Term Glossary

With many different acronyms being referred to in Special Education this Glossary 'Quick Guide' can help you navigate the various lingo being used to support all students to thrive.

Support Staff

SERT: Special Education Resource Teacher
EA: Education Assistant
CYC: Child and Youth Counsellor
OT: Occupational Therapy
PT: Physical Therapy
SLP: Speech and Language Pathology
CCAC: Community Care Access Center

Accommodations

Special teaching or assessment strategies, human supports and/or individualized equipment required to enable a student to learn and to demonstrate learning. Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the grade.

Examples (just a few of many):

alternative work space
preferential seating
access to a computer for written work
read written instructions, as necessary

Modifications

Changes made in the age-appropriate grade-level expectations for a subject in order to meet a student's learning needs. This may involve developing expectations that reflect knowledge and skills required in the curriculum for a different grade level and/or increasing or decreasing the number and/or complexity of the regular grade level curriculum expectations.

Program Processes & Resource Team

IEP: Individual Education Plan
IPRC: Identification Placement Review Committee
SRT: School Resource Team
SEAC: Special Education Advisory Committee

Identification of Student Needs

ADHD: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder
CP: Cerebral Palsy
DHOH: Deaf and Hard of Hearing
FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
GAD: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Giftedness
LD: Learning Disability
MID: Mild Intellectual Disability
NVLD: Non-Verbal Learning Disability
OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ODD: Oppositional Defiant Disorder
PDD: Pervasive Developmental Disorder
SAD: Social Anxiety Disorder
TS: Tourette Syndrome
MDD: Major Depressive Disorder
TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury

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