areas, as a support for teaching teams and classroom teachers (areas may include Autism, Social-Emotional Behavior, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language therapy, Diagnostics and/or Augmentative Communication/Assistive Technology)
Evaluation: A team effort consisting of observations, data collection, parent information, general education teacher input, medical information and assessments (if applicable) that result in a collaborative document which may or may not be used to determine eligibility for educational services.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): All children have the right to an education, regardless of disability, which is overseen by local education agency
Individualized Education Program (IEP): By law, this is a plan developed for a child with a disability, outlining current strengths, the ways in which the disability affects the child, parent concerns, goals, services, transportation plan, accommodations for testing and the classroom, with input from teachers, administrators, therapists, families and the student (if applicable)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): This law dictates that all children, including those with disabilities, shall receive a free and appropriate public education, a revision of the Handicapped Act of 1975.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): IDEA states that children with disabilities
must be educated with their non-disabled peers as much as possible.
Mainstreaming: Participation in a general education program.
Missouri Assessment Program (MAP/MAP-A): Missouri's statewide testing program which is attempted by ALL students, regardless of disability.
Paraprofessional: Staff hired and
trained to assisting
one or more teachers or therapists in the school setting. They may facilitate ABA programming, provide support in general education setting, assist with feeding and toileting, take data or provide instructional support.
Re-evaluation: Like an evaluation, data is compiled from multiple areas to determine continued eligibility for special education services, or need for testing in additional areas, which must be done every three years or sooner.
Related Services: Services provided by specialists that are not special education teachers, such as speech and language
therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, music therapy and adapted
physical education.
