School Specialists Glossary

A school team is a critical part of your child's educational journey. Depending on your child's needs, these school team members may provide academic instruction, therapies, health services, and other supports as they work together to help your child access a free, appropriate public education with their peers. The various members of your child's school team may also provide important input about your child's needs and progress during IEP meetings.

Check out this brief overview and get to know the professionals who may be part of your child’s care team.

These specialists provide services outlined in a student’s IEP. They are expected to participate in IEP meetings to discuss the student’s needs and goals if there are concerns within their area of expertise.

• Speech and Language Therapist
  • Also known as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), a speech therapist can administer assessments and treatment in a school setting to help students improve their ability to communicate. Speech therapists may work with individual students or a group, either in a therapy room or in the classroom. They may also consult teachers and school staff.
• Speech and Language Assistant
  • They support SLPs in daily tasks and may administer screenings or treatment as overseen by an SLP.
• AAC Specialist
  • Typically a speech therapist trained in AAC, they perform assessments and provide training for students who need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to access their education. An AAC specialist also helps train staff and family members in the use and maintenance of a student’s AAC system.
• Occupational Therapist
  • Also known as OTs, they “use meaningful activities (occupations) to help children and youth participate in what they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being,” according to the American Occupational Therapy Association. School OTs often focus on fine motor skills such as handwriting and using scissors, but they can also assist with seating posture, dressing and feeding, and sensory issues. (See this article for some of the major differences between school-based and clinic-based therapies.)
• OT Assistant
  • They provide direct assistance to an occupational therapist by helping plan and implement a treatment plan for a student. They may also manage an OT’s records and supplies.
• Physical Therapist
  • Also known as PTs, they can administer assessments and treatment in a school setting to help students with physical challenges learn and socialize with their peers. Physical therapy in a school setting is focused on helping individual students physically access educational resources, such as the student’s ability to safely navigate the campus and the playground.
• Orientation and Mobility Specialist
  • In a school setting, an O&M specialist “works with individuals who are blind, low vision, or who have functional visual limitations, and empowers them to achieve their life goals for education,” according to AVCREP, an organization that certifies O&M specialists. They address “nonvisual, visual, physical, cognitive, and psycho-social aspects related to mobility training.”
• Adaptive Physical Education Specialist
  • An APE specialist may work with an individual or a group of students on activities designed to develop their perceptual and gross motor skills. Their goal is to increase access to physical education.
• Sign Language ASL Interpreter
  • They provide interpretation services in the classroom for students with hearing loss. An ASL interpreter is not an aide or assistant, but they might interpret for one student for the whole day to facilitate communication and access to education.
• Auditory Verbal Specialist
  • They work on active listening and spoken language skills with students who have hearing impairments. They help students with hearing aids or cochlear implants use their technology appropriately.
• Audiologist
  • They can administer assessments and treatment in a school setting. This may include assessment and training for hearing assistance technology.
• Deaf-Blind Technical Assistant
  • They provide communication assistance to students who have both vision and hearing impairments.
• AT Specialist
  • They perform assessments and provide training for students who need assistive technology (AT) to access their education. An AT specialist also helps train staff and family members in the use and maintenance of a student’s AT device.

• Board Certified Behavior Analyst
  • Also known as a BCBA, they use principles from training in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. In a school setting, they may conduct assessments, create behavior plans, and provide direct intervention.
• Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst
  • Also known as a BCaBA, they work under the supervision of a BCBA. They maintain records, gather data, and help implement behavior support plans.
• Behavioral Assistant
  • They help students learn and practice new skills as outlined in the behavior plan. They may also help track data and be available to help de-escalate in crisis situations.
• Intensive Behavioral Instruction (IBI) Aide
  • Also known as an IBI, they typically implement behavior therapy to individuals or small groups. An IBI may assist the classroom teacher in presenting learning materials.

Note: Some school districts, such as LAUSD, use the acronyms BID and BII to describe behavior intervention in schools.