Tuesday, October 04, 2005

N.G.W.A.

(Not Good With Acronyms)

In Educational Psychology, the TA brought in a guest speaker who works with special ed kids and does referrals. I know that every profession has, and likes to foster, its own isoteric jargon and specialized acronyms, but special ed takes the cake. In one half-hour session, I heard her use all of the following:
  • IDEA - the Individuals with Disabilities Act
  • NCLB - No Child Left Behind
  • LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
  • PPCD - Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities
  • ARD - Admission, Review and Dismissal
  • SST - Student Support Team
  • HIV- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • AIDS - Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome
  • OCD - Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder
  • ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • LD - Learning Disability
  • AU - Autism (what the hell? That's not an acronym!)
  • MR - Mental Retardation
  • ED - Emotional Disturbance
  • OHI - Other Health Impairment
Yeesh!

We also had the opportunity to write assessments of the class. I noted down that Mr. S just repeats the text, which is not informative, and that I'd rather have supplemental info.

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