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Here
are definitions of commonly used special education terms.
Ancillary and Other Related Services
Services specially designed to meet the unique needs of a person
with disabilities through age twenty-five (25) years, including:
- audiological, medical, psychiatric, psychological, speech and language, or educational evaluation;
- occupational, physical, recreational, music, art, or other therapy;
- mobility and orientation services;
- transportation;
- school psychological and school social work services;
- instruction provided to children with disabilities who are homebound, hospitalized, or placed in juvenile detention facilities;
- and services to preprimary age children.
Annual Goals
A set of general statements which represent expected achievement over a year's time for children with disabilities enrolled in special education programs and services.
Categorical Classroom
A classroom program usually designed to meet the common needs of students who have the same impairment.
Complaint
A specific written and signed allegation by an agency, private individual, or organization that there is an uncorrected violation, misinterpretation or misapplication of the law, the state or intermediate school district plan, an individualized education program, or hearing officer or court decision.
Comprehensive Evaluation
A series of tests and observations, formal and informal, conducted for the purpose of determining eligibility for special education and related services, and for determining the current level of educational performance.
Consent
A written agreement to carry out an activity after being fully informed in one's native language of all information relevant to the activity.
Departmentalized
An elementary and secondary school level delivery system in which two or more teachers instruct groups of special education students by instructional content areas.
Disability, Person With
A person determined by an individualized educational planning committee (IEPT) or a hearing officer to have a characteristic or set of characteristics as defined in the descriptions of the
special needs (autistic; emotionally impaired; hearing impaired; mentally impaired; physically and otherwise health impaired; severely multiply impaired, specific learning disability, speech and language impaired; and visually impaired) and who, because of the impairment, needs special education or related services.
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner(s) who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of the student. A contracted agent, for the purpose of conducting an independent evaluation, is not considered an employee of the public agency.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
A learning program developed by an individualized educational planning committee. This program is reviewed annually.
Individualized Educational Planning Committee (IEPT)
Persons appointed and invited by the superintendent to determine a person's eligibility for special education programs and services. If eligible and in need of special education programs and services, the committee develops an individualized education program.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
This means that the separation of children with disabilities from regular education buildings, programs and students occurs only as much as necessary to meet the unique needs of special education students.
Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET)
A minimum of two persons who are responsible for conducting a comprehensive evaluation of students suspected of being
disabled or children with disabilities being reevaluated.
Normal Course of Study
A regular education curriculum leading to a high school diploma, or the special education curriculum approved in the intermediate school district plan leading to a high school diploma. The special education curriculum includes physical education, personal adjustment, and prevocational and vocational training.
Parent
The mother, father, or legally designated guardian of the disabled person. Parent also means the affected
disabled person when the person reaches the age of 18 years if a legal guardian has not been appointed by appropriate court proceedings.
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
A committee made up of parents of children with disabilities from each local educational agency within the intermediate school district and appointed by the Macomb Intermediate School Board. The Parent Advisory Committee is responsible to participate in the development of the intermediate school district plan and to advise the Macomb Intermediate School Board on matters relating to special education programs and services.
Public Expense
The public agency either pays for the full cost of the evaluation, program or services, including transportation and room and board, or ensures that such is provided at no cost to the parent.
Resource Room
A classroom program designed for students who require 50% or less of their instructional day in special education with two or less classes in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. (Elementary --50% or less of instructional school day; Secondary--three periods or less of instructional school day.)
Short-Term Instructional Objectives (STIOs)
Objectives written in measurable terms which relate to the annual goals and represent expected achievement over several weeks or months but not more than one year.
Special Education
Specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique educational needs of the special education student, and develop the maximum potential of the special education student. All of the following are included in the definition of special education:
- classroom instruction;
- instruction in physical education;
- instructional services such as preprimary, teacher consultant, speech and language, homebound and hospitalized, and juvenile detention facilities,
and
- ancillary and other related services such as occupational, physical, recreational, music, art or other therapy, mobility and orientation, school psychological and school social work services.
Teacher Consultant (TC)
A certified special education teacher who provides support services to children with disabilities and provides consultation to the regular classroom teacher and parents. The teacher consultant does not grade, give credit or teach a regular or special education course.
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