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When Acronyms Attack: Navigating the Murky Waters of Special Education Terminology

  

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When Acronyms Attack: Navigating the Murky Waters of Special Education Terminology
Danielle Mele, Clinical Coordinator, Assessment Program

We love acronyms and abbreviations in America, and rightfully so since they can serve an important purpose.  Such verbal devices can help us to remember important information and to communicate quickly and effectively with others.  But when people are unfamiliar with the lingo, acronyms can be harmful; this is especially true in the context of special education.  Many parents have told me that they often feel confused by the acronyms and abbreviations used during special education meetings and they often feel too embarrassed to ask what they mean because everyone else in the room seems to know. When people use jargon it can seem like they are speaking another language!  Cracking the code on this secret language may seem like an overwhelming task so we will start small.  Below is a brief review of the top 4 special education acronyms and abbreviations.  Drum roll please…

1.      IDEA

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law that is designed to ensure that children with disabilities are identified, evaluated and when appropriate provided with accommodations and services.

• IDEA is linked to federal special education funding.
• Provides a list of that schools used to determine if a student has a disability.

2.      IEP

        Individualized Education Program

• Part of IDEA.
• An IEP is a written contract between the parent and the school about the accommodations and services the student will receive, as well as more specific details about the program.  This document should be tailored to student’s unique strengths and needs.
• An IEP is developed after a child has been identified as an individual with a disability.  IEP Eligibility is determined by a comprehensive psycho-educational assessment that includes input from important people in the student’s life (e.g. caregivers, teachers).  The results of this assessment are reviewed by the special education team, which includes caregivers, teachers, a school administrator, and a school psychologist or other professional that is qualified to review the results of the assessment.
• In order to be deemed a student with a disability it must be determined that a disability is present AND that the disability is having a substantial, negative impact on their educational performance.

3.      Section 504/504 Plan

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial funds. Section 504 states that: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . .”

• The definition of an individual with a disability is more broadly defined in Section 504 than in IDEA: “An individual with a disability means any person who: (i) has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity; (ii) has a record of such an impairment; or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment” [34 C.F.R. §104.3(j)(1)].
• A student can be eligible for a 504 Plan if they have a documented disability even if this disability doesn’t directly impact academic performance.  For example a student with a severe peanut allergy could have a 504 Plan.

4.      FAPE

Free and Appropriate Public Education refers to the fact that every child in the U.S. has the right to a free and appropriate public education.  The functional definition of appropriate varies based upon student needs, which is why students with disabilities have a right to different programs and services. A student’s school district is responsible for developing a plan about how to provide a free and appropriate public education.

5.      LRE

Least Restrictive Environment is also part of IDEA and requires public schools (to the maximum extent possible) to educate students with disabilities alongside peers that do not have disabilities.  A student should receive their education in the most typical or least restrictive setting possible.  The least restrictive setting is a typical classroom while a more restrictive would be a self-contained classroom or a school housed in a residential treatment facility.

This is a small sampling of special education jargon, so there are plenty of other terms that require decoding.  What special education terms, acronyms, or abbreviations would you add to this list?

Chesapeake Bay Academy: 504 Plan & IEP explained: fox43tv.com