Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was first enacted in 1975 as the Education for all Handicapped Children Act. It is a comprehensive law that governs the education of students with disabilities. The current version of the law was amended in 2004 (referred to as IDEA ’04 or PL 108-446). For more information about the IDEA, go to the U. S. Department of Education's IDEA web site at http://idea.ed.gov/. This new site was created to provide a one-stop shop for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document designed by a team of educators, specialists, and the child’s parent(s)/guardian(s) that outlines the child’s learning/behavioral goals and objectives. This document must be updated at least every 12 months; however, an IEP team meeting can be called by any member of the team at anytime. The IEP includes a description of the child’s present level of educational performance and identifies annual goals and objectives along with methods for assessing progress toward goals and objectives. In addition, the IEP includes any necessary supports, accommodations, adaptations, and/or related services.

Inclusion occurs when students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom/program to the extent possible. Any support services the student needs will be provided in this setting.

Learning Disabled (LD) As currently defined in IDEA, the term refers to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage (IDEA).

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) refers to the concept that children with disabilities should be educated to the maximum extent possible with children who are not disabled while meeting all their learning needs and physical requirements. The type of setting is stipulated in a child’s IEP.

Mainstream is the placement of a student with a disability into a general education classroom or any non-academic setting (such as physical education, lunch, etc.) for any part of the school day. This type of placement is often seen as being appropriate once it is determined that the child is able to keep up academically or interact appropriately with the other students.

Modification involves an adjustment to the instructional content or performance expectations of students with disabilities from what is expected or taught to students in general education.

Mental Retardation - MR - (as defined by IDEA) means significantly sub average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Multiple Disabilities (as defined by IDEA) means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness.

Other Health Impairment - OHI - (as defined by IDEA) means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that—

(a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia; and

(b) adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Orthopedic Impairment (as defined by IDEA) means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly (e.g. clubfoot, absence of some member, etc.), impairments caused by disease (e.g. poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc.), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

OSEP - US Office of Special Education Programs. An office within OSERS charged with assuring that the various states comply with IDEA.

OSERS - US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. An agency of the federal government's executive branch within the Department of Education.

Occupational Therapy (OT) are support services that focus on developing functional skills related to sensory-motor integration, coordination of movement, fine motor skills, self-help skills (dressing, self-feeding, etc.), adaptive devices/equipment, and positioning for school work. Can also include improving, developing or restoring functions impaired or lost through illness, injury, or deprivation or preventing, through early intervention, initial or further impairment or loss of function.

Parent Training and Information Center—or PTI—is a terrific information resource for parents of children with disabilities. Every state has at least one PTI. Each one has a different name. The PTI's for Texas are PATH, PEN, and TEAM. PTI's are funded through our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As you can probably guess from their name, their purpose is to provide parents with information and training about: disabilities; parent and children's rights under the IDEA and other relevant laws; and resources in the community, state, and nation.

Parent Centers know about the needs of children and families. They understand school policies and practices. Through their experience with the education of children with disabilities, the needs of families and schools, Parent Centers make valuable contributions on a local and statewide basis in support of schools to improve services and outcomes for students with disabilities.

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