This glossary has been compiled and adapted from the following sources, each of which offers more comprehensive glossaries: Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies Procedures and Guidelines; the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation; and the Learning Assistance Manual: The Vital Link.
Acronyms
CASE – Council of Administrators for Special Education
CSRT – Children’s Services Resource Team
FBA-P – Functional Behavioural Assessment with Planning
ICMP – Integrated Case Management Plan
IEP – Individual Education Plan
LSS – Learning Support Services
PBSP – Positive Behaviour Support Plan
PISP – Provincial Integration Support Program
POPARD – Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders
POPFASD – Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders
SBT – School Based Team
SET-BC – Special Education Technology
CSRT – Children’s Services Resource Team
FBA-P – Functional Behavioural Assessment with Planning
ICMP – Integrated Case Management Plan
IEP – Individual Education Plan
LSS – Learning Support Services
PBSP – Positive Behaviour Support Plan
PISP – Provincial Integration Support Program
POPARD – Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders
POPFASD – Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders
SBT – School Based Team
SET-BC – Special Education Technology
Adapted Program
An adapted program retains the learning outcomes of the prescribed curriculum, but adaptations are provided so the student can participate successfully in the program. These adaptations can include alternate formats (e.g., Braille, books-ontape), instructional strategies (e.g., use of interpreters, visual cues, and aids), and assessment procedures (e.g., oral exams, additional time). School personnel should document the adaptations provided for the student. Students on adapted programs are assessed using the standards for the course/program and can receive full credit for their work and credit toward a Dogwood certificate.
Adjudication
The ministry recognizes there are circumstances under which a student may be unable to demonstrate his or her learning on provincial exams using standard procedures and formats. Adjudication is the process that determines if a student qualifies for adapted exam conditions. Adjudication falls into two categories: predictable, and unpredictable circumstances. For more information.
Assessment
Assessment is the systematic gathering of information about what students know, are able to do and are working toward. Assessment should be continuous, collaborative, consultative and based on an agreed upon set of criteria.
Collaborative Consultation
Collaborative Consultation is a process in which people work together to solve a common problem or address a common concern. A successful collaborative process is characterized by the following features: it is voluntary; there is mutual trust and open communication among the people involved; identification/clarification of the problem to be addressed is a shared task; the goal is shared by all participants; each participant’s contribution is valued equally; all participants’ skills are employed in identifying and selecting problem-solving strategies; and there is shared responsibility for the program or strategy initiated.
Case Manager
Usually, the person appointed by the School Based Team to supervise the development of an IEP for a specific student with special needs. Responsibilities include organizing and chairing meetings, acting as the school liaison for matters concerning that student, and seeing that IEP goals are met.
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiating instruction means creating multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process. It allows students to take greater responsibility and ownership for their own learning, and provides opportunities for peer teaching and cooperative learning.
Dogwood Certificate
The diploma issued to students who fulfill graduation requirements in either the regular Secondary School Graduation Program or the Adult Education Program.
Evaluation
Evaluation is a judgment about the quality of a response, product or performance, based on established criteria and standards. Assessing, evaluating and reporting student achievement and growth are integral to learning. They can be positive, supportive experiences for students. (Ministry of Education, 2004)
Formative Assessment
Ongoing collection of data used to determine if expectations are achieved (e.g., anecdotal records, checklists, learning logs, portfolios, student-self evaluation etc.)
Guided Reading
A small group, explicit reading instructional strategy during which homogeneous groups of children work with the teacher to build and practice successful reading strategies. All group members are working with text that has been carefully selected to match their developmental reading level. The focus is to facilitate the children’s successful use of reading strategies, confirming for the child “I can do this by myself.”
Graduation Concerns
Adjudication:
Grad Portfolio Requirements:
Graduation Program:
Dogwood Diploma for students currently in Gr. 10, 11, 12 enrolled in the Graduation Program and are on a path leading to a Dogwood Diploma:
Adult Dogwood Diploma: the student must be at least 19 years of age and must take at least three of their courses leading towards graduation as an adult:
Student Completion Certificate (see below in this glossary for explanation):
High School to Post Secondary or Career:
Hearing Impairment
- Deaf – A deaf person is one who cannot hear sounds below 55 decibels in his best ear.
- Hard of Hearing – a person with any level of hearing loss, from mild to profound, whose primary method of communication is the spoken language.
They have a hearing loss to the extent that makes difficult, but does not preclude, the understanding of speech through the ear alone, with or without a hearing aid. The hard of hearing tend to seek to remain in the mainstream of society.
Inclusion
The education of all students within their neighbourhood school. Schools and classrooms are seen as communities of learners in which people with diverse backgrounds and abilities work and learn together.
Indirect Service
Support provided for teachers or students with special learning or language needs which does not involve working directly with the student on skill or concept development, but rather with other factors that impact the student or the learning environment, such as curriculum planning, liaison meetings, or adapting materials. Also known as consultative service.
Informal Assessment
Any screening tool that allows the teacher to observe or interact with learners in a “real-life” context. This is usually done via checklists or some form of note-taking.
Integration
A major strategy used to achieve an inclusive philosophy. Integration sees students with special needs included in educational settings with their peers who do not have special needs, and provided with the necessary accommodations and adaptations.
Integrated Case Management Plan
Integrated support plans developed for students with special needs through the collaborative efforts of school support personnel, government ministries, healthcare personnel and/or community agencies.
Intellectual Disabilities
A student is considered to have an intellectual disability if intellectual functioning is more than two standard deviations below the norm on an individually administered Level C assessment instrument of intellectual functioning, and there is delayed adaptive behaviour and functioning of similar degree. Students can experience intellectual disabilities across a range: mild to moderate to severe to profound. Students with Intellectual Disabilities: A Resource for Teachers
Learning Disability
Refers to a number of disorders that may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual disabilities.
Modified Program
Changes made to a student’s program or instruction which reflect a completely personalized education plan or significantly alter the learning outcomes of the prescribed course or subject. A modified program has learning outcomes which are substantially different from the prescribed curriculum, and specifically selected to meet the student’s special needs.
Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy (PT/OT)
Physiotherapy is a professional health discipline primarily directed toward the prevention and alleviation of movement dysfunction to promote maximal independence for the student in his/her home, school and community. Occupational therapy is a professional health discipline that utilizes the analysis and application of activities specifically related to performance in the areas of selfcare, productivity, and leisure. In a school setting, occupational therapists work to promote, maintain, and develop the skills needed by students to be functional in a school setting.
POPARD
The Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders is a provincial program that school districts can access for capacity building and student consultation.
Psychometric Assessment
Specialized assessment of intelligence, personality, and information processing completed by, or under the direction of, a psychologist. For further information consult with your school Psychologist.
Scaffolding
Support for learning through instruction, modeling, questioning or feedback that is adjusted to the learner’s needs, by providing ‘just enough’ support to encourage independent use of strategies. This concept is based on Vygotzsky’s (1978) theory of the ‘zone of proximal development’.
School Based Team
School Based Team is comprised of a small group of regularly attending members which usually includes the principal, learning support teacher, counsellor and a classroom teacher. This group meets to support classroom teachers in meeting the needs of students with special needs. When a teacher has a concern the team meets to collaboratively problem solve and develop an action plan. The team may provide consultation on instructional or classroom management strategies, planning and coordination of services for a student, or access to additional school, district, community or regional agencies.
School Completion Certificate
Awarded to students who complete the goals and objectives stated in their Student Learning Plan (SLP) or Individual Education Plan (IEP), as agreed upon by the student, parent and school administration. Students do not need to graduate in order to qualify for a School Completion Certificate. They may be on an adjusted or modified Grade 12 Program.
Student Review Meetings
Besides meeting to plan for individual student needs, School Based Teams often meet on a regular basis to discuss and review groups or classes. Periodic, scheduled student review meetings facilitate the collaboration of the school administrator, learning assistance teachers, classroom teachers and other support staff. The strong advantage is that the administrator and staff members work together to become informed about the strengths and needs of all students’ in the group and are able to share the decision making to best meet the needs of the class or group. General review meetings most often take place at the beginning and/or end of the school year.
Summative Assessment
Collection of data on which to judge the student’s achievements in relation to some standard of excellence or in relation to some body of knowledge (scoring rubrics with exemplars, subject area tests, projects, etc.)
Universal Design for Learning
UDL is a framework that can help you turn the challenges posed by high standards and increasing learner diversity into opportunities to maximize learning for every student. Drawing upon new knowledge of how the brain works and new technologies and media now available for teaching and learning, UDL frames a systematic approach to setting goals, choosing or creating flexible materials and media, and assessing students accurately
Visually Impaired
Normal vision represents 6/6m (20/20 feet). A visual acuity of 6/60 m means that the visually impaired person sees at 6m what a person with normal vision sees at 60m. 6/60 vision is defined as legal blindness and gives access to specific government services and allowances. Legally blind persons, however, may have residual vision and function with visual aids. For this reason, educational services may classify the students as partially sighted or functionally blind.