A, B, Cs of Special Education

A primer on the abbreviations often used

in K-12 settings.
A
ABA applied behavior analysis
ABD antisocial behavior disorders
AD attachment disorder
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act;
ADD attention deficit disorder
ADHD attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder
AI auditorily impaired
AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome
APD antisocial personality disorder; auditory processing
disorder
ASL American Sign Language
AT assistive technology
AU autistic
AUT autism
B&C
BD behaviorally disordered; behavior disorders; brain damaged
BI brain injury
BIL bilingual
BMP behavior management plan
CAI computer-assisted instruction
CAPD central auditory processing disorders; see also APD (auditory
processing disorder)
CC cross categorical
CD communication development; conduct disorder
CHI closed head injury
CLD culturally and linguistically diverse
CP cerebral palsy
D&E
DAP developmentally appropriate practices
DB; DBL deaf-blind
DCD developmental coordination disorder
D deaf
DD developmental disabilities; developmentally delayed
EBD emotional and behavioral disorders
ED emotionally disturbed; emotional disorders; US
Department of Education
EEN exceptional education needs
ELL English language learner
EMH educable mentally handicapped
EMR educably mentally retarded
ESL English as a second language
ESOL English for speakers of other languages
FL

FAPE free appropriate public education

FBA functional behavior assessment
GT gifted and talented
HI health impaired; hearing impaired
HOH hard of hearing
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IED intermittent explosive disorder
IEE independent education evaluation
IEP individualized education program
IEPC individualized educational planning
committee
LD learning disabilities; learning disabled
MO
MBD minimal brain dysfunction
M/ED mental or emotional disturbance
MH multiply handicapped
MMR mild mental retardation
MR mentally retarded or mental retardation
MR/DD mentally retarded/developmentally disabled
MR/MED mentally retarded and mentally or emotionally
disturbed (sometimes referred to as dual
diagnosis)
MSDD multisystem developmental disorder
OCD obsessive compulsive disorder
ODD oppositional defiant disorder
OH orthopedically handicapped
PR
PCD perceptual communicative disability
PDD pervasive development disorder
PLI pragmatic language impairment
PTSD post-traumatic stress disorder
RAD reactive attachment disorder
RDD reading disorder-dyslexia
S
SECTION 504 a part of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 making it illegal for any organization
receiving federal funds to discriminate against
a person solely on the basis of disability
SED seriously emotionally disturbed
SI speech impaired
SIB self-injurious behavior
SLD specific learning disability
SPD semantic pragmatic disorder
TZ
TAG talented and gifted
TBI traumatic brain injury
TESOL teachers of English for speakers of
other languages
TMH trainable mentally handicapped
TMR trainably mentally retarded
VCD volitional conduct disorder
VI visually impaired
WOD written output disorder
Resources
This presentation modified/abbreviated from:
Acronyms Frequently Used in Special/Gifted
Education
 http://www.ericec.org/fact/acronyms.html

Dictionary: For Parents of Children with

Disabilities
 http://www.usd.edu/cd/dictionary/