Individualized Education Program Process Research Articles

Using a Social Model to Guide Individualized Education Program Development and Change Educational Paradigms to Be Critically Inclusive.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act explicitly acknowledges disability as a natural part of the human experience. However, special education services, including speech-language services, often focus on remediating the characteristics of the individual with the disability rather than addressing the disabling conditions of the school environment or leveraging the supports and resources available or potentially available to the student. The purpose of this article is to provide a social model of disability framework to guide Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and change educational paradigms around language and communication. A discussion of a new theoretical framework, critical inclusion, is situated within the speech-language pathologist's role in the IEP process. An argument for adopting an integrative approach to service delivery through the social model of disability is provided. The Social Communication and Engagement Triad framework is then used to illustrate a social model of disability approach to assessment, IEP goal development, and service delivery case examples. Speech-language pathologists and all educators have a responsibility for creating a space where all learners belong and diversity in all aspects is celebrated. Embracing a social model of disability approach to the IEP process can support practitioners in their work toward creating a more equitable and inclusive education system.

“Be Prepared to Fight Like Hell”: Parent Advice for IEP Meetings

ABSTRACT The individualized education program (IEP) process can be difficult for many parents of children with disabilities to navigate. Analyzing qualitative data from a national, web-based survey, this study examined parent experiences during IEP meetings, as well as advice parents have for other families participating in the IEP process. Participants included 803 parents of school-aged students with disabilities who had a current IEP from across the U.S. Results indicated that parent experiences during IEP meetings varied; however, over half of respondents described negative experiences. Further, parents offered advice for others participating in IEP meetings regarding preparedness, support, advocacy, the potential for negative meetings, being a team member, and strategies and tips for successful parent involvement in educational planning. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

From Compliance to Engagement: Staff Perceptions of Working with Spanish-Speaking Families in the IEP Process

ABSTRACT Earlier studies have suggested that Latine families are often not authentically engaged in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process; interactions tend to be fraught with miscommunication, misunderstanding, and lack of genuine consent. To date, only a handful of studies considering teacher perceptions of parent involvement have examined how school personnel view Latine family involvement. This qualitative study utilized interaction theory to explore how school personnel prepare and perceive Spanish-speaking families within the IEP process in a midsize district East of Los Angeles. These findings suggest that team members had a distinct perception of family participation, which was rooted in their level of involvement with the IEP process.

The Importance of following Legal Requirements: Factors that Lead to Parent Satisfaction with the Individualized Education Program Meeting Process

ABSTRACT The individualized education program (IEP) is often referred to as the most important plan designed to provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education that requires families and professionals to collaborate for student success. Using qualitative methodology, we examined four focus groups of 43 parents of students with disabilities about their experiences with the IEP meeting process, including suggestions for improvement. Findings revealed parental satisfaction was mostly associated with practices that fell within the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Key practices that lead to parent satisfaction included: (a) conveying a strengths-based perspective about the student, (b) utilizing meeting strategies, (c) working together as a team, (d) bringing outside support to the meeting, (e) learning about the IEP process ahead of time, and (f) having a supportive educator available to advocate for the student. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Parents of children who are deafblind face challenges in fostering collaboration within individualized education program teams

Although active parent involvement is mandated as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents continue to report dissatisfaction with Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Despite increases in parent participation policy since the adoption of IDEA, the parent–professional partnership originally envisioned by lawmakers is arguably not consistent with practice. This is evident for all families with children who represent the 13 disability categories covered under the auspice of IDEA; however, because deafblindness is a low-incidence disability with a heterogeneous population, this study focuses on families with children who are deafblind. Parents of children who are deafblind have unique challenges before, during, and after IEP meetings. Professional knowledge about deafblindness is often lacking, thereby requiring families to gain and share knowledge on their own. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to gain an understanding of what leads parents to develop advocacy strategies, and how parents view collaboration. Fourteen mothers of children who are deafblind were interviewed about the unique and essential perspectives that they have concerning IEP team meetings and collaboration. The following questions were posed: RQ: What experiences lead parents of children who are deafblind to develop and use collaborative skills with their child’s IEP team? The challenges parents experience falls into two distinct themes: (a) challenges associated with the deafblind population in schools and (b) challenges with the IEP process. Parent views on collaboration are also discussed. Educators who read this study will better understand the unique experiences of parents of children who are deafblind in IEP meetings.

Intentional Collaboration With Speech-Language Pathologists to Support Language Outcomes of Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This article argues for intentional collaboration between teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders and speech-language pathologists. After providing a rationale, we detail how special education teachers can leverage the expertise of speech-language pathologists during the Individualized Education Program process. We provide actionable steps that special education teachers and speech-language pathologists can take together to improve the identification, assessment, and subsequent support of language difficulty in students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Beyond the Dotted Line: Empowering Parents From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families to Participate

Parent participation in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process is a critical factor in improving the effectiveness of children’s special education programs and services. However, many families, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds, are unfamiliar with the IEP process and their rights under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For families with young children with special needs in preschool, this process may be even more daunting when they may have just transitioned from early intervention services to the school system. The article will focus on the critical need for early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers to support and empower families to become active participants in their child’s IEP. The article will 1) examine the importance of cultural self-awareness in developing collaborative relationships with families, 2) discuss supports for CLD families, and 3) provide an easy-to-follow checklist for ECSE teachers as they support and empower CLD families to become active participants in their children’s IEP.

Barriers and Recommendations From Parents in Rural Areas: Experiences With Individualized Education Programs

This study explored the experiences of Head Start parents who were becoming involved in their pre-school–age children’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Seven participants from the rural Midwest engaged in focus group ( n = 2) or interview ( n = 1) format discussions regarding barriers to involvement in the IEP process and recommendations to alleviate these barriers. Qualitative analysis with thematic coding was used to interpret the data. Results indicated that parents believed they lacked necessary information that could increase their advocacy for their children and reported the wording of the IEP was too difficult to understand. In addition, parents felt that their negative emotions barred them from being active members at IEP meetings. Parents noted that Head Start’s encouragement and positive parent–teacher communication helped alleviate some barriers but believed that a yearly class on IEPs and more frequent one-on-one meetings would help them become better advocates for their young children.

Role Play: Actualizing the IEP Meeting for Pre-Service Teachers

Teacher preparation programs provide numerous teaching and learning opportunities for pre-service teachers; however, participating in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting is not an experience that can be guaranteed. Leading and participating in IEP meetings are a responsibility that all special education teachers will be held accountable for, but many pre-service teachers will never be able to observe a real IEP meeting before entering the field. In this qualitative case study, the researcher utilizes a simulated IEP meeting to provide pre-service teachers with experience in participating in an IEP meeting prior to entering the profession. The case study method is utilized to examine the perceptions and experiences of pre-service teachers following the simulated IEP meeting experience. Findings in this study support the use of role-play in developing a greater understanding of the IEP process, from program development to the IEP meeting itself.

Teachers' attitudes and the challenges they experience concerning individualized education program (IEP): A mixed method study

In this study, it was aimed to examine teachers' attitudes and challenges they experience concerning Individualized Education Program (IEP). Explanatory sequential design, one of the mixed methods, was used in this study. The study group of this study consists of 100 teachers working in the central districts of Van, Turkey within 2019-2020 academic year. In data collection, the scales of “Determining the Attitudes towards IEP Preparation Process”, “Determining the Challenges Concerning IEP Preparation Process” and a semi-structured interview form were used. Findings demonstrated that teachers have positive views about the IEP process, and the implementation of IEP is useful and essential. Concerning the challenges they experience during the IEP process, the teachers think that they do not have sufficient information about the planning, implementation and assessment/evaluation processes of IEP, the school/classroom is physically inadequate, and the classes are crowded in the implementation of IEP. In addition, it was found that as the positive attitudes of the teachers towards IEP increased, the challenges they encountered during the IEP process decreased. Based on the results of this study, it can be suggested that teachers should receive in-service training, physical conditions should be improved, the class size should be reduced, and cooperation should be provided between the family, classroom teachers and guidance counselor in order to conduct IEP in a healthier way.

Mothers' Perceptions of Satisfaction, Trust, and Power in the Individualized Education Program Process

Abstract Parent involvement in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) is a foundational tenet of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Unfortunately, mothers, the parent most likely to attend the IEP meeting, often report negative perceptions and even feelings of disillusion with the IEP process. Including mothers as equal members of the IEP team is crucial to student success, especially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To determine the extent of mothers' satisfaction, trust, and perception of the power of the IEP process, we surveyed 929 mothers of students with disabilities. Survey results indicate mothers are neither overly satisfied nor dissatisfied with the process, but almost always perceive an imbalance of power between IEP team members. A high percentage of mothers reported experiences with bullying, coercion, and shame. The findings suggest that more efforts are needed to empower mothers during the IEP process and improve parent-school partnerships.

Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) Information Brief February 2021

Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) Information Brief February 2021

Strategies to Increase Self-, Student, and Discipline Advocacy in Adapted Physical Education

While sharing some characteristics with their general physical education colleagues, adapted physical educators also face unique challenges related to their role. For example, both general and adapted physical education teachers encounter stress stemming from the marginalized nature of their discipline but may navigate such experiences differently. Adapted physical education teachers often serve in itinerant roles travelling among multiple schools and may provide services for upwards of 100 students. They must also have a functional understanding of a wide variety of disabilities, individualize instruction for each student, collaborate with service providers across several schools, and be an active team member in the individualized education program process. As a result, they may need to advocate for themselves, their students, and the role of the discipline in different and unique ways. Drawing from research on general and adapted physical education teacher socialization, and available research-informed practices, the purpose of this paper is to describe the unique stressors associated with teaching adapted physical education and strategies they may implement as part of local advocacy.

“It’s My Meeting!”: Involving High School Students With Significant Disabilities in the Individualized Education Program Process

“It’s My Meeting!”: Involving High School Students With Significant Disabilities in the Individualized Education Program Process

Least Restrictive Environment Decision Making in Physical Education

Purpose: To examine how physical educators and adapted physical educators make decisions regarding the implementation of the least restrictive environment law and what factors influence those practices. Methods: This study utilized a descriptive survey design through an online platform. Participants included 78 teachers (30 physical educators and 48 adapted physical educators). Descriptive statistics and group comparisons through a multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Results: A significant difference in the implementation of the law between physical educators and adapted physical educators was detected, F(44, 33) = 2.60, p = .003; Wilk’s Λ = .224, . Adapted physical educators were more involved in making decisions regarding the individualized education program process and student placement. Access to qualified staff was reported as a major barrier to implementation. Discussion/Conclusion: The implementation of the least restrictive environment law and its barriers are discussed.

Authentically Preparing Early Childhood Special Education Teachers to Partner with Families

Engaging parents in their children’s education beginning in early childhood leads to improved academic and social outcomes for children (Brannon and Dauksas in PRISM: A Journal of Regional Engagement 1:94–105, 2012). In the field of early childhood special education (ECSE), teachers are likely to have frequent contact with diverse families, as the parent or guardian of a child in special education is a member of the individualized education program (IEP) team. A teacher’s confidence level, or self-efficacy, is associated with the quality of the learning environment, student academic outcomes, and the teacher’s ability to set and reach meaningful goals (Demirtas in Journal of Education and Training Studies 6:111–125, 2018). Therefore, ECSE teachers would greatly benefit from beginning their teaching careers with high levels of self-efficacy about collaborating with diverse families. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively measure, (a) ECSE student teachers’ self-efficacy building partnerships with families, and (b) how adequately ECSE student teachers felt their teacher education program prepared them to partner with families. The results of a national survey of ECSE student teachers are presented. Overall, respondents indicated they had high levels of self-efficacy partnering with families and that they were well prepared by their teacher education programs. Student teachers reported lower levels of self-efficacy working with families whose language differed from their own and partnering with families in the IEP process. Implications for practice are discussed by presenting various ways for teacher educators to prepare teachers to build partnerships with all families through authentic experiences in their teacher education programs.

12 Myths and Facts about Physical Education for Students with Disabilities

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act every student that has a documented disability is required to have an individualized education program (IEP). The IEP comprises core areas, including physical education. The purpose of this article is to clarify 12 myths about physical education for students with disabilities and help general physical education and classroom teachers. Lastly, this article will provide suggestions for teachers to get involved in the IEP process and be a valuable member of the team to ensure a high quality of physical education for all students.

Social inequality within the IEP meeting: Three factors that disempower students

How do stakeholder power dynamics promote social inequalities and impede empowerment of students with disabilities in the individualized education program (IEP) process? This conceptual case study explores the role of critical discourse in reducing social inequality in the IEP process for students with disabilities in two special education day schools within a metropolitan school district. The lead author’s observations and field notes describe three influential stakeholder tensions over an 11-month period in two schools for children with disabilities. Sociopolitical history, or the historical context of the public school system within the metropolitan district, provides the overarching temporal ecology for all examples of stakeholder tensions. Individual stakeholder perceptions of private vs. public schools and the role of separate schools are the second and third tensions that influence student participation in the setting. Implications for increasing critical discourse in order to adequately empower students with disabilities in the IEP process are considered.

Bilingual and Monolingual Parents’ Counterstories of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meeting

The Individual With Disabilities Education Act mandates that parents should be active participants in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. This qualitative study looked at the IEP process from a critical lens that focused on diverse participants’ experiences at their child’s IEP meeting. What distinguishes counterstories from a majoritarian story is that a counterstory incorporates the five elements of critical race theory (CRT). The authors used the composite narrative to tell the story of four Latinx parents’ experiences in two urban schools during IEP meetings. Findings highlight how the participants could have used Yosso’s notion of community cultural wealth to better navigate the IEP meeting and create more understanding and responsiveness among school personnel. Counterstories are recommended as a culturally relevant instructional tool that has the potential to help parents increase their involvement and create a more open dialogue with professionals at IEP meetings.

Which Procedural Parts of the IEP Process Are the Most Judicially Vulnerable?

To provide a missing piece to the legal foundation of professional development and practice for the individualized education program (IEP) process, the authors report the results of a comprehensive systematic analysis of court decisions specific to IEP-related procedural violations after the 2004 amendments of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Research questions focused on the frequency and outcomes of alleged procedural violations in the following categories: (a) IEP components, (b) IEP team, (c) parent participation, and (d) IEP development. Procedural violations in the parent participation category were the most frequently adjudicated; the outcomes ratio in court averaged approximately 3:1 in favor of school districts for cases across all four categories. Implications for practice include reconsideration of current policies and practices to whatever extent that they were based on case law rather than proactive priorities, per the lack of differentiation in prevailing publications and presentations in special education.