BLAME IT ON THE ACRONYMS By Lucas Munson

FTF (First Things First) ■ In this speech, we will go over: – A basis of Special Education – IDEA – IEP – RTI – LRE

A Basic Breakdown: Special Education. ■ Special Education is “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability” (idea. ed. gov)

IDEA ■ Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – “a federal law [1975] that requires schools to serve the educational needs of eligible students with disabilities. ” (understood. org)

IEP ■ Individualized Education Program – “an important legal document. It spells out your child’s learning needs, the services the school will provide and how progress will be measured. ” (understood. org)

RTI ■ Response to Intervention – “closely monitoring student progress. That way the school can see which kids need more academic support. ” (understood. org)

LRE ■ Least Restrictive Environment – This is an environment that will support the student. This placement could be very crucial and may require a school change. (understood. org)

There is always someone to talk to. ■ Services Available ■ You are not alone.

Help Wanted: PARENTS ■ Contact the Teacher ■ Support Your Child ■ Participate

More Support ■ Counselor ■ Teacher ■ Websites ■ Class Parties

Closing Remarks ■ Acronyms ■ Participation ■ Your Support

Reflection ■ As a student who is studying to be a general education teacher, these acronyms can get confusing to me. With that said, these acronyms are also the biggest part of Special Education. Once your figure out what the acronym means, it is like a world has opened up. When you learn what an acronym means and what it can do for the child, it is amazing to hear. My thought is that if I have this reaction as a pre-service teacher, just think of what parents would think! They would see these acronyms come to life and see what they can really do for their child. This reaction would be amazing. ■ Another component that I stressed was to comfort the parent. Even thought knowledge is the best medicine, I know that sometimes people need words of wisdom and not just facts thrown at them. I want parents of disabled children to realize how much they are respected and praised, purely for being a parent to their child. Parenting is difficult as is, and even more difficult with things like this thrown on top. I would hate for parents to approach the subject with a negative attitude and now allow for progress to be made.

References ■ Clayton, D. (n. d. ). 20 Things for Parents of Kids with Special Needs. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http: //www. abilities. com/community/parents-20 things. html ■ Lee, A. M. (2014). How IDEA Protects You and Your Child. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from https: //www. understood. org/en/school-learning/your-childs-rights/basics-aboutchilds-rights/how-idea-protects-you-and-your-child ■ Morin, A. (2014). Understanding Response to Intervention. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from https: //www. understood. org/en/school-learning/special-services/rti/understandingresponse-to-intervention ■ Special Education Resources and Links for Parents and Teachers. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http: //www. specialeducationguide. com/pre-k-12/tools-andresearch/support-and-resources-for-parents-and-teachers/ ■ Stan berry, K. (2014). Understanding Individualized Education Programs. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from https: //www. understood. org/en/school-learning/specialservices/ieps/understanding-individualized-education-programs ■ Support for Special Needs | for parents with kids who have special needs. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http: //supportforspecialneeds. com/ ■ Taub, D. (n. d. ). Understanding the Concerns of Parents of Students with Disabilities: Challenges and Roles for School Counselors. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http: //www. readingrockets. org/article/understanding-concerns-parents-studentsdisabilities-challenges-and-roles-school-counselors