Agencies, Organizations and Programs
Name the state agency that holds the ultimate responsibility for the state supervision of all schools and educational programs in the commonwealth
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance
Visual Impairment (VI)
a change that gives a child with a disability an alternate method of demonstrating knowledge It can relate to classroom instruction or to district/state administered assessments that measure achievement
Accommodation
a form of communication that uses the face, hands, and body to convey meaning in a grammatical structure very different from English
American Sign Language (ASL)
1992 (Public Law 101-336) defines the term disability and prohibits discrimination by employers, by facilities open to the general public, and by state and local public agencies that provide such services as transportation
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Name the program that is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education, working in partnership with families and local educational agencies to support programs and services to improve student learning and achievement
Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or perform mathematical calculations
Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
a written statement of a child’s current level of educational performance and of the child’s individualized plan of instruction, including the goals, specific services to be received, the staff members who will carry out the services, the standards and timelines for evaluating progress, and the amount and degree to which the child will participate with typically-developing peers (see Least Restrictive Environment)
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
an assessment used to identify the reason for, or purpose of, a child’s problem behavior(s); to develop and implement a plan to change the things that maintain the behavior; and to teach the child appropriate replacement behaviors
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
provides the legal authority for early intervention and special education services for children from birth to age 21 Part B outlines services for children ages three to 21
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Name the federal program aimed at providing comprehensive preschool education programs for children ages three to five from low-income families
Head Start
a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills during childhood, along with deficits in adaptive behavior and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity during adulthood
Intellectual Disability (ID)
to specialized services and supports designed to help families with children birth to age five who have developmental delays
Early Intervention (EI)
a comprehensive set of strategies meant to redesign environments in such a way that problem behaviors are prevented or inconsequential, and to teach students new skills, making problem behaviors unnecessary
Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
the primary federal education legislation addressing kindergarten through high school for children at risk
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Name the organization that is the state chapter of the largest advocacy organization in the United States for citizens with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities and their families.
The Arc of Pennsylvania
an over-all category of developmental disorders that includes autism, Rett syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified, and childhood disintegrative disorder
Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
a federal mandate that all children with disabilities must receive appropriate educational programs, tailored to their unique needs, from which they receive educational benefit at no cost to families
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
a service that assists individuals with disabilities in training for employment, maintaining employment, and living independently In Pennsylvania students are eligible to register with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation at age sixteen
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities This law is closely intertwined with IDEA
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Name the Organization that offers support in the delivery of quality education to children and youth with disabilities throughout the country
National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)
an abnormal sensitivity to touch indicated by avoidance or rejection of touching and handling
Tactile Defensiveness
a standards-based criterion-referenced assessment used to measure student attainment of Pennsylvania’s academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of the standards
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)
community mental health services that are prescribed by physicians to be provided in home and school settings Services are based on medical necessity criteria (MNC) and funded through Medical Assistance
Wraparound Services
a six-year plan built around 20 federally-required indicators of compliance and performance
State Performance Plan (SPP)