Autism & SEN glossary

Acronyms, abbreviations, and terms used across autism diagnosis, therapy, school, and funding.

• 504 Plan (Section 504 Plan)
• AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
• ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis)
• ACC (Accommodation)
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
• ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
• ADEK (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge)
• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised)
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living)
• ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule)
• AET (Autism Education Trust)
• AIT (Auditory Integration Training)
• ALT (Alternative Learning Expectations)
• APE (Adaptive Physical Education)
• AS (Asperger syndrome)
• ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition)
• ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
• ASL (American Sign Language)
• AT (Assistive Technology)
• AccessOAP
• BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst)
• BIP (Behaviour Intervention Plan)
• CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
• CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder)
• CDA (Community Development Authority (Dubai))
• CDB (Child Disability Benefit (Canada))
• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• CP (Cerebral Palsy)
• CYC (Child and Youth Counsellor)
• CanTRA (Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association)
• Co-occurring (Co-occurring Conditions)
• DD (Developmental Disability)
• DHA (Dubai Health Authority)
• DHOH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
• DIR/Floortime (Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based model)
• DLD (Developmental Language Disorder)
• DOH (Department of Health (Abu Dhabi))
• DS (Down syndrome)
• DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition)
• DTC (Disability Tax Credit (Canada))
• DTT (Discrete Trial Training)
• EA (Educational Assistant)
• EAL (English as an Additional Language)
• EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)
• EI (Early Intervention)
• ELL (English Language Learner)
• ESDM (Early Start Denver Model)
• ESL (English as a Second Language)
• ESY (Extended School Year)
• EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)
• Echolalia
• Eloping (Eloping / Wandering)
• FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)
• FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)
• FBA (Functional Behaviour Assessment)
• FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
• GAP (Good Autism Practice)
• GDD (Global Developmental Delay)
• GE (General Education)
• GFCF (Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet)
• GT (Gifted and Talented)
• HCBS (Home and Community Based Services)
• HFA (High-Functioning Autism)
• HHS (Department of Health and Human Services)
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
• Hyperlexia
• I/DD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
• IA (Instructional Assistant)
• IBI (Intensive Behavioural Intervention)
• ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition)
• ID (Intellectual Disability)
• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
• IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation)
• IEP (Individualized Education Program)
• IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan)
• ILP (Individual Learning Plan)
• IPP (Individual Program Plan)
• IPRC (Identification, Placement and Review Committee)
• ISP (Inclusion Support Plan)
• ITP (Individualized Transition Plan)
• Inclusion (Inclusive Education)
• Itinerant Teacher
• KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority)
• LA (Local Authority)
• LD (Learning Disability)
• LEA (Local Education Agency)
• LI (Language Impairment)
• LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)
• LS (Learning Support)
• LSA (Learning Support Assistant)
• MDR (Manifestation Determination Review)
• MDT (Multidisciplinary Team)
• MID (Mild Intellectual Disability)
• MOCE (Ministry of Community Empowerment)
• MOD (Modification)
• MOE (Ministry of Education (UAE))
• MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention)
• Masking (Masking / Camouflaging)
• Meltdown
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• NAS (National Autistic Society)
• ND (Neurodivergent)
• NHS (National Health Service)
• NIH (National Institutes of Health)
• NT (Neurotypical)
• OAP (Ontario Autism Program)
• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)
• ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program)
• OHI (Other Health Impairment)
• OSR (Ontario Student Record)
• OT (Occupational Therapy / Occupational Therapist)
• PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
• PCA (Personal Care Attendant)
• PCP (Person Centered Planning)
• PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
• PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified)
• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
• PEP (Personal Education Plan)
• PLEP (Present Level of Educational Performance)
• POD (People of Determination)
• POD Card (People of Determination Card)
• PP (Paraprofessional)
• PPM (Policy / Program Memorandum)
• PT (Physiotherapy / Physical Therapy)
• RAG (Red, Amber, Green)
• RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)
• RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan)
• RS (Related Services)
• RTI (Response to Intervention)
• SEA (Special Equipment Amount (Canada) — also State Education Agency (US))
• SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee)
• SEN (Special Educational Needs)
• SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator)
• SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
• SENISS (Special Educational Needs Inclusion Support Service)
• SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher)
• SI (Sensory Integration)
• SIP (Special Incidence Portion)
• SLD (Specific Learning Disability)
• SLI (Speech or Language Impairment)
• SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist)
• SLT (Speech and Language Therapist)
• SOD (Student of Determination)
• SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder)
• SPEA (Sharjah Private Education Authority)
• SPED (Special Education)
• SSDI (Social Security Disability Income)
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
• Sanad Card (Sanad Card (Dubai))
• Shadow Teacher (Shadow Teacher (UAE))
• Shutdown
• Stim (Stimming / Self-stimulatory behaviour)
• TA (Teaching Assistant)
• TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
• TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children)
• TS (Tourette syndrome)
• Thiqa (Thiqa (Abu Dhabi))
• UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
• VR (Vocational Rehabilitation)
• ZHO (Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination)