Important Abbreviations
Abbreviations are often used for medical and educational terms. This can be very confusing to parents at the beginning of a new process where the words and terms are still unfamiliar. We have listed many of them below to help you learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorders.
A
- AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- ADA – American with Disabilities Act
- ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder
- ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- AE – Age Equivalent
- AIT – Auditory Integration Therapy
- AS – Asperger’s Syndrome
- ASD – Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- ASL – American Sign Language
- ASPIE – A person with Asperger’s Syndrome
B
- BD/ED – Behavior Disordered / Emotionally Disturbed
- BOCES – Board of Cooperative Educational Services
- BOE – Board of Education
- BP – Bi-Polar (formerly manic-depressive)
C
- CAPD – Central Auditory Processing Disorder
- CNS – Central Nervous System
- CPSE – Committee on Preschool Special Education
- CSE – Committee on Special Education
D
- DD – Developmental Disability
- DSM-IV – Diagnostic Statistical Manual (edition IV)
- DX – Diagnosis
E
- ED – Emotionally Disturbance
F
- FAPE – Free and Appropriate Public Education
- FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
H
- HFA – High Functioning Autism
I
- IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Act
- IEP – Individualized Education Program
- IH – Impartial Hearing
- IQ – Intelligence Quotient
L
- LD – Learning Disability (Learning Disabled)
- LRE – Least Restrictive Environment
M
- MR – Mentally Retarded (IQ less than 70)
- MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
N
- NOS – Not Otherwise Specified, usually seen as PDD-NOS
- NT – Neurotypical
O
- OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- ODD – Oppositional-Defiant Disorder
- OHI – Other Health Impaired
- OT – Occupational Therapy
P
- PDD – Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- PET – Positron Emission Tomography
- PT – Physical Therapy
S
- SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder
- SED – State Education Department
- SEIT – Special Education Itinerant Teacher Services
- SETRC – Special Education Training Resource Centers
- SI – Speech Impaired
T
- TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury
- TDD – Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf
- TEACCH – Treatment & Education of Autistic & Related Communication Disorders
- TOM – Theory of Mind
- TS – Tourette’s Syndrome
V
- VESID – Office of Vocational & Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities
- VI – Visually Impaired
- VR – Vocational Rehabilitation
W
- WISC – Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Y
- Yo – Year Old