Learning Disabilities Acronyms

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by Eileen Bailey
Friday, May 15, 2009

While trying to navigate educational services for children with LD, you may come across many different acronyms. The following list provides explanations of the most commonly used acronyms.

AYP
Adequate Yearly Progress

Each state sets minimum requirements for the state, school districts and individual schools to meet. The AYP is the measure of yearly progress toward achieving these goals.

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

This is a federal lay that provides civil rights to individuals with disabilities. The law guarantees equal opportunity for people with disabilities in employment, transportation, state and local governments services, telecommunications and public accommodations.

ADHD and ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactivity

A disorder characterized by inability to sustain attention, impulsivity, inability to focus or concentrate and can include hyperactivity.

AMAO

Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives

Each state is required to set goals in regards to the proficiency of children receiving Title III funds. Goals must be set in regards to the number of children making progress learning English, the number of children reaching English proficiency and the number of children meeting the AYP.

APD

Auditory Processing Disorder

A disorder characterized by inability to process and interpret sound. A student with APD may not be able to distinguish between like sounding words or letters.

BICS

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills

Basic language abilities required for face-to-face communication. This is different than Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency (CALP), as this is a conversational language skill and can be accompanied by hand gestures. This type of language skill is easier to grasp than CALP but may not be sufficient to succeed in the classroom.

BIP

Behavioral Intervention Plan

A plan developed to help provide strategies, modifications and aids to address a student's behavior, especially disruptive behavior in the classroom or at school.

CALP
Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency

In order to achieve academic proficiency, students must be able to understand and comprehend the English language, both orally, such as in lectures and written, such as textbooks. The ability to do so is called Cognitive/Academic Language Proficiency.

CAPD

Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Our brains take in sound waves, change them to electrical energy and then interpret the sound to something meaningful. When someone has an auditory processing disorder, (also referred to as central auditory processing disorder - CAPD) somewhere, this sequence of events does not work correctly, either in the actual processing of the sound or the interpretation of the sound. Hearing is not a cause of auditory processing disorder. Most people with APD have normal hearing.

ECELL

Early Childhood English Language Learner

A child between the ages of birth and five that is learning English as a second language.