Special Populations (Special Education, 504, EB) Glossary of Terms

Helpful Information for ARD Meetings

Special Education in AISD

Austin ISD is committed to providing quality services for all students. Special education refers to instruction that is specially designed to meet each student's needs throughout the school day. All students are general education students first, and the provision of special education and related services, or Section 504 accommodations and supplementary aids and services, are provided in addition to general education—not in place of it. 

The Special Education team ensures children who receive special education services are provided with access to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. We are committed to ensuring students with disabilities receive maximum access to the general education curriculum through a continuum of services and the use of inclusive evidence-based practices.

Inclusive Practices

Inclusive education means creating an educational environment where all students have the opportunity to participate and learn. The Department of Special Education and members of the Austin ISD Inclusion Workgroup developed a set of principles (Austin ISD Guiding Principles of Inclusion). that guides our implementation of inclusive practices. The principles align with special education law that requires school districts to include all students to the maximum opportunity appropriate to learn with children who do not have disabilities—in academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities. This part of IDEA is called Least Restrictive Environment or LRE.