Making sense of acronyms

Do the acronyms used in Education drive you a little batty? Confusing as they are, teachers and administrators use these acronyms as easily as they breathe, often giving out the air that everyone knows exactly what they mean.

Here is a list of the most commonly used acronyms in Special Education, and their definitions.

• SPED - Special Education
• Reg.Ed or Gen Ed - refers to the General education setting.
• IEP - Individualized Education Plan
• SLD - Specific Learning Disability
• SLI - Speech/Language Imapairment
• A - refers to the Autistic Spectrum and its disorders
• OHI - Other Health Impairment
• ED - Emotional Disability
• OT - Occupational Therapy (often refers to fine-motor function)
• PT - Physical Therapy (often refers to gross-motor function)
• PLEP or PLAAFP- refers to a students Present Level of Educational Performance or Present Level of Academic Achievement  and Functionial Performance.  In other words, how is the student doing RIGHT NOW in school.
• WISC/WIAT/WJIII  - these are terms used to describe some of the most commonly used psycho-educational tests.

Your own state, district and school may have their own short-cut language too.  Never feel afraid to ask what those acronyms mean!! You have a right to know!!

Educationally yours,
The SpEd Guru