No nothing special... alot of shops just open all four pepcocks to barely dribble and keep the master cylinder full. That way they can work on other things in the shop and virtually no manpower needed... they let it drip for hours...

Many ABS systems will require a special tool that cycles the valves in the ABS to purge the air out properly. I just bench bled my master cylinder, and bled at the wheels in my truck, without messing with the ABS, and the pedal was a little soft, but returned to almost normal with a little normal driving. My pedal does have a little "spongy" feel, but stops good and has never posed a safety issue. But ,yes, many systems require a special "scanner" to cycle the system.

My dad just had me pump the breaks. It pushes the air and fluid through.

There is no special tool or a different procedure used to bleed ABS brakes. The master cylinder should be bench bled prior to installation (Article on bleeding brakes with a video of bench bleeding a master cylinder http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_7445/automotive_brake_bleeding_exclusive_tech_article.html). After bench bleeding the master cylinder and installing it. The lines will need to be bled going into the master cylinder. If the pedal is still spongy bleeding the brakes at the wheels may also be necessary, be sure to keep adding brake fluid while bleeding so air does not re-enter the system.

There are only a few basic variations in braking systems, but the differences can be critical to safety. Different systems can require different fluids, bleeding procedures, and the like. It is ALWAYS best to consult the manufacturer's specifications as something as simple as choosing the wrong fluid can damage internal parts in the master cylinder, ABS pump, or calipers/wheel cylinders. Once equipped with the proper information, the process is simple to understand, but not always so easy in practice. Be prepared to have fluid running down to your elbows, expect broken bleeder valves, and be prepared to struggle to avoid fluid on your paint at all cost. Some ABS bleeding procedures are tricky or require special tools *IF* anything between the pump and the master cylinder has been open, or fluid has been allowed to evacuate by over-bleeding without keeping the master cylinder full. Remember, leaving lines open while you travel to the parts store with your core in hand will likely lead to your entire system being evacuated by the forces of gravity. Most lines once removed can be capped with a simple set of rubber plugs to keep large amounts of fluid from escaping. Therefore special caution is given to avoid allowing the reservoir to run dry on ABS systems, this almost always requires special procedures to get air out of the ABS module. Without a scan tool that can actuate the ABS module for bleeding purposes, limited success can be met by resorting to gravity, pressure, or vacuum bleeding, but the traditional pumping of the brakes while a second person operates the bleeder valve rarely proves successful. IF the brakes are NOT so spongy as to be unable to stop the vehicle, a few short trips will cycle the ABS and normal bleeding may then prove successful. Remember, even though there are only a few different systems used for braking, the impact of the differences can be huge. Make sure you know your system and specifications before you begin.