| Do you sometimes wonder what some of the | | | | 9. IEE's: stands for an Independent Educational |
| Acronyms in special education mean? Do the | | | | Evaluation. These are initiated and paid for by parents, |
| acronyms make your head spin? This article will | | | | to help determine their child's disability or educational |
| discuss common special education acronyms and | | | | needs. |
| what they mean. This will make it easier for you to | | | | 10. IEE's at Public Expense: stands for an IEE where |
| actively participate in your child with disabilities | | | | the school district pays for it. There are rules that apply |
| education. | | | | to this, that you must learn before requesting an IEE at |
| 1. FAPE: stands for Free Appropriate Public Education. | | | | public expense. Many special education personnel try |
| Each child has the right under IDEA to receive a free | | | | and do things that are not allowed under IDEA, so you |
| appropriate public education. | | | | need to educate yourself. |
| 2. IDEA: stands for the Individuals with Disabilities | | | | 11. ASD: stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder, which |
| Education Act; which is the federal law that applies to | | | | some school districts use in their paperwork. |
| special education. | | | | 12. ADD: stands for Attention Deficit Disorder. |
| 3. IDEA 2004: This is the federal law that was | | | | 13. ADHD: stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity |
| reauthorized in 2004. If you see this in an article, it | | | | Disorder. |
| usually means that something was changed in IDEA, | | | | 14. PWN: stands for Prior Written Notice. Parents must |
| by the reauthorization in 2004. | | | | be given PWN when the school district wants to |
| 4. LEA: stands for the local educational agency, which | | | | change things in the child's IEP. (such as eligibility, |
| is your local school district. | | | | change services, refuse to change services etc.). |
| 5. SEA: stands for the state educational agency, which | | | | 15. ABA: stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis that is |
| is your states board of education. | | | | an educational treatment for Autism. |
| 6. IEP: stands for the Individual Educational Plan, which | | | | 16. SID: stands for Sensory Integration Disorder. A lot |
| must be developed for every child that receives | | | | of children with Autism have difficulty with sensory |
| special education services. | | | | integration. |
| 7. LRE: stands for Least Restrictive Environment. LRE | | | | 17. SPD: stands for Sensory Processing Disorder |
| means that children with disabilities need to be | | | | which is the same as above, but some people in the |
| educated in the least restrictive environment, in which | | | | special education field, call it different names. |
| they can learn. LRE starts at the regular classroom, | | | | By understanding the acronyms used by special |
| and becomes more restrictive. | | | | education personnel, you can be a better advocate for |
| 8. NCLB: stands for the No Child Left Behind Act. | | | | an appropriate education for your child. |