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This website has a lot of useful information about how to write an IEP

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents. Week-long summer institutes, ongoing professional development series, webinars, on-site assistance, and individual student or teacher supports are some of the means by which PaTTAN provides support to schools.

Locate PaTTAN Consultant Contact Us

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents.

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This website also has plenty of information and professional development activities to help teachers continue to grow

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents. Week-long summer institutes, ongoing professional development series, webinars, on-site assistance, and individual student or teacher supports are some of the means by which PaTTAN provides support to schools.

Locate PaTTAN Consultant Contact Us

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Working with the Bureau of Special Education (BSE), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), PaTTAN provides a full array of professional development and technical assistance targeted to improving student results. This professional development and technical assistance takes many forms in order to meet the varied needs of PaTTAN's constituents.

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This website, this page specifically, has a lot of good information about preparing for an IEP

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What does my child do well?

What does my child struggle with?

What are my long-range goals for my son or daughter?

What skills would increase the independence of my son or daughter?

What goals would strengthen us as a family?

Are there transportation or mobility issues?

What do I want the school to do for my child?

What particular things do I want the school to report to me about?

What should I know to be able to support my child's progress at school and at home?

How and when are good times for the school to contact me when this is necessary?

What if there is an emergency or crisis?

How can I communicate with the school? Should I send notes? Who and when should I call?

What information should I give to the school on an ongoing basis?
Student

What am I good at doing?

What is hard for me to do?

What do I like to do?

What do I want to accomplish right now? What skills will I need? How might I get them? What help will I need?

What works well for me in the general education class? Am I experiencing any problems?

What do I want to be when I grow up?

What are the student's strengths?

What are the implications of the evaluation results for the student's educational program?

Has the parent been given copies of all evaluations prior to the meeting?

Has the parent had a chance to discuss these evaluations with relevant personnel?
Agency Representatives Involved in Transition Planning

What do I know about the strengths and goals of this student?

Starting at age 14 (or earlier), what course of study will help the student reach her long-term goals?

What services can my agency offer?

What am I authorized to offer and what kinds of commitments am I authorized to make on behalf of my agency?

How might my agency cooperate or link with other agencies to provide support?
Other People Invited by the Parents or the School

What are the student's strengths?

What are the student's interests?

How do I think that this student learns best?

Under what circumstances have I observed this student being successful?

What kinds of support would help this student be successful in the future?

How can I help?
A final consideration when preparing for the meeting: When it is time to reevaluate a student, the IEP team now may decide if it needs additional information about the student. In other words, the team is no longer required to complete a "full and comprehensive" evaluation of student factors that had been assessed before. If the team decides that no new information is needed, then it must notify the parents and tell them that they have the right to a full and comprehensive evaluation if they want one.

Excerpted from The IEP Team Guide by the Council for Exceptional Children.

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What does my child do well? What does my child struggle with? What are my long-range goals for my son or daughter? What skills would increase the independence of my son or daughter? What goals would strengthen us as a family? Are there transportation or mobility issues?

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This website has a ton of activities and ideas for different instructions within the classroom

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TeacherVision provides teachers with expertly curated teaching resources and printables across all subjects for grades pre-K to 12.

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This website contains resources that will be helpful for families of students with disabilities

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Peter W.D. Wright, Esq. and Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW

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Wrightslaw provides free access to articles, cases, resources and training about special education law and advocacy.

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This website gives information and resources to make a productive and fulfilling inclusive classroom and school

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Curriculum modifications play an essential role in the academic and social/emotional success of students with intellectual disabilities. With students who have disabilities spending more time in the general education classroom, general education teaching practices need to evolve to include adapting and modifying curriculum so it is accessible and achievable.

So, how can administrators and special education teachers help staff make the successful transition to creating accessible and achieveable lessons for all?

Develop shared values - As education professionals, we are concerned with closing achievement gaps and creating more equitable learning environments. Therefore, it makes sense that our classrooms reflect our value systems and embrace students with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Have conversations with staff members that center on creating equitable classrooms and then explore strategies for including all students in the classroom and school community. Develop the mindset that "all students" are "our students".

Help teachers understand their role and responsibilities - Research tells us that teacher "buy-in" is greater when they understand the reasons for change. Teachers typically take greater ownership of the process and are more likely to implement it with fidelity. "Underscoring the importance of the work, and that it is based on research, and not the latest whim" is essential to success (Murray & Brooks, 2017).

So, why must general education teachers take on more responsiblity for modifying curriuclum for students with disabilities in their classroom? First and foremost, T he Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, (2004) mandates that students with disabilities have a legal right to access and make progress in the general education curriuclum.

Second, while the education of students with disabilities has long been the responsibility of the special education teacher in self-contained special education classrooms, research and experience tell us that the social, emotional, and academic outcomes of students with disabilities are greater when they are educated in general education classrooms. As a result, we are seeing a shift in placement, with general education teachers having a wider range of learners to instruct.

Finally, 70% of the school day is allotted to academic instruction during which all students - including students with disabilities - need to have access to meaningful, appropriate, and engaging learning experiences.

Provide professional development - In all fairness, general education teachers are typically not given any training or information on how (or why) curriculum needs to be modified for students with intellectual disabilities.

Give teachers the tools that they need to be successful when modifying curriculum and plan time for professional development. For example, provide step-by-step instructions on how to make modifications. Whether you meet as a staff, a grade-level, or in-person, provide information on modifying curriuclum and multiple resources that will set teachers up for success.

In addition to giving teachers the "why" behind the need for modifying curriculum (see above), equip teachers with examples, websites, and tools for instruction.

Give the gift of time - As educators, we juggle a thousand things in a school day. Most of us don't even take a break to eat lunch! Since time is a luxury, one of the best ways to get teachers modifying curriuclum is giving them time to do it. Plan time to meet with teachers (either individually or in groups) and modify a lesson together. Better yet, collaborate on a series of modified lessons or even create a bank of modified materials.

Coach and communicate - Support staff through the process of learning to modify curriculum. Learn about teacher needs and challenges. Set goals with teachers (individual and/or groups) and follow-up. Check-in with them on a regular basis and provide support as needed.

Identify the runners, joggers, walkers, and sitters on your staff - K now who you are working with. Author, Becca Silver, writes that it's important to know the speed that teachers are willing and able to make changes. She suggests identifying four groups:

Runners - These are your fastest changing teachers. They will begin planning out their next steps before they leave the staff meeting. They are motivated and on a mission. S tay out of their way but praise is appreciated.

Joggers - Joggers are the direction-followers. They play by the rules and want to get everything "just right". They are also very co-operative. T o support joggers in learning how to modify curriculum, first model the modification, give them step-by-step directions, and then watch them complete the modification independently . Encourage them to support others (which they love to do). Be generous when praising Joggers - they love it!

There isn't much change taking place and you might need to move mountains to get them to meet with you. When you do end up meeting with the walkers, present information in small, "bite-sized" pieces so as not to overwhelm them. Offer to co-plan or even co-teach the lesson. Be prepared to re-schedule.Walkers - Walkers are slow to embrace change.

Sitters - Sitters are the least likely to make big changes. They are resistant even when you provide them with a wide range of supports. Be patient and work on building a relationship first. Get to know their classroom challenges and concerns. Ask them what they are already doing to support their students with disabilities. Best to build off their established routines rather than introduce new ones.

Do you have any suggestions to add? What has or has not worked with your staff?

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An education blog with strategies, tips and information for teachers about teaching students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom.

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Understood.org is a website with plenty of resources and information about disabilities.

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How can we help?

I want help with behaviors , learning , and everyday skills

We are Understood.
We are the lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. In the past year, we've helped more than 20 million people discover their potentials, take control of their lives, and stay on positive paths.

We support the 1 in 5 Americans who learn and think differently.

Learn more

We believe difference is our greatest strength.

Learn more

When we shape the world for difference, we all thrive.

Learn more

Discover what's possible when you're understood.

We'll email you our most helpful stories and resources.

We just launched our "Be the Reason" stigma campaign. Learn more here.

Helpful guidance from Understood

Essential resource spotlight

Are you wondering why your child is struggling?

We're here to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Take N.O.T.E. (Notice. Observe. Talk. Engage.) is a simple step-by-step tool that can help you figure out if the struggles you're seeing might be signs of a learning and thinking difference.

"I have a hard time focusing, mostly in school. When I do my homework, I kind of feel stressed out because it feels like so much even though it's not too much."

Emperor Kaioyus, Grade 4

Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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This is be a helpful website for families to understand their child/sibling/family members' disability

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How can we help?

I want help with behaviors , learning , and everyday skills

We are Understood.
We are the lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. In the past year, we've helped more than 20 million people discover their potentials, take control of their lives, and stay on positive paths.

We support the 1 in 5 Americans who learn and think differently.

Learn more

We believe difference is our greatest strength.

Learn more

When we shape the world for difference, we all thrive.

Learn more

Discover what's possible when you're understood.

We'll email you our most helpful stories and resources.

We just launched our "Be the Reason" stigma campaign. Learn more here.

Helpful guidance from Understood

Essential resource spotlight

Are you wondering why your child is struggling?

We're here to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Take N.O.T.E. (Notice. Observe. Talk. Engage.) is a simple step-by-step tool that can help you figure out if the struggles you're seeing might be signs of a learning and thinking difference.

"I have a hard time focusing, mostly in school. When I do my homework, I kind of feel stressed out because it feels like so much even though it's not too much."

Emperor Kaioyus, Grade 4

Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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This website offers information about new classroom ideas as well as free printable and advice

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WeAreTeachers is an online media brand for educators committed to one of the toughest, most rewarding jobs out there.

Our mission is to inspire teachers and help them succeed by sharing practical classroom ideas, the best freebies and giveaways, and teacher-to-teacher advice and humor.

We publish daily articles, videos, and giveaways right here on our website as well as our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Think of us as your virtual teacher's lounge where you can find support and encouragement from your colleagues, a great idea for your next reading or math lesson, and a laugh when you need it.

We always like to hear about what you want to see on WeAreTeachers, so please contact us if you have an idea to share.

Interested in writing for WeAreTeachers? You can find more information here.

A Note On Sponsored Content

WeAreTeachers occasionally works with companies, nonprofits, and brands who support our mission of inspiring and helping teachers. These sponsorships help us to maintain our vibrant community. Thank you for supporting the companies that support WeAreTeachers.

Learn more about becoming a WeAreTeachers sponsor.

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Our mission is to inspire teachers and help them succeed by sharing practical classroom ideas, the best freebies and giveaways, and teacher-to-teacher advice and humor. We publish daily articles, videos, and giveaways right here on our website as well as our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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This specific page give a lot of resources about teaching social skills in the classroom

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Category - Classroom Ideas Page 1 - WeAreTeachers

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Find Classroom Ideas resources on WeAreTeachers - Page 1 of 9

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This website provides a variety of information about people with ADHD

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ADHD symptom tests, ADD medication & treatment, behavior & discipline, school & learning essentials, organization and more information for families and individuals living with attention...

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This website is about how to appropriately and effectively have an inclusive classroom and community

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Posted on July 22, 2022 in News

I know that many of you are already aware, but I want to officially welcome all visitors to check out my new site, InclusionRules.com. In addition to loads of new content, the most popular content from PaulaKluth.com will be available on InclusionRules.com too.

InclusionRules.com is where you can find ...

Posted on July 22, 2022 in News

In August and September of 2022, I am offering my Co-Teaching Kickoff event to get us all back into the game of collaboration, co-planning, co-visioning, and, of course, co-teaching.

This opportunity is for all team members, including administrators ...

Posted on February 02, 2021 in News

In case you missed the news, the UNCONFERENCE has started!

Come and learn from the voices featured in All In: Creating Inclusive Virtual Classrooms!

While some students with disabilities are heading back to physical classrooms, many are still in virtual or hybrid settings. As we begin the second semester, it is so important that we continue to engage these learners and seek creative ways to include and support them and their peers without disabilities.

If you value inclusive education and are ..

Posted on June 27, 2020 in News

I have been having so much fun working virtually with book clubs this summer- it has helped me to connect with so many of you in a personal way. To keep the fun moving forward and to provide inclusion energy and support for your inclusive activities, I wanted to share a handout that I've been using with study groups, book clubs, and steering committees who are using ...

Posted on March 24, 2020 in News

We may be sheltering in place, but Coaster refuses to "stay"! I have made him available to all of you as of last week via my YouTube channel.

To support teachers and families who are teaching and learning virtually, I released this clip so teachers of young children can share storytime with their students and teachers of older students can craft lessons about ...
More Posts "

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Toward Inclusive Classrooms and Communities

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This website contain many resources, ideas, and information about children with disabilities

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Do2Learn began in 1996 through a National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovative Research grant. Our team searches out the most talented and creative teachers and clinicians across the world. These gifted individuals work with our technical experts to transfer their knowledge into formats that we can make available to you.
Since beginning, we have grown into a world-wide resource with over 11 million hits a month. While based in North Carolina, approximately half of our users are from outside of the U.S. Thousands of sites link to us and we can be easily found on most search engines using topics such as 'picture cards', 'facial expressions', and 'job tips'. We hope you find our resources helpful and pass on our link to others.
We believe that simply telling busy teachers, parents, and professionals what they should be doing is not enough. If we explain how to devise a visual communication system using picture cards, we provide free cards to get you started.

When we present the Teacher Toolbox on how to adapt a classroom for children with special needs, we provide resources for behavior management plans, literacy tools, and the materials to create everything in your classroom.

Our approach is to use the latest technology and expert guidance to create innovative and usable solutions.

Learn about DiagnoseFirst, our newest project to help teachers and clinicians recognize the symptoms of ASD.

Pre-employment screening assessments are online or paper tests that some companies require applicants to complete during the application process. Read more about JobTIPS Student Version!

JobTIPS Toolbox PRO is filled with resources to help you coach your students through the challenges of assessing their skills, finding and applying for jobs, and practicing the social skills needed to do well in the workplace.

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picture exchange communication system cards

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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picture communication cards, songs, games and learning activities for autism, aspergers, fetal alcohol syndrome and disabilities

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This specific page on the website provides a lot of information about teaching social skills

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picture exchange communication system cards

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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picture communication cards, songs, games and learning activities for autism, aspergers, fetal alcohol syndrome and disabilities

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This website provide a great overview and additional information about UDL

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What Is UDL? - Infographic

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an education framework based on decades of neuroscience research and is endorsed throughout the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). UDL is built on the foundation that all students deserve a rigorous education that allows them to become purposeful & motivated, resourceful & knowledgable, and strategic & goal-directed - in sum, expert learners.

UDL honors student variability, and recognized that it is our systems - not our students - that are disabled. It teaches students how to offer choice and help students take charge of their education by providing multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression. It guides educators to recognize barriers to learning and come up with solutions to remove those barriers for students.

The UDL framework is being adopted by teachers, schools, and districts around the globe and is considered best practice for teaching all students in an inclusive learning environment. UDL empowers both teachers and students by putting students in charge of their own learning.

Yet, many educators have never heard of UDL or have a misunderstanding of what it is. They often think it is the same as Differentiated Instruction, or it can't be implemented when trying to teach standards. They think it isn't applicable to young children, or math teachers or *fill in the blank*. But UDL, over time, can completely transform teaching practices and students.

This infographic covers the basics of UDL, including the goals and guidelines, and provides some quick-start implementation tips for educators.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an education framework based on decades of neuroscience research and is endorsed throughout the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). UDL is built on the foundation that all students deserve a rigorous education that allows them to become purposeful & motivated, resourceful & knowledgable, and strategic & goal-directed - in sum, expert learners.

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This youtube channel provides a ton of great videos about UDL and creating a UDL lesson plan

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udl cast teachers school "universal design for learning" education

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CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning.

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This podcast provides information on why UDL is effective in the classroom for all students

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The Inclusive Class Podcast Online Radio by The Inclusive Class Podcast

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The Inclusive Class Podcast is for families and schools who are interested in learning about the inclusion of children with special needs in the general educati

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This website contains a ton of videos about how to use UDL, examples and the importance behind the lesson plan type

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This resources gives teachers will the ability to match different technology to students that will benefit the most from them

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This website gives teachers information about how to add technology into lesson and how it is effective

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Summary: Do you believe that digital storytelling is important in education? Are you looking for a creative, critical, and powerful way to help your students? Would you be interested in a list of free digital storytelling tools?

Free Digital Storytelling Tools For Teachers And Students
Editor's note: We have originally written and published this article in February 2013. Thanks to your useful suggestions and our own following of the latest developments in the fast paced field of technology, we have updated this piece in November 2015 in the hope that you will keep finding it useful. Thank you for sharing!
Stories are important. At the following list you will find 18 free digital storytelling tools, both websites and apps, which will help you use technology to tell a story while being highly creative and having fun.

11 Free Digital Storytelling Websites

1. Capzles
All of your media and stories together like never before. Create rich multimedia experiences with videos, photos, music, blogs, and documents.

2. Comic Master
Comic Master allows you to create your own short graphic novel! With Comic Master you can decide how you want the page or your graphic novel to look, add backgrounds, choose characters and props to appear in your scenes, add dialogue and captions, and much more.

3. Slidestory
Slidestory allows you to combine picture slideshows with voice narration. Each picture in a slideshow has an accompanying voice narrated mp3 audio file, optional tags, and text caption. Isn't this a very exciting way to make presentations and share them?

4. ZooBurst
ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that lets anyone easily create his or her own 3D popup books. ZooBurst books "live" online and can be experienced on your desktop or laptop computer, or on your iPad via the free ZooBurst mobile app. Authors can arrange characters and props within a 3D world that can be customized using uploaded artwork or items found in a built-in database of over 10,000 free images and materials. The basic, free, account allows you to create 10 books of 10 pages each.

7 Free Apps For Digital Storytelling

1. Sock Puppets
Sock Puppets lets you create your own lip-synched videos and share them on Facebook and YouTube. Add puppets, props, scenery, and backgrounds and start creating. Hit the record button and the puppets automatically lip-synch to your voice.

2. Toontastic
Toontastic is a storytelling and creative learning tool that enables kids to draw, animate, and share their own cartoons with friends and family around the world through simple and fun imaginative play! With over 2 million cartoons created in over 150 countries, parents and teachers rave about the app and kids can't stop creating!

3. 30hands Starter
A very easy and exciting way to tell a story, explain a concept, or flip a classroom. Create a multimedia presentation in minutes and publish it as a video to share. This tool was designed to be simple and fast, so it takes backseat to learning and expression. In a single class period, students can complete a video activity. Mapping these activities to a longer project helps students make PBL projects authentic and fun. Whether you are in Kindergarten or College, 30hands Storyteller helps you learn better by following UDL principles and getting you to think and create iteratively.

You may also find the following lists of tools useful:

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18 Free Digital Storytelling Tools For Teachers And Students

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Interested in some great Free Digital Storytelling Tools for teachers and students? Check 18 Free Digital Storytelling Tools for teachers and students.

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This website provides teachers with free online activities and resources to help teach

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Free interactive classroom resources - Get activities, games and SMART Notebook lessons created by teachers for teachers

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This youtube channel have a lot of videos about what an effective UDL classroom looks like

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"universal design for learning" cast "national center on udl" "udl center"

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National Center on Universal Design for Learning

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The center supports the effective and widescale implementation of UDL through a variety of activities.

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This youtube channel provide a lot of great video and information about people with disabilities

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children with disabilities parent center special education

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The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

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Pacer Centers' website also have a lot of good information for families of students with disabilities

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Legislation was recently enacted, and a court case was recently decided, both of which provide that students with disabilities are eligible for transition services until they turn 22. If your child is still in school, please contact your school district to request that they continue transition services until they turn 22. If your child turned 21 on or after July 1, 2019, and their special education services ended before July 1, 2023, they are likely eligible for compensatory services for services not received before their 22nd birthday. In order to access those services, please contact your school district or transition program to re-enroll your child or discuss compensatory services.

If the school refuses your request to re-enroll your student or refuses your request for transition services, please contact the Minnesota Disability Law Center at 1-800-292-4150.
For other questions related to transition programming or services, please contact PACER Center at [email protected] or 952-838-9000.
Schedule PACER's Count Me In puppet show

Help bring the message of disability awareness and social inclusion to young children! This age-appropriate show features child-sized puppets that capture children's attention and imagination. The show educates, entertains, and inspires young children to be kinder, more accepting, and inclusive to all kids, especially children with disabilities.
Schedule a show
Sat., April 27, 2024
Minneapolis Convention Center

Mark your calendars for PACER's Annual Benefit! Join us for a night of celebrating and supporting our mission of improving educational opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for children and young adults with disabilities and their families.

Join Survey Monkey Contribute today!

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PACER Center - Champions for Children with Disabilities

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PACER Center's mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and provide family programs.

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This website gives information and resources about implement the concept Multiple intelligences into classroom practices

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This website has resources and information about the different type of assistive technology there is for students with disabilities

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This resources gives teachers will the ability to match different technology to students that will benefit the most from them

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This website has a lot of great information about teaching as well as a ton of resources and information about making an inclusive classroom

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What does it mean to "live inclusion" instead of simply "doing inclusion," a distinction that author Nicole Eredics makes in the quote above? Schools live out their inclusive philosophy when every aspect of the learning environment, including the building design, furniture, and materials, is thoughtfully developed to welcome every student and meet each child's individual learning needs. As Nicole Eredics further explains in her popular guidebook Inclusion in Action:

In today's post, we're highlighting 26 quick tips from Inclusion in Action that can help schools create more inclusive spaces. See how many of these your school is already doing, and which ones you might want to implement or recommend.

In the classroom...

Ensure that shelving is appropriate for student reach.

Designate an area for class meetings and discussions.

Create learning centers such as a book nook, science station, or writing retreat.

Use masking tape to outline walkways and student seating.

Supply materials for differentiated learning.

Provide different types of lighting in the room.

Group desks together to facilitate group interaction (when social distancing is not a factor).

Provide large tables for cooperative group work.

Post visual reminders, announcements, and lesson concepts.

Communicate regularly with families.

In the front office...

Post a welcome sign in different languages.

Provide newsletters and community notices (translated if necessary) and post online.

Post a school event board to notify staff and community of upcoming events.

Display student artwork and projects.

Post photos of school events.

Notify the community of school awards and achievements.

Have a morning greeting from the principal, a staff member, or a student.

Have the daily bulletin read by students and post it online.

Make birthday announcements.

In the library...

Provide various print, audio, and visual materials.

Ensure that technology is up to date and available.

Offer a reading club that is open to all students.

Have student assistants help with younger grades.

Create a "reading buddies" program.

Provide workspaces for group and/or individual projects.

Ensure that shelving and books are accessible.

Offer different types of seating and seating arrangements.

Create silent reading areas.

Provide different types of lighting.

On the playground...

Ensure that pathways to and around the playground are accessible.

Provide modified playground equipment.

Make sports equipment available to students.

Create an area for structured games.

Provide a group seating area.

Make use of a playground social coordinator who organizes games and activities for students.

Create quiet areas for students to read or chat.

Want more tips and guidance from Nicole Eredics? Read this Q&A with her on the Brookes blog, get her tips on implementing accommodations and modifications (and how to tell the difference), and watch her coffee chat on Making Curriculum Modifications in Minutes. And check out her book Inclusion in Action, the widely used guide that teachers across the country love!

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26 Things You Can Do to Create More Inclusive School Spaces - Brookes Blog

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What does it mean to "live inclusion" instead of simply "doing inclusion," a distinction that author Nicole Eredics makes in the quote above? Schools live out their inclusive philosophy when every aspect of the learning environment, including the building design, furniture, and materials, is thoughtfully developed to welcome every student and meet each child's individual learning needs.

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This website has amazing information about how to continue to grow your teaching skills

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This YouTube channel create a ton of informational videos about becoming a strategic instruction

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This website was designed by the department of Education to help students with disabilities be able to be apart of gen. education

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This website was developed with a U.S. Department of Education grant on Steppingstones in Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities. The grant was entitled "Field Testing the Learning Toolbox: An Instructional Resource Website for Students with Mild Disabilities, Parents, and Teachers." This website was being field-tested using the criteria of understandability (ease of navigability), accessibility for students with reading and attention disabilities, and usability (i.e., whether the strategies on the website are put into practice by students, teachers, and parents). This website should contribute to the more effective use of technology for improving the ability of students with disabilities to meet the rigorous academic demands of the general education curriculum, pass high stakes tests, and successfully meet the academic requirements of postsecondary education.Esther Minskoff

The Learning Toolbox was developed as part of the Model Demonstration Project for Improving Postsecondary Education for Students with Mild Disabilities, a U.S. Office of Education grant awarded to James Madison University. The purpose of the Project was to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of course-specific strategy instruction with college students who have learning disabilities and ADHD. This one-on-one instructional approach significantly helped students improve their academic performance. One of the goals of this project was to share what we have learned. This website provides a way of sharing this approach so that others might use it.

We were especially eager to share the approach with high school students with mild disabilities, their teachers, and their parents. We believe that high school students who use this approach will be better prepared to meet rigorous academic challenges of high school and college. Consequently, the strategies and examples of how to apply these strategies to specific courses have been tailored to the needs of high school students.

David Allsopp
Jerry Minskoff
Margaret Kyger

Other JMU faculty and staff who assisted with the development of the Learning Toolbox were Lou Hedrick, Jeff Kushner, Richard Clemens, and Richard Ingram. Lou Hedrick, Director of the Office of Disability Services, provided input for making the website accessible to student with disabilities. Jeff Kushner provided expertise in multimedia design, while Richard Clemens assisted with instructional technology considerations.

Support JMU Faculty and Staff:

Lou Hedrick
Jeff Kushner
Richard Clemens
Richard Ingram

The website has been developed to be responsive to the specific needs of students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Features of the website that respond to these needs include: reduced amounts of text for reading; use of graphics to enhance the meaning of the reading material; a consistent structure of accessing the various Learning Toolbox sites; and elimination of distracting stimuli such as non-purposeful animations and sound effects. Clinton Sower, a JMU graduate student, was instrumental in integrating these features into the design for the Learning Toolbox.

Website Designers:

Clinton Sower
Chris Clarke
Laura Creecy

The following students were instrumental in continuing the work of Clinton Sower in constructing various aspects of the website:

Website Construction:

The following students assisted in the construction of new strategies and were the strategy instructors for the college students in the Project:

To all of the above students, the faculty express heartfelt thanks for their professionalism and their commitment to the Project and the website.

Field Testing:

We wish to thank the JMU students who participated in the beta testing which allowed us to develop the evaluation forms used with the students. Special thanks to Rockingham County, Virginia Schools and Becky Hill Shifflett for the help in securing high school students to participate in the beta testing phase of the project.

Video Production:

The Video demonstrating the use of the Learning Toolbox in the section on Teacher Directions was designed and produced by David Allsopp. Stacey Jones and Jennifer Belcher ably performed the teacher and student roles in the video.

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This website was developed with a U.S. Department of Education grant on Steppingstones in Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities. The grant was entitled "Field Testing the Learning Toolbox: An Instructional Resource Website for Students with Mild Disabilities, Parents, and Teachers."

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This website was created to help students with disabilities use technology in order to meet the demands in gen education classroom

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This website was developed with a U.S. Department of Education grant on Steppingstones in Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities. The grant was entitled "Field Testing the Learning Toolbox: An Instructional Resource Website for Students with Mild Disabilities, Parents, and Teachers." This website was being field-tested using the criteria of understandability (ease of navigability), accessibility for students with reading and attention disabilities, and usability (i.e., whether the strategies on the website are put into practice by students, teachers, and parents). This website should contribute to the more effective use of technology for improving the ability of students with disabilities to meet the rigorous academic demands of the general education curriculum, pass high stakes tests, and successfully meet the academic requirements of postsecondary education.Esther Minskoff

The Learning Toolbox was developed as part of the Model Demonstration Project for Improving Postsecondary Education for Students with Mild Disabilities, a U.S. Office of Education grant awarded to James Madison University. The purpose of the Project was to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of course-specific strategy instruction with college students who have learning disabilities and ADHD. This one-on-one instructional approach significantly helped students improve their academic performance. One of the goals of this project was to share what we have learned. This website provides a way of sharing this approach so that others might use it.

We were especially eager to share the approach with high school students with mild disabilities, their teachers, and their parents. We believe that high school students who use this approach will be better prepared to meet rigorous academic challenges of high school and college. Consequently, the strategies and examples of how to apply these strategies to specific courses have been tailored to the needs of high school students.

David Allsopp
Jerry Minskoff
Margaret Kyger

Other JMU faculty and staff who assisted with the development of the Learning Toolbox were Lou Hedrick, Jeff Kushner, Richard Clemens, and Richard Ingram. Lou Hedrick, Director of the Office of Disability Services, provided input for making the website accessible to student with disabilities. Jeff Kushner provided expertise in multimedia design, while Richard Clemens assisted with instructional technology considerations.

Support JMU Faculty and Staff:

Lou Hedrick
Jeff Kushner
Richard Clemens
Richard Ingram

The website has been developed to be responsive to the specific needs of students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Features of the website that respond to these needs include: reduced amounts of text for reading; use of graphics to enhance the meaning of the reading material; a consistent structure of accessing the various Learning Toolbox sites; and elimination of distracting stimuli such as non-purposeful animations and sound effects. Clinton Sower, a JMU graduate student, was instrumental in integrating these features into the design for the Learning Toolbox.

Website Designers:

Clinton Sower
Chris Clarke
Laura Creecy

The following students were instrumental in continuing the work of Clinton Sower in constructing various aspects of the website:

Website Construction:

The following students assisted in the construction of new strategies and were the strategy instructors for the college students in the Project:

To all of the above students, the faculty express heartfelt thanks for their professionalism and their commitment to the Project and the website.

Field Testing:

We wish to thank the JMU students who participated in the beta testing which allowed us to develop the evaluation forms used with the students. Special thanks to Rockingham County, Virginia Schools and Becky Hill Shifflett for the help in securing high school students to participate in the beta testing phase of the project.

Video Production:

The Video demonstrating the use of the Learning Toolbox in the section on Teacher Directions was designed and produced by David Allsopp. Stacey Jones and Jennifer Belcher ably performed the teacher and student roles in the video.

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This website was developed with a U.S. Department of Education grant on Steppingstones in Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities. The grant was entitled "Field Testing the Learning Toolbox: An Instructional Resource Website for Students with Mild Disabilities, Parents, and Teachers."

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This website discusses the different type of test used for student with severe disabilities when taking state assessments

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Students with disabilities, English learners, and English learners with disabilities participate in state and districtwide general assessments of academic content. Some students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to show what they know and can do on the general assessment, even with accommodations, take an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) instead.

Federal laws require that the state general assessment measures student achievement of grade-level academic content standards in reading and mathematics each year in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school, and in science once in each grade band 3-5, 6-8, and high school. Scores show how well students have learned the knowledge and skills contained in the standards for their grade-level. Aggregated scores show how well schools and districts are helping all students with their learning.

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Students with disabilities, English learners, and English learners with disabilities participate in state and districtwide general assessments of academic content. Some students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to show what they know and can do on the general assessment, even with accommodations, take an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) instead.

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This website has a massive amount of information about the different type assistive technology that is available

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Welcome to my Assistive Technology (AT) “One Stop Shopping” website where you’ll find everything you’ve always wanted to know about Assistive Technology from... Low to High end devices Useful...

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This website provide information and videos about teaching in an inclusive classroom

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Research-to-Practice Bridge Event
Archived Resources Webinar recordings
This webinar describes effective classroom practices that general education teachers can use to encourage access for students with low-incidence disabilities to core curriculum and instruction.

In this interactive webinar, participants will hear an expert overview by Tessie Bailey, Ph.D., principal technical assistance consultant at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Dr. Bailey will provide background information, including legislation, definitions, an introduction to high-leverage practices (HLPs), and the research base for this work. Afterward, Nicole Pyle, Ph.D., associate professor at Utah State University, will present a deep dive on three specific HLPs that teachers can easily implement, noting their research base, as well as actions teachers can take in lesson planning and delivery. A question-and-answer session with Dr. Bailey and Dr. Pyle will follow. Last, Portia Bradford, a teacher at Louisiana Key Academy, will discuss and reflect on her experience implementing similar practices. The webinar will conclude with another question-and-answer session.

Participants can expect to:

Increase their understanding of the instructional needs of students with low-incidence disabilities (in a broad sense) and the challenges associated with supporting them in inclusive classrooms.

Become aware of HLPs and their evidence base for supporting students with low-incidence disabilities.

Gain skills and knowledge to implement three instructional HLPs that can be used to teach students with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive classrooms.

Speakers:

Tessie Bailey, Ph.D., Principal Technical Assistance Consultant, AIR

Nicole Pyle, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Utah State University

Portia Bradford, Teacher, Louisiana Key Academy

Facilitators:

Robyn Madison-Harris, Ed.D., Senior Technical Assistance Consultant, REL Southwest

Lacy Wood, Principal Technical Assistance Consultant, REL Southwest

Katelyn Lee, Technical Assistance Consultant, AIR

Who will benefit: Practitioners, regular and special needs teachers, counselors, central office staff, school-level leadership, teacher preparation program faculty, and parent advocate groups interested in this topic

Sponsor: Southwest Teacher Preparation and Professional Development Research Partnership

Contact:
Lacy Wood
REL Southwest Dissemination Director
Email: lwood@air.org

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Webinar: High-leverage practices: Supporting students with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive classrooms | REL Southwest

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Archived Resources Webinar recordings This webinar describes effective classroom practices that general education teachers can use to encourage access for students with low-incidence disabilities to core curriculum and instruction. In this interactive webinar, participants will hear an expert overview by Tessie Bailey, Ph.D., principal technical assistance consultant at the American Institutes for Research (AIR).

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This website contain a lot of information for people with disabilities as well as how to best teach and support them in the classroom

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Research continues to confirm that we can teach students with learning disabilities to "learn how to learn." We can put them into a position to compete and hold their own.
Some intervention practices that produce large outcomes are:

direct instruction;

learning strategy instruction; and

using a sequential, simultaneous structured multi-sensory approach.

Teachers who apply those kinds of intervention:

break learning into small steps;

administer probes;

supply regular, quality feedback;

use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment what they say in words;

provide ample independent, well-designed intensive practice;

model instructional practices that they want students to follow;

provide prompts of strategies to use; and

engage students in process type questions like "How is the strategy working? Where else might you apply it?"

Scaffolding is also something that seems to make a real difference. Start out with the teacher using heavily mediated instruction, known as explicit instruction, then slowly begin to let the students acquire the skill, moving towards the goal of student mediated instruction.

Success for the student with learning disabilities requires a focus on individual achievement, individual progress, and individual learning. This requires specific, directed, individualized, intensive remedial instruction for students who are struggling.

Whether the student is in the general education classroom or learning in a special class setting, focus the activities on assessing individual students to monitor their progress through the curriculum. Concerns for the individual must take precedence over concerns for the group or the curriculum or for the organization and management of the general education classroom content.

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Successful Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

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Research continues to confirm that we can teach students with learning disabilities to "learn how to learn." We can put them into a position to compete and hold their own. direct instruction; learning strategy instruction; and using a sequential, simultaneous structured multi-sensory approach.

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This website provides a great overview and video on what assistive technology is as well as some examples of them

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What are Instructional & Assistive Technologies?

Educators are confronted with a wide variety of terms related to technology: assistive technology, instructional technology, educational technology, adaptive technology, and information and communication technology, among others.

In this module, we define "instructional technology" and "assistive technology" in the following way:

Instructional technology (or Educational technology): Any piece of technology that educators integrate into their instructional practice to engage students and enhance students' learning

e.g., tablets, interactive whiteboards, smart phone apps, etc.

Assistive technology: Any piece of technology that helps a student with or without a disability to increase or maintain his/her level of functioning [i]

e.g., speech-to-text software, word processors, adapted keyboards, etc.

Although we may occasionally distinguish between "instructional technology" and "assistive technology" in this module, it is important to note that technology traditionally considered to be assistive technology can, in many instances, be used to support the learning of all students. For this reason, we encourage educators to reflect on how they might use various forms of technology to support the learning of all students.

Click here to access the transcription of this video.

Understanding Assistive Technology

" All students require the ability to access the curriculum, and to demonstrate their learning in order to meet their educational potential. Assistive technology (e.g., software, mobile devices, accessible versions of textbooks and media) are critical in providing voice, as well as equitable access for students with special education needs " [ii].

Students with LDs benefit from the use of technology in the same ways as other students do. However, they experience further benefits when assistive technology (AT) is judiciously selected to meet their specific learning needs, as outlined in their individualized education plans (IEPs).

The section below in an excerpt from an LD@school article. Click here to access the original article Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities: Information, Tools and Resources for Teachers.

Although AT is commonly thought of as computers, hardware and software, there is actually a continuum of technology, ranging from "low tech" to "high tech".
Low-tech Assistive Technology Mid to Hi-tech Assistive Technology

Digital recorders

Digital books

Graphing calculators

Electronic math worksheets

Portable or adapted keyboards

Mobile technology (e.g., tablets, iPods, iPads, smartphones, MP3 players, etc.)

Reading systems that utilize a computer, scanner, and software to "read" scanned book pages out loud (e.g., Kurzweil)

Speech recognition software that allows a computer to operate by speaking to it (e.g., Siri)

Speech recognition systems that turn oral language into written text (e.g., Dragon)

Software that predicts and edits words for students who struggle with spelling (e.g., WordQ)

"Talking" calculators that assist students with math challenges

Mind mapping/outlining software

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Uses and Benefits of Assistive Technology

The section below in an excerpt from an LD@school article. Click here to access the original article Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities.

AT helps students in two key ways:

1. It helps students learn how to complete a particular task, and

2. It helps students circumvent certain difficulties that pose as barriers to their learning.

For example, when a student listens to a digital version of a text using text-to-speech software, they are able to circumvent reading difficulties by using their listening skills. If the student also focuses on the screen as the software highlights the words being read aloud, then they can also learn to recognize unfamiliar words, thus enhancing their word reading skills.

The section below in an excerpt from an LD@school article. Click here to access the source article The Use of Assistive Technology at the Intermediate Level: Educators' and Students' Perceptions.

When students with LDs are effectively able to use AT, they may experience many benefits, including:

improved academic achievement,

a more positive overall school experience,

greater enthusiasm for school,

enhanced self-esteem,

enhanced self-efficacy, and

increased time spent on academic tasks.

In one of our TalkLD podcasts, Chad Downes, Assistive Technology Advisor at Amethyst Demonstration School, discusses how AT can improve students' self-esteem.

Click the play button to listen to the sound bite with Chad Downes.

https://www.ldatschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Chad-Downes-Interview_Pt1.mp3

Click here to access the transcription of this sound bite.
Click here to access the full podcast How Assistive Technology (AT) Affects Self-Esteem.
It is not only students with LDs who stand to benefit from AT; research has shown that the use of AT can support the learning of all students [iii]. For this reason, instructional and assistive technologies should be integrated into instruction through the universal design for learning (UDL) framework.

Click here to access Sider & Maich's article in What Works? Research into Practice, Research Monograph #50.

References

[i] Ontario Teachers' Federation, n.d.

[ii] Council of Ontario Directors of Education, 2017, p. 26

[iii] Sider & Maich, 2014

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What are Instructional & Assistive Technologies? Educators are confronted with a wide variety of terms related to technology: assistive technology, instructional technology, educational technology, adaptive technology, and information and communication technology, among others.

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This website provides teachers with a list of assistive technology tools and resources

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contributed by Brian Neese, Alvernia University

Assistive technology tools are among the least 'celebrated' but most crucial tools in K-12 education today.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), the number of U.S. students enrolled in special education programs has risen 30 percent over the past 10 years. Additionally, the NEA reports that nearly every general education classroom in the country includes students with disabilities, as three out of every four students with disabilities spend part or all of their school day in a general education classroom.

One tool to help students with disabilities even in the face of a special education teacher shortage is assistive technology. Today, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively. Ranging in sophistication from 'low' technologies such as a graphic organizer worksheet to 'high' technologies including cutting-edge software and smartphone apps, assistive technology is a growing and dynamic field. Several areas of assistive technology and sample products may be found in any given classroom, making a difference in how students of all abilities learn.

See also 30 Examples Of Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Background On Assistive Needs & Supporting Technology Assistive Technology Module
This isn't a tech tool but a short kind of 'course' that offers an overview of assistive technology (AT) and explores ways to expand students' access to it in the classroom

Assistive Technology Act (AT Act)

A summary of the Assistive Technology Act and its consequences for educators.
AEM Student Summary Worksheet
A resource that, for example, helps teachers "think about whether the student 1) can gain information from print-based educational materials used across the curriculum by all students, 2) needs materials in a specialized format, or 3) needs modified content or alternative materials."
Text-To-Speech Assistive Tools
As an assistive technology, text-to-speech (TTS) software is designed to help children who have difficulties reading standard print. Common print disabilities can include blindness, dyslexia or any type of visual impairment, learning disability or other physical condition that impedes the ability to read. However, other students can benefit from TTS technology, such as children that have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an intellectual disability.

The technology works by scanning and then reading the words to the student in a synthesized voice, using a large number of speech sounds that make up words in any given context. With the advances in speech synthesis, TTS technology is more accurate and lifelike than ever.
Tech Matrix
Search a database of nearly 400 products using extensive criteria tailored to assistive and educational technologies.
Kurzweil 3000
The Kurzweil 3000 is a leader in TTS software for individuals that struggle with literacy. In addition to a range of TTS features, the full-featured software program integrates abilities that can help students in other areas, potentially appealing to those who may have a non-print disability or those who may not typically consider a TTS program. Some of the features include:

* Multiple TTS voices

* Support for 18 languages and dialects

* Talking spell-checker

* Picture dictionary graphics for more than 40,000 words

* Text magnification

* Tools for test taking, essay writing, note-taking, reference and more

The Kurzweil 3000 strives to provide students with a multi-sensory approach to literacy learning. It is available for Windows and Macintosh.

Graphic organizers can be effective in helping students to organize their thoughts during the writing process. As an assistive technology, graphic organizers can be a strong choice for students with dysgraphia or disorders of written expressions - particularly the conceptual aspects of writing.

Graphic organizers work by helping the student map out a course of action. Depending on the type of writing, the graphic organizer can prompt the writer to describe an object, chart out a course of events or perform some other task that can help in planning the piece. Graphic organizers vary by type and technological sophistication.
Low-Tech Handouts
Graphic organizers do not need to be technologically advanced; in fact, they can exist in simple handout form.

Sample handouts can be found at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company. The sandwich chart can assist students with paragraph writing. The sequence chart can help with narrative writing and the ordering of events. The sense chart is designed for descriptive writing, where writers are prompted for terms that characterize and express an item. Dozens of other sample charts exist and can help students with virtually any type of writing.
Draft:Builder
Draft:Builder is a writing tool that integrates outlining, note taking and draft writing functions to break down the writing process into three steps. Using a graphical organizer, the program helps the student visualize the project and insert information into the appropriate place without having to conceptualize the whole process. It then automates the process of creating the paper, where the student can drag and drop what is written in each note to the rough draft.

Other features include a talking spell checker that uses TTS technology, a bibliography tool, a dictionary and the ability for teachers to add locked text into the program for further guidance. Draft:Builder is available for Windows and Macintosh.
Assistive Listening Systems
A variety of assistive listening systems, or hearing assistive technology, can help students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those with other auditory and learning problems. According to the National Association for the Deaf, assistive listening systems can be used to enhance the reach and effectiveness of hearing aids and cochlear implants, or by children who do not need those tools but still need help hearing. Assistive listening systems use a microphone, a type of transmission technology and a device for capturing and bringing the sound to the ear. The specific transmission technology used in the system is typically what contrasts one type of assistive listening system from another.
FM Systems
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), FM systems are the best choice for children with sensorineural hearing loss. The most common type of hearing loss for all ages, sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the inner ear (cochlea) or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain are damaged.

FM systems work using radio broadcast technology. With a transmitter microphone and a receiver, the teacher and student can maintain a consistent sound level regardless of distance and background noise. Additionally, ASHA notes that the hearing aid microphone can be turned off, so the student can concentrate on the teacher alone.
Sound-Field Systems
Sound-field systems are a strong choice for classrooms that need to assist listening for all children in the class. ASHA notes that these systems benefit not only children that have hearing loss, but those that have other auditory and learning problems, such as language delays, central auditory processing disorder, articulation disorders and development delays. Additionally, sound-field systems can be used for students who are learning English as a second language.

Sound-field systems use a microphone that projects sound through mounted speakers around the classroom. In classrooms that have good acoustics, sound is able to travel evenly throughout space, eliminating problems of distance between the speaker and each listener.
Sip-and-Puff Systems
Sip-and-puff systems are used by students who have mobility challenges, such as paralysis and fine motor skill disabilities. These systems allow for control of a computer, mobile device or some other technological application by the child moving the device with his or her mouth. Similar to a joystick, the child can move the controller in any direction and click on various navigational tools using either a sip or a puff. An on-screen keyboard allows the child to type using the same movements.

Sip-and-puff systems are a type of switch device, which refers to the technology used to replace a computer keyboard or mouse. Other switch devices include buttons or other objects that a student can touch, push, pull, kick or perform some other simple action that can then control the device.
Jouse3
The Jouse3 is a sip-and-puff system that allows children to control a device using any part of the mouth, cheek, chin or tongue. Due to its accuracy and quick response, home users can use it for drawing or computer games. It can mount to the desktop, a bedframe or any other type of structure; it does not require a headpiece or placement on the body of the user.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh, Linux and Unix based computers, in addition to Android and iOS mobile devices. It can support one or two external switches, and has two types of mouthpieces.
Sip-and-Puff Systems From Origin Instruments
Origin Instruments offers a range of sip-and-puff products that students can use to control an electronic device. Using a head mounted or gooseneck user interface, or available tubing for a custom solution, the child can control a mouse, joystick or keyboard with ease. The primary system is powered using USB technology.

The product supports Windows, Macintosh and Linux based computers. Two pressure switches connect the system to the user interface solution for use on electronic devices.
Proofreading Software
Proofreading software is a branch of assistive technology that goes above and beyond the typical proofreading features found in a word processing system, such as correcting words frequently misspelled by students with dyslexia. A number of other features offered within this category can help students work on his or her English skill set to become a more effective and accurate writer.

Although primarily geared towards individuals with dyslexia, proofreading software can be helpful to those with any type of learning disorder that makes writing and reading challenging.
Ginger
Ginger offers several features that can help students with dyslexia and other learning disorders with writing. It is also designed for speakers of languages other than English. Some of the features include:

* Grammar checker that analyzes context to determine any errors or misspellings. For instance, Ginger can recognize whether 'there,' 'their' or 'they're' should be used in a sentence, which is a common mistake in writing.

* Word prediction and sentence rephrasing tools that can be helpful for students learning how to construct sentences properly.

* TTS functionality so students can hear what they've written.

* A personal trainer that provides practice sessions based on past mistakes made by the student.

Ginger is available for Windows and Mac, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.
Ghotit
Ghotit is specifically designed for students with dyslexia and other learning disorders who have difficulties with writing. The name is inspired by the word "Ghoti," which is a constructed term that illustrates irregularities in the English language. And since many spellings are counterintuitive - especially for those with dyslexia - Ghotit dedicates itself to assisting children and adults who struggle with writing accurately.

It features the ability to learn from the user's past mistakes, personalizing suggestions for spelling and grammatical errors. Ghotit can predict words, check passages of text contextually, read text aloud using TTS technology and recognize split and merged words. It also includes an integrated dictionary for students to quickly look up a word.
Math Tools
A range of technology and tools can help students that have trouble with math, most commonly found in a learning disability called dyscalculia. Dyscalculia makes it difficult to grasp numbers and it is characterized by a general lack of understanding in the field of math.

Assistive technology in math is not just for those with dyscalculia. It can also help students with blindness, fine motor skill disabilities or some other type of disability that makes it difficult to perform math-related work.
MathTalk
MathTalk is a speech recognition software program for math that can help students with a range of disabilities. From prealgebra to Ph.D. level mathematics, students can perform math problems by speaking into a microphone on their computer. The program works with Dragon NaturallySpeaking programs for voice-to-text functionality, making it ideal for students who have fine motor skill disabilities. Students with blindness or vision disabilities can use the integrated braille translator.

In addition to these audiences, MathTalk also appeals to students with dyscalculia. The program functions as an electronic math worksheet, allowing the child to organize, align and work through problems on the screen, making it helpful for students who have difficulties performing math problems on paper.
Math Simulations
Math simulations can help students with dyscalculia visualize math problems and concepts. As a result, students can better understand the application of a particular type of problem, since many students struggle with the conceptual aspects of math.

Examples can be found at the NASA website. From video to animated simulations, teachers and students can visually see how a math concept or problem would work. And with some math simulations, students can work through the problem and then see the result play out in the simulation.
Conclusion
Thanks to the rapid advances in assistive technology tools, students, parents, and teachers have a seemingly limitless number of tools at their disposal.

As these tools start to appear in the home and in the classroom, parents and teachers can utilize them for students' academic and personal growth. But technology alone is not enough - to successfully use these tools, it's critical to develop a plan for their use and have regular check-ins to ensure the student is gaining the most value possible and not becoming overly reliant on these tools.

But while assistive tools have become plentiful, the same cannot be said for special education instructors. As previously mentioned, the vast majority of states have reported a need for teachers in special education. And many general education classrooms instruct children with special needs.

Certification is a faster way for current teachers to qualify to teach this growing population. At Alvernia University Online, teachers can pursue a special education certification for grades PreK-8 or 7-12 to help make a difference for children with special needs. They will also improve their marketability in the process, gaining additional opportunities for their career.

Overall, more teachers are needed in this area. Although the advancement of technology in special education is promising, the same increase is needed for the number of special education instructors. Certification offers one solution to quickly meet this need. Learn more about Alvernia's program today.
15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

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15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources For Students With Disabilities

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Ranging in sophistication from tools to apps, assistive technology tools can help students with certain disabilities learn more effectively.

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This website has some amazing information and resources for families of students with specific learning disabilities

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Since 1963,LDA has provided support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals with cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources. These services make LDA the leading resource for information on learning disabilities.

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Learning Disabilities Association of America - Support. Educate. Advocate.

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Since 1963 ,LDA has provided support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals with cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources. These services make LDA the leading resource for information on learning disabilities.

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This websites contains information and resources for families of students with disabilities starting with information about dealing with the first steps of a diagnosis

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Has a child's disability recently touched your life? Are you visiting our website today looking for information about that disability? Would you like to find organizations and people that can help address the disability-related questions and concerns you may have?

We're very pleased you're here, because the CPIR has a great deal of information about disabilities to share. We hope this page will:

give you a quick roadmap to the disability world of help that's available in the United States; and

point you to disability resources on this website and beyond that may come in handy, now and as time goes by.

To speed you to information most relevant to you and your situation, we've divided the discussion below into two main parts. Click on the section that seems most relevant to your quest for information today, or just read straight through!

For Parents and Family Members

The Parent Center network is honored to welcome you to the disability community of those who are raising a child with disabilities. There is a lot of help, understanding, and assistance available, you'll be glad to know.

First, A Home Truth About Disability
There are many home truths about disability, but perhaps the most visible one is that "disability is a natural part of the human experience..."

We've quoted here from Congress. This was the first finding of Congress when it wrote the nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. You'll find many disability laws in the United States. They are all part of a national policy "to ensure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities." Not surprisingly, there are many systems in place to address disabilities. These exist at the national, state, and local levels. We'll describe how to connect with these systems in a moment.

Other Home Truths
Given that disability is a natural part of the human experience, you may also appreciate several related home truths. These come from people who have disabilities or those who are involved with someone who does.

Your child is a person first, always.
Disability does not define your child's selfhood, any more than the color of his or her eyes does. Individuality grows from the rich soil of personality, experience, health, education, upbringing, and more. Know this for fact, and see it unfold in real time, as your child grows and matures. Having a disability is part of the mix, but so are your child's strengths, humor, talents, and interests.

Don't let the labels get you down.
We humans like to have a name for things-and that includes disabilities. We use terms like "learning disabilities" or "AD/HD" or "autism." These can seem like labels sometimes, limiting and impersonal. It's not uncommon for parents to resist having a label hung on their son or daughter. Some parents even resist accepting special help for their child because of labeling. Yet--labels are just terms used for a particular purpose. They're a convenient way of referring to something. And in the case of children with disabilities, schools are required to report the number of students they've helped according to specific categories. They have to use labels.

All this is to say: Try not to get too bugged by the label issue. Use the label when it's convenient or helpful, like when you're looking for information on your child's disability. Forget the label the rest of the time. Your child's the same person, either way. He or she hasn't changed one bit, label or no label.

Disability does not mean that your child cannot learn or be educated with peers without disabilities.
Parent Centers talk to many parents who've just learned that their child has a disability. Many wonder and worry that the disability means their child cannot learn or must now be educated in a separate classroom, away from friends and peers without disabilities. Not true. As you learn more about the special education system and how it works, you'll find that IDEA actually prefers students being educated together in the regular classroom.

Also, keep in mind that everyone learns differently. We all have our own personal style of learning, and so does your child. This includes our strengths and weaknesses, preferences and interests, talents and motivation. All of these factors go into how we, as individuals, learn and grow. Your child can learn, will learn. It's the job of special education to adapt instruction to fit your child's learning needs.

Learn as much as you can about your child's disability.
They say knowledge is power, and they're right. It's essential to learn more about your child's disability. How does the disability affect learning, movement, memory, behavior, and so on? What kind of special services help? What type of instruction is effective? These are the kinds of questions to ask. Share relevant information with the professionals working with your child. Also share your insights about your child's learning styles and preferences that only a parent can have.

You know your child best. Does what you're learning "fit" your knowledge of your son or daughter?
So you're reading scads of information about this disability. Keep in mind that not all of it may actually fit your child. He or she is unique, after all. Take the info that fits your child, sounds like your child, or might be helpful to your child, and use it. Leave the rest aside.

You're not alone.
Disability being part of the human experience, it's safe to say that many parents are where you are today, or have been where you are--searching for answers. It really helps sometimes to read what other parents have to say about raising a child with a disability. We recommend reading the short essay You Are Not Alone, written many years ago by parent Patty McGill Smith.

Finding the Information and Help You Need
OK, friend, let's get down to different business-connecting you with resources of help out there. In this section, we're not going to explain anything in detail (the page would never end!). We ARE going to suggest that you visit certain pages on this website. That's where you'll find things explained.

Here's a handy list of topics you can investigate. We've organized them in roughly the same order in which a parent might move forward, gathering information from the ground up. But feel free to jump around, if you'd like.

Each of the choices below will open in a new window, so this page stays open. That way, you can keep coming back to it and finding another corner to poke around in.
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What information are you looking for today? Re: Babies and toddlers, birth to the 3rd birthday:
The baby next door can do so many things that mine can't, and they're both 11 months old! Should I be concerned?
Read our Developmental Milestones page.

Where can I have my little one evaluated to see why she isn't....(sitting up, babbling, talking, walking...) yet?
Evaluations of babies and toddlers are conducted free of charge by the state, when there's a concern that the little one has a disability or a developmental delay. Find out where you can have your wee one evaluated by reading Services in Your State for Infants and Toddlers.

Tell me about the help available for babies and toddlers with disabilities.
We're pleased to! Read about early intervention.

Where do I find help in my state?
You'll want to get in touch with the Parent Training and Information (PTI) center that serves your State. Your State may also have a Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC) that, too, helps parents and family members to connect with vital information and needed assistance in their State and beyond. Visit Find Your Parent Center.

Are there parent groups I can join?
Yes, indeed. Many different kinds, in fact.
Read Parent Groups.

I don't even know what to ask! It's all too new.
Understood. The first steps into the disability world can be overwhelming. But go step by step. There's a lot to learn and know. We humbly suggest that you poke around this website, especially the Repository of Resources, and see what you find. We also strongly suggest that you visit the website of the PTI or CPRC that serves your State.
Re: School-aged children, ages 3-21 I want to read about my daughter's disability.Oh, we have just the place for you to start.

Head over to Categories of Disability and connect with fact sheets on disabilities.
My child is not doing well in school. What should I do?
Ask the school to evaluate your child under IDEA. The evaluation is free. Results are then used by you and the school: (a) to determine if your child has a disability that's affecting his or her schoolwork; (b) to determine whether your child needs special services in school (called special education); and (c) if so, to help you and the school plan what type of help and support your child will receive.
Please read Evaluating Children for Disability.

I don't know much about special education. Tell me the basics.
Sure, can do.
Read 10 Basic Steps in Special Education.

Are there parent groups I can join?
Yes, indeed. Many different kinds, in fact.
Read Parent Groups.

Who can help in my State?
The Parent Training Information (PTI) center and the Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC) in your State. Not all States have CPRCs, but all have at least one PTI. Connecting with your PTI or CPRC can plug you into who's-who and what's-what where you live.

What are my rights as a parent?
That's a great question. The answer is: You have many rights. Hustle over to the Parental Rights section and dive in.

I don't even know what to ask! It's all too new.
Understood. The first steps into the disability world can be overwhelming. But go step by step. There's a lot to learn and know. We humbly suggest that you poke around this website, especially the Repository of Resources, and see what you find. We also strongly suggest that you visit the website of the PTI or CPRC that serves your State.

We hope this brief introduction to the disability network has gotten you started in your search for information and connection. As your child grows and your experience evolves, your questions will change. The Parent Center network stands ready as an ongoing source of answers and connections.
As a parent new to the disability community, you may also find these last few resources on target: The Unplanned Journey: When You Learn Your Child Has a Disability
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/journey/
Parent Participation in Early Intervention (Children birth to the 3rd birthday)
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/parent-participation-ei/

Parent Participation in Special Education (Children 3-21)
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/participation/

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Has a child's disability recently touched your life? Are you visiting our website today looking for information about that disability? Would you like to find organizations and people that can help address the disability-related questions and concerns you may have? We're very pleased you're here, because the CPIR has a great deal of information about disabilities to share.

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This website has great information for all types of teaching as well as amazing resources and videos for having an inclusive classroom

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When inclusion is done well, everyone in the class benefits. It strengthens the ability of all kids to work together, understand and value different points of view, think critically, and be successful learners.

Inclusive classrooms also reduce stigma. Imagine this kind of learning community:

Understanding inclusion

Is it inclusion?

This chart, developed by inclusion expert Nicole Eredics, can help you understand what inclusion is and isn't.

Child spends the majority of the day in the general education classroom.

Child spends the majority of the day in a special education classroom and goes to a general education classroom for one or two periods.

Child's desk is included with the other groups of desks in the classroom.

Child's desk is away from the other desks in the classroom.

Child has access to and is included in classroom lessons and activities that are adapted or modified to meet his/her special needs.

Child works on his/her own curriculum.

Child attends outside activities with the class including assemblies, field trips, enrichment classes, and recess.

Child is given alternate activities and options with other special education students.

Child is an independent, valued, and respected classroom member.

Child is looked upon as helpless, needy, and dependent.

The child's paraprofessional facilitates access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The child's paraprofessional determines access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The paraprofessional encourages child to complete work as independently as possible, while providing support when needed.

The paraprofessional does not provide many opportunities for the child to complete work independently and "hovers."

Child receives specialist support (therapy, speech, and language) with minimal disruption to the class routine and program.

Child is pulled from the classroom lessons and activities for specialist suport without consideration for what the child will miss.

The teacher can identify your child's strengths and areas for improvement.

The teacher refers to the specialists and paraprofessionals to identify child's development.

Child can name classmates and has many common classroom experiences.

Child does not know classmates and does not have many common classroom experiences.

The trend toward inclusive general education classrooms

Can special education students thrive in general education classrooms? Watch Carl Cohn, a former superintendent, talk about the trend toward inclusive classrooms (also called inclusion classrooms). Hear his tips on what to ask if a school suggests your child should be in a separate, self-contained classroom. Learn more at Understood, 4 Benefits of Inclusion Classrooms.

Read about a New York City public school program called ASD Nest in this article from The Atlantic: What School Could Be If It Were Designed for Kids With Autism.

Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In

This video, "Meeting the Needs of the Whole Child," overview is part of the Edmonton Public Schools' Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In initiative. The District was selected as a change agent for Alberta's Action on Inclusion initiative - to share information about best practices to welcome, include and support students' needs in the classroom and community. (Edmonton Public Schools, Alberta, CA) View all of the "Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In" video >

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Inclusive Classrooms: A Primer for Teachers

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When inclusion is done well, everyone in the class benefits. It strengthens the ability of all kids to work together, understand and value different points of view, think critically, and be successful learners. Inclusive classrooms also reduce stigma. Imagine this kind of learning community: "Inclusive classrooms are filled with diverse learners.

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This is an amazing website provide information and resources on creating an inclusive classroom and school

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What Does an Inclusive Classroom Look Like?

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If you are reading this post, you are probably searching for information to make sure that your child or someone very special to you is receiving the best educational services possible to meet their individual needs. Thank you for being an advocate for effective inclusive practice. What is inclusion, and…

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This website provide a lot of helpful information about special education including how to write an IEP and the components of one

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A NASET series that looks at each component of the IEP in depth

Before diving into the specifics of what must be included in an IEP, it's important to consider the "Big Picture" of the IEP-its purposes, how it serves as a blueprint for the child's special education and related services under IDEA, and the scope of activities and settings it covers.
The IEP has two general purposes:
(1) to establish measurable annual goals for the child; and

(2) to state the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services that the public agency will provide to, or on behalf of, the child. When constructing an appropriate educational program for a child with a disability, the IEP team broadly considers the child's involvement and participation in three main areas of school life:

the general education curriculum

extracurricular activities

nonacademic activities

By general education curriculum, we mean the subject matter provided to children without disabilities and the associated skills they are expected to develop and apply. Examples include math, science, history, and language arts.

When we talk about extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities, we're referring to school activities that fall outside the realm of the general curriculum. These are usually voluntary and tend to be more social than academic. They typically involve others of the same age and may be organized and guided by teachers or other school personnel. Examples: yearbook, school newspaper, school sports, school clubs, lunch, recess, band, pep rallies, assemblies, field trips, after-school programs, recreational clubs.

The IEP can be understood as the blueprint, or plan, for the special education experience of a child with a disability across these school environments.

Most special educators have an awareness of what is basically required in a child's IEP. However, the more you understand about each individual part, and especially how they go together to form an action plan for a child's education, the easier it will be to write a well-grounded and effective IEP. Using information from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, this 11 part series will focus on each specific component of the IEP.

PAST ISSUE OF IEP COMPONENTS SERIES

How is the child currently doing in school? How does the disability affect his or her performance in class? This type of information is captured in the "present levels" statement in the IEP.

Once a child's needs are identified, the IEP team works to develop appropriate goals to address those needs. Annual goal describe what the child is expected to do or learn within a 12-month period.

Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives
Benchmarks or short-term objectives are required only for children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards. If you're wondering what that means, this article will tell you!

Each child's IEP must also contain a description of how his or her progress toward meeting the annual goals will be measured and when it will be reported to parents. Learn more about how to write this statement in this short article.

The IEP must contain a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child. This article focuses on the first element: a statement of the special education that will be provided for the child.

To help a child with a disability benefit from special education, he or she may also need extra help in one area or another, such as speaking or moving. This additional help is called related services. Find out all about these critical services here.

Supplementary aids and services are intended to improve children's access to learning and their participation across the spectrum of academic, extracurricular, and nonacademic activities and settings. The IEP team must determine what supplementary aids and services a child will need and specify them in the IEP.

The IEP must also include an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in other school settings and activities. Read how this connects to IDEA's foundational principle of LRE.

IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state or districtwide assessments. The IEP team must decide if the student needs accommodations in testing or another type of assessment entirely. In this component of the IEP, the team documents how the student will participate.

When will the child begin to receive services? Where? How often? How long will a "session" last? Pesky details, but important to include in the IEP!

After a child is found eligible for special education and related services, a meeting must be held within 30 days to develop to the IEP. The school system must notify the child's parents of when and where the meeting will take place, so they have the opportunity to attend and participate.

After a child is found eligible for special education and related services, a meeting must be held within 30 days to develop to the IEP. The school system must notify the child's parents of when and where the meeting will take place, so they have the opportunity to attend and participate.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs. The law requires that public schools develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each child. The IEP is a written plan for educating a child with a disability. The IEP describes the student's specific special education needs as well as any related services, including assistive technology.

The focus of this issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by the National Dissemination Center for Students with Disabilities (NICHCY). The article will connect you with resources in the employment world. Exploring what these organizations and centers have to offer can be extremely helpful when involved in planning a student's future in this area.

Certain members of the IEP team may be excused from an IEP meeting under specific conditions. These conditions will vary depending on whether or the team member's area of expertise is going to be discussed or modified in the meeting. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series will address the issue of excusal of IEP team members from IEP meetings.

Many different individuals come together to help the student plan for transition. Typically, transition planning is handled by members of the IEP team, with other individuals becoming involved as needed. It's important to involve a variety of people, for they will bring their unique perspectives to the planning table. The team draws upon the expertise of the different members and pools their information to make decisions or recommendations for the student. In addition to the regular players at the IEP table (parents, student, special education and general education teachers, related service providers, administrators, others), when transition is going to be discussed, representatives of outside agencies may be invited, especially those who are well informed about resources and adult services in the community. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series presents a list of four different agencies to consider, plus the ever-useful "Other" category. Each is discussed in some detail throughout this article.

NSTTAC is the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, an OSEP-funded project whose expertise is secondary transition. As part of its work, NSTTAC has developed extensive training materials to help states collect data about the transition services they provide to youth with disabilities. Those materials are also useful for our purpose here, which is to look closely at the type of transition information to include in a student's IEP. NSTTAC's materials include a checklist of questions to ask, which are adapted here for use by IEP teams as they plan a student's transition services and craft statements to include in the student's IEP. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series will present a checklist of questions to ask for IEP Teams as they plan a student's transition. NASET would like to thank the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center for their permission to use its materials for this publication.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Dr. John Nikolaros. The paper specifies critical measures required by the Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with special needs. The author explains and offers successful strategies in special education. The specific benchmarks that are examined consist of the process leading up the Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting, the impact of the special education chair, and the least restrictive environment (LRE). The purpose of this paper is to inform the audience of practices in special education that lead to consistency and successful implementation.

This issue of IEP Component Series was written by Catherine C. George, Ph.D. and Sharon A. Lynch, Ph.D. The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act included substantial changes related to Individual Education Programs. These changes require school personnel to provide students with disabilities greater access to the general curriculum. Multidisciplinary teams must implement these changes when developing and measuring a student's IEP. This article highlights some of these changes and offers practical recommendations to assist educators in the IEP development process. Specifically, the present article provides a working guidance document for developing a quality statement of a student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance that leads to individualized benchmarks and goals. Additionally, the authors provide several recommendations regarding methods which can be used to measure student progress on a variety of benchmarks and goals.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Olga M. Torguet from Florida International University. Her article focuses on the barriers to full participation in the IEP Process. To advocate for their children and make informed educational decisions, parents must be able to understand the information presented at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 legally mandated that students 14 and older be invited to participate in IEP meetings. As a means to better understand parents' and students' passive participation during these meetings, I analyzed current literature related to barriers that inhibit their full participation in the IEP process. Two studies were identified related to the readability of Procedural Safeguard documents provided by states department of education. Eight published articles were dissected to identify the reasons for the inactive involvement of parents and students. Overall arguments that emerged repeatedly across all articles concerned the inability to advocate due to the high readability level of parents' rights documents, jargon utilized in meetings, and lack of understanding of system procedures and policies.

This issue of IEP Component series was written by Arnold Chee Keong, CHUA, MEd/BCSE. Young children with developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome is on the rise in Singapore. Children diagnosed with such disabilities at the age of three years or below will undergo an early intervention program to prevent or minimize developmental delays. Teachers in the early intervention sector require to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP. Educators working with children of various disabilities need to consider several factors in the formulation of an appropriate IEP. Using the proposed S.M.A.R.T. framework, this paper discusses five key elements of designing an IEP (S: Specificity, M: Meaningful, A: Appropriateness, R: Routine-based, and T: Transferability) which educators can adopt so as to improve the quality of written IEP goals and objectives. It is hope with this framework, the child's learning can promote engagement, social interaction, and finally independence.

Adolescence is a time for dreaming-for youth to imagine and set a course for the future. High school students naturally spend time imagining the future-if and where to continue their education, to find a job or pursue a career, to move away from home, or to start a family. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a process to help youth with disabilities turn their dreams into reality. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from a Parent Brief from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition and was written by Ceci Shapland, Co-Director of the Healthy & Ready to Work National Center. It provides information on the benefits of and strategies for including health in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability and discusses career planning and vocational assessment for transition-age youth. Many youth with disabilities have not had the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers in terms of exposure to career preparation options. In the past, the career planning process for youth with disabilities often did not reflect the values of choice and self-determination. Many youth with disabilities were relegated to passive roles in their own career planning process. As a result, many youth have not had the opportunity to pursue career options that they found motivating and satisfying.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Jay Gottlieb, Ph.D., Mark Alter, Ph.D., and Marc A. Gottlieb, Esq. Why, forty years after passage of the original Education for All Handicapped Act of 1975 (the predecessor legislation to IDEA), is there is still no agreed-upon operational heuristic for defining the least restrictive environment? As with so many aspects of public education, the answer is complex. Schools are ultimately responsible for identifying the LRE, but they are buffeted by many external and internal influences that affect the quality and quantity of education IEP students receive. Even in the absence of internal or external influences, substantial variability in LRE implementation is to be anticipated; in fact, it is desirable. The underlying rationale of the federal special education law is that each student is unique and requires a tailored program. The potential wealth of services and placements recommended on an IEP define an appropriate education, and they should be different for each person.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Dr. Heidi D'Ambrosio and Ms. Lora Reese. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) coupled with the Free Appropriate Education Act (FAPE) mandates the honoring of student rights to have complete access to curriculum and communication with zero rejection. Despite the legal demands of these two great Acts, some children are still being left behind. The purpose of this article is to bring attention to just one of many cases where the rights of a student with autism, a prevalent diagnosis, was denied his due entitlement to reach full academic and social potential. The United States Supreme Court has adjudicated cases as recently as Spring 2017. A case law review was conducted to offer insight into the world of school litigation and legislation as it relates to achievement, accountability, parental involvement, and special and remedial education reform policies and practices.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) lists five special factors that the IEP team must consider in the development, review, and revision of each child's IEP. Read IDEA's exact words. The importance of these special factors in the education of children with disabilities and the need for individualized consideration of these factors in IEP development and revision cannot be underestimated. The special factors are: (1) Behavior; (2) Limited English proficiency; (3) Blindness or visual impairment; (4) Communication needs/Deafness; and (5) Assistive technology. This edition of NASET's IEP Components series will provide you updated information and resources regarding special factors in IEP development.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, Operating on the premise that the student with a disability-who is the focus of all this discussion and planning- may have something vital to contribute to planning his or her educational program and future, IDEA clearly provides for the child's inclusion in, and participation on, the IEP Team whenever appropriate.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, A significant aspect of IDEIA's requirements relates to including transition-related goals and statements in the IEPs of students preparing for life after high school. Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series comes from The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and takes a much closer look at the kind of information that might need to be included in a student's IEP as part of transition planning.

In this issue of NASET's IEP Component series, Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. This issue of NASET's IEP Components series is designed to connect you with basic information about transition planning. We've included articles, guides, and online trainings designed for specific audiences, because we all process and use information from the vantage point of why we want to know and what we're going to do with the info.

Assistive technology enables children with disabilities to participate more fully in all aspects of life (home, school, and community) and helps them access their right to a ?free appropriate, public education? in the ?least restrictive environment?. The IEP team must determine whether an individual child needs an assistive technology device or service, and if so, the nature and extent to be provided. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the Center for Parent Information & Resources. The checklist provided is designed to help IEP teams consider the needs of students with disabilities for assistive technology. It was adapted from the Nebraska Department of Education's Nebraska IEP Technical Assistance Guide (1998, September).

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series was written by Rebecca Fields. The article focuses on collaborating with parents through the transitioning stages of an IEP. Transitioning from one stage of life to another can be tedious. More-so tedious when considering a student with disabilities (SWD). One can imagine the hesitation, frustration and fear that conjures from the anticipation of the unknown for both the parent and the SWD. Specifically, transitioning from high school to the next step in life can be a nerve wrecking experience for most parents to SWD. For this reason, it is plausible to assume that being a well-informed parent is critical for the success of the student in many ways. By creating a culture of open communication and providing resources for both the parent and student, it is possible to establish a sense of ease in relation to transition. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effects that parental involvement has on SWD and their transitioning stage into post-school settings. It is a product of five articles that examine transition planning, family involvement, and parental collaborations.

Developing appropriate Individual Education Program (IEP) academic goals can be a daunting task for IEP teams when considering that many special education students perform below grade level. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, student IEPs must be aligned with grade-level standards. A recent study that focused on identifying how teachers were navigating the potentially competing demands of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Language Arts expectations and best practices for students with mild to moderate disabilities raised some potential concerns regarding IEP compliance in regards to academic goal development. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series will present those findings and provide implications for future practice, and research.

This issue of NASET's IEP Components series was written by Jessica Ramos. The Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates parents' participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). This review of the literature examines parents' experiences during the IEP meeting and the capacity in which parents are included. Additionally, the literature analyzes the barriers and limitations parents encounter due to culturally and linguistically diversity (CLD). According to the research, CLD parents of are less likely to feel fully involved in the IEP process due to bureaucratic procedures, legal jargon and verbal and nonverbal barriers. Research suggests, empathy along with formalizing relationships are key components in delivering an effective partnership between parents and educators in creating a quality IEP for students with disabilities.

By Ricki Sabia, Martha L. Thurlow, and Sheryl S. Lazarus Source: Sabia, R., Thurlow, M. L., & Lazarus, S. S. (2020, January). Developing IEPs that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (Brief #3). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center. This issue of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the TIES Center. The IEP team must consider the general education classroom in the student's home school first before considering a more restrictive placement such as a special education class. The goal for the IEP team is to determine the least restrictive environment in which the student can be educated satisfactorily. It should be difficult to overcome the presumption that students should be educated in the general education classroom. Simply being behind peers in progress in the curriculum is not a reason to move a student to a more restrictive setting. "Restrictiveness" in LRE decisions relates to the amount of time spent with nondisabled students in the general education classroom or other general education environments (e.g., study hall). That is why the general education classroom is considered less restrictive than a special education classroom. The type of support a student may need, such as an aide in the general education classroom, does not make the setting more restrictive. Similarly, "LRE requirements apply to transition services, including employment-related transition services, and apply equally to the employment portion of the student's program and placement." There are many resources available for parents, but not all focus specifically on ensuring that the IEP is written in a way that supports inclusion in the general education curriculum and classroom. The purpose of this issue of NASET's IEP Component series is to identify specific ways in which the IEP can be written to support inclusion.

As part of a student's transition planning for life after high school, the student and the other members of his or her IEP team will probably consider the possibility of more education or training. In keeping with the options specifically mentioned in IDEA, the discussion of education/training after high school may focus on: (1) postsecondary education at a college, university, or community college; (2 ) vocational education to learn a trade or specific job skill; or (3) continuing and adult education. This edition of NASET's IEP Component series comes from the Center for Parent Information and Resources and will connect you with organizations and articles that can help tackle the education/training question during transition planning.

This issue of NASET's IEP Component series was written by Elizabeth M. Vasquez. Parents and guardians of students with disabilities play a fundamental role in their child's education. They play the advocate for their students in a room full of professionals. They are a piece of the puzzle that creates an Individualized Education Plan for their student. Their involvement in education allegedly is cohesive with the educators, psychologists, therapists and administrators. But there is a lack of parameters in effective parent involvement and engagement practices. The Individuals with Disability Education Act states clearly that parent participation needs to be ensured in their student's education, but there are no clear criteria. This leaves the idea of parent involvement for either parties, educators and/or parents, left up to their perception or understanding. With no guidelines parent involvement remains inconsistent, leaving those culturally or linguistically diverse less involved and uninformed.

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Before diving into the specifics of what must be included in an IEP, it's important to consider the "Big Picture" of the IEP-its purposes, how it serves as a blueprint for the child's special education and related services under IDEA, and the scope of activities and settings it covers.

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This website contain information from the U.S department of education on the guide to creating an IEP

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Select a link below to jump to the relevant page section.

1. Preface

The purpose of this guidance is to assist educators, parents, and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities, including preschool-aged children. (This guide does not address the development of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for infants and toddlers.)

Guide to the Individualized Education Program
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
U.S. Department of Education
July 2000

Credits

This guide was developed by the U.S. Department of Education, with the assistance of the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY). The Department staff contributing to this guide include: Debra Price-Ellingstad, JoLeta Reynolds, Larry Ringer, Ruth Ryder, and Suzanne Sheridan, under the direction of Judith E. Heumann, Kenneth Warlick, and Curtis Richards.

Editor: Lisa Küpper, NICHCY

Production: Jean Kohanek, NICHCY

Disability Art: Madison, Moore, www.disabilityart.com

Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Each IEP must be designed for one student and must be a truly individualized document. The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education for each child with a disability.
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To create an effective IEP, parents, teachers, other school staff--and often the student--must come together to look closely at the student's unique needs. These individuals pool knowledge, experience and commitment to design an educational program that will help the student be involved in, and progress in, the general curriculum. The IEP guides the delivery of special education supports and services for the student with a disability. Without a doubt, writing--and implementing--an effective IEP requires teamwork.

This guide explains the IEP process, which we consider to be one of the most critical elements to ensure effective teaching, learning, and better results for all children with disabilities. The guide is designed to help teachers, parents and anyone involved in the education of a child with a disability-develop and carry out an IEP. The information in this guide is based on what is required by our nation's special education law--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.

The IDEA requires certain information to be included in each child's IEP. It is useful to know, however, that states and local school systems often include additional information in IEPs in order to document that they have met certain aspects of federal or state law. The flexibility that states and school systems have to design their own IEP forms is one reason why IEP forms may look different from school system to school system or state to state. Yet each IEP is critical in the education of a child with a disability.

Additional copies of this guide are available from:

ED Pubs
Editorial Publications Center
U.S. Department of Education
P.O. Box 1398
Jessup, MD 20794-1398

(877) 4-ED-PUBS
(877) 576-7734 TTY
(301) 470-1244 Fax

The writing of each student's IEP takes place within the larger picture of the special education process under IDEA. Before taking a detailed look at the IEP, it may be helpful to look briefly at how a student is identified as having a disability and needing special education and related services and, thus, an IEP.
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Step 1. Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services.

"Child Find." The state must identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state who need special education and related services. To do so, states conduct "Child Find" activities. A child may be identified by "Child Find," and parents may be asked if the "Child Find" system can evaluate their child. Parents can also call the "Child Find" system and ask that their child be evaluated. Or —

Referral or request for evaluation. A school professional may ask that a child be evaluated to see if he or she has a disability. Parents may also contact the child's teacher or other school professional to ask that their child be evaluated. This request may be verbal or in writing. Parental consent is needed before the child may be evaluated. Evaluation needs to be completed within a reasonable time after the parent gives consent.

Step 2. Child is evaluated.

The evaluation must assess the child in all areas related to the child's suspected disability. The evaluation results will be used to decide the child's eligibility for special education and related services and to make decisions about an appropriate educational program for the child. If the parents disagree with the evaluation, they have the right to take their child for an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). They can ask that the school system pay for this IEE.

Step 3. Eligibility is decided.

Clearly, the IEP is a very important document for children with disabilities and for those who are involved in educating them. Done correctly, the IEP should improve teaching, learning and results. Each child's IEP describes, among other things, the educational program that has been designed to meet that child's unique needs. This part of the guide looks closely at how the IEP is written and by whom, and what information it must, at a minimum, contain.
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A group of qualified professionals and the parents look at the child's evaluation results. Together, they decide if the child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA. Parents may ask for a hearing to challenge the eligibility decision.

Step 4. Child is found eligible for services.

If the child is found to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, he or she is eligible for special education and related services. Within 30 calendar days after a child is determined eligible, the IEP team must meet to write an IEP for the child.
Step 5. IEP meeting is scheduled.
By law, the IEP must include certain information about the child and the educational program designed to meet his or her unique needs. In a nutshell, this information is:
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Current performance.
The IEP must state how the child is currently doing in school (known as present levels of educational performance). This information usually comes from the evaluation results such as classroom tests and assignments, individual tests given to decide eligibility for services or during reevaluation, and observations made by parents, teachers, related service providers, and other school staff. The statement about "current performance" includes how the child's disability affects his or her involvement and progress in the general curriculum.

Annual goals.
These are goals that the child can reasonably accomplish in a year. The goals are broken down into short-term objectives or benchmarks. Goals may be academic, address social or behavioral needs, relate to physical needs, or address other educational needs. The goals must be measurable-meaning that it must be possible to measure whether the student has achieved the goals.

Special education and related services.
The IEP must list the special education and related services to be provided to the child or on behalf of the child. This includes supplementary aids and services that the child needs. It also includes modifications (changes) to the program or supports for school personnel-such as training or professional development-that will be provided to assist the child.

Participation with nondisabled children.
The IEP must explain the extent (if any) to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and other school activities.

Participation in state and district-wide tests.
Most states and districts give achievement tests to children in certain grades or age groups. The IEP must state what modifications in the administration of these tests the child will need. If a test is not appropriate for the child, the IEP must state why the test is not appropriate and how the child will be tested instead.

Dates and places.
The IEP must state when services will begin, how often they will be provided, where they will be provided, and how long they will last.

States and school systems have a great deal of flexibility about the information they require in an IEP. Some states and school systems have chosen to include in the IEP additional information to document their compliance with other state and federal requirements. (Federal law requires that school districts maintain documentation to demonstrate their compliance with federal requirements.) Generally speaking, extra elements in IEPs may be included to document that the state or school district has met certain aspects of federal or state law, such as:
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IEP Forms in Different Places
While the law tells us what information must be included in the IEP, it does not specify what the IEP should look like. No one form or approach or appearance is required or even suggested. Each state may decide what its IEPs will look like. In some states individual school systems design their own IEP forms.

Thus, across the United States, many different IEP forms are used. What is important is that each form be as clear and as useful as possible, so that parents, educators, related service providers, administrators, and others can easily use the form to write and implement effective IEPs for their students with disabilities.

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Transition service needs.
Beginning when the child is age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must address (within the applicable parts of the IEP) the courses he or she needs to take to reach his or her post-school goals. A statement of transition services needs must also be included in each of the child's subsequent IEPs.

By law, certain individuals must be involved in writing a child's Individualized Education Program. These are identified in the figure at the left. Note that an IEP team member may fill more than one of the team positions if properly qualified and designated. For example, the school system representative may also be the person who can interpret the child's evaluation results.
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These people must work together as a team to write the child's IEP. A meeting to write the IEP must be held within 30 calendar days of deciding that the child is eligible for special education and related services.

Each team member brings important information to the IEP meeting. Members share their information and work together to write the child's Individualized Education Program. Each person's information adds to the team's understanding of the child and what services the child needs.

Parents are key members of the IEP team. They know their child very well and can talk about their child's strengths and needs as well as their ideas for enhancing their child's education. They can offer insight into how their child learns, what his or her interests are, and other aspects of the child that only a parent can know. They can listen to what the other team members think their child needs to work on at school and share their suggestions. They can also report on whether the skills the child is learning at school are being used at home. (See box on page 12 regarding parents' possible need for an interpreter.)

Teachers are vital participants in the IEP meeting as well. At least one of the child's regular education teachers must be on the IEP team if the child is (or may be) participating in the regular education environment. The regular education teacher has a great deal to share with the team. For example, he or she might talk about:

the general curriculum in the regular classroom;

the aids, services or changes to the educational program that would help the child learn and achieve; and

strategies to help the child with behavior, if behavior is an issue.

The regular education teacher may also discuss with the IEP team the supports for school staff that are needed so that the child can:

To help decide what special education and related services the student needs, generally the IEP team will begin by looking at the child's evaluation results, such as classroom tests, individual tests given to establish the student's eligibility, and observations by teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, related service providers, administrators, and others. This information will help the team describe the student's "present levels of educational performance" -in other words, how the student is currently doing in school. Knowing how the student is currently performing in school will help the team develop annual goals to address those areas where the student has an identified educational need.
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The IEP team must also discuss specific information about the child. This includes:

In addition, the IEP team must consider the "special factors" described in the box below.

It is important that the discussion of what the child needs be framed around how to help the child:

Based on the above discussion, the IEP team will then write the child's IEP. This includes the services and supports the school will provide for the child. If the IEP team decides that a child needs a particular device or service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification), the IEP team must write this information in the IEP. As an example, consider a child whose behavior interferes with learning. The IEP team would need to consider positive and effective ways to address that behavior. The team would discuss the positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports that the child needs in order to learn how to control or manage his or her behavior. If the team decides that the child needs a particular service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification), they must include a statement to that effect in the child's IEP.

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Special Factors To Consider
In addition, the child's placement (where the IEP will be carried out) must be decided. The placement decision is made by a group of people, including the parents and others who know about the child, what the evaluation results mean, and what types of placements are appropriate. In some states, the IEP team serves as the group making the placement decision. In other states, this decision may be made by another group of people. In all cases, the parents have the right to be members of the group that decides the educational placement of the child.
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Placement decisions must be made according to IDEA's least restrictive environment requirements-commonly known as LRE. These requirements state that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with children who do not have disabilities.

The law also clearly states that special classes, separate schools, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment may occur only if the nature or severity of the child's disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

What type of placements are there? Depending on the needs of the child, his or her IEP may be carried out in the regular class (with supplementary aids and services, as needed), in a special class (where every student in the class is receiving special education services for some or all of the day), in a special school, at home, in a hospital and institution, or in another setting. A school system may meet its obligation to ensure that the child has an appropriate placement available by:

providing an appropriate program for the child on its own;

contracting with another agency to provide an appropriate program; or

utilizing some other mechanism or arrangement that is consistent with IDEA for providing or paying for an appropriate program for the child.

The placement group will base its decision on the IEP and which placement option is appropriate for the child. Can the child be educated in the regular classroom, with proper aids and supports? If the child cannot be educated in the regular classroom, even with appropriate aids and supports, then the placement group will talk about other placements for the child.

Depending on the needs of the child, the IEP team needs to consider what the law calls special factors. These include:
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When the IEP has been written, parents must receive a copy at no cost to themselves. The IDEA also stresses that everyone who will be involved in implementing the IEP must have access to the document. This includes the child's:

Each of these individuals needs to know what his or her specific responsibilities are for carrying out the child's IEP. This includes the specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that the child must receive, according to the IEP.

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Parents' Permission
Before the school can provide a child with special education and related services for the first time, the child's parents must give their written permission.

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Once the IEP is written, it is time to carry it out-in other words, to provide the student with the special education and related services as listed in the IEP. This includes all supplementary aids and services and program modifications that the IEP team has identified as necessary for the student to advance appropriately toward his or her IEP goals, to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and participate in other school activities. While it is beyond the scope of this guide to discuss in detail the many issues involved in implementing a student's IEP, certain suggestions can be offered.
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Every individual involved in providing services to the student should know and understand his or her responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This will help ensure that the student receives the services that have been planned, including the specific modifications and accommodations the IEP team has identified as necessary.

Teamwork plays an important part in carrying out the IEP. Many professionals are likely to be involved in providing services and supports to the student. Sharing expertise and insights can help make everyone's job a lot easier and can certainly improve results for students with disabilities. Schools can encourage teamwork by giving teachers, support staff and/or paraprofessionals time to plan or work together on such matters as adapting the general curriculum to address the student's unique needs. Teachers, support staff, and others providing services for children with disabilities may request training and staff development.

Communication between home and school is also important. Parents can share information about what is happening at home and build upon what the child is learning at school. If the child is having difficulty at school, parents may be able to offer insight or help the school explore possible reasons as well as possible solutions.

It is helpful to have someone in charge of coordinating and monitoring the services the student receives. In addition to special education, the student may be receiving any number of related services. Many people may be involved in delivering those services. Having a person in charge of overseeing that services are being delivered as planned can help ensure that the IEP is being carried out appropriately.

The regular progress reports that the law requires will help parents and schools monitor the child's progress toward his or her annual goals. It is important to know if the child is not making the progress expected-or if he or she has progressed much faster than expected. Together, parents and school personnel can then address the child's needs as those needs become evident.

If the child's behavior interferes with his or her learning or the learning of others, the IEP team will consider strategies and supports to address the child's behavior.

The IEP team must review the child's IEP at least once a year. One purpose of this review is to see whether the child is achieving his or her annual goals. The team must revise the child's individualized education program, if necessary, to address:
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the child's progress or lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum;

information gathered through any reevaluation of the child;

information about the child that the parents share;

information about the child that the school shares (for example, insights from the teacher based on his or her observation of the child or the child's classwork);

the child's anticipated needs; or

other matters.

Although the IDEA requires this IEP review at least once a year, in fact the team may review and revise the IEP more often. Either the parents or the school can ask to hold an IEP meeting to revise the child's IEP. For example, the child may not be making progress toward his or her IEP goals, and his or her teacher or parents may become concerned. On the other hand, the child may have met most or all of the goals in the IEP, and new ones need to be written. In either case, the IEP team would meet to revise the IEP.

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Look at Those Factors Again!
When the IEP team is meeting to conduct a review of the child's IEP and, as necessary, to revise it, members must again consider all of the factors discussed on page 11. This includes:

The IEP team must also consider the "special factors," as listed earlier.

There are times when parents may not agree with the school's recommendations about their child's education. Under the law, parents have the right to challenge decisions about their child's eligibility, evaluation, placement, and the services that the school provides to the child. If parents disagree with the school's actions-or refusal to take action-in these matters, they have the right to pursue a number of options. They may do the following:
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OSEP Monitoring
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) regularly monitors states to see that they are complying with IDEA. Every two years OSEP requires that states report progress toward meeting established performance goals that, at a minimum, address the performance of children on assessments, drop-out rates, and graduation rates. As part of its monitoring, the Department reviews IEPs and interviews parents, students, and school staff to find out:

whether, and how, the IEP team made the decisions reflected in the IEP;

whether those decisions and the IEP content are based on the child's unique needs, as determined through evaluation and the IEP process;

whether any state or local policies or practices have interfered with decisions of the IEP team about the child's educational needs and the services that the school would provide to meet those needs; and

The IEP is the cornerstone of special education. Writing and implementing an effective IEP involves many people, many different steps, and collaborative decision making.
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The information provided in this guide about the IEP has been fairly general. To help you get better acquainted with the various parts of the IEP, a sample IEP form is presented on the next pages. The sample IEP form includes space for all of the information that an IEP must contain under federal law. (Remember that IEP forms in your area may require more information that may be of value to the student and those implementing the IEP.) The different parts of the sample are paired with direct quotes from the law, so that you can easily see:

how the law defines what type of information goes into the various parts of a child's IEP, and

how this information goes together to create an educational program for a particular child.

Attachment A presents the IDEA's regulations for "Individualized Education Programs" (§§300.340-300.350). Under §300.347, where "IEP content" is described, we have included additional information primarily from Appendix A and Attachment 1 of the regulations. This information can be very useful in developing a fuller understanding of what type of information is important to capture about a child in the IEP.

whether the school has provided the services listed in the IEP.

This guide is intended to help states and school districts write IEPs that comply with IDEA. Writing effective IEPs is a very important first step in improving educational results for children with disabilities.

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Use of this IEP form, or any other form, will not, in and of itself, ensure compliance with IDEA's Part B requirements. Whether or not a state or local education agency chooses to require or recommend that teams use this form for IEPs, all IEP team participants including parents need to receive clear guidance and training regarding Part B requirements and to understand the importance of the IEP in focusing instruction to meet the unique needs of each child with a disability. TOP Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Student Name [ Space to write ]

Date of Meeting to Develop or Review IEP [ Space to write ]

Note: For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), a statement of the student's transition service needs must be included under the applicable parts of the IEP. The statement must focus on the courses the student needs to take to reach his or her post-school goals.

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From the Regulations:
If you would like more information about special education, children with disabilities, the IEP process, or the IDEA, contact your state education agency or your local education agency. Additional sources of information include the following:
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Office of Special Education Programs
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7100
(202) 245-7531 (Voice/TTY)
Web: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
(800) 695-0285 (Voice/TTY); (202) 884-8200 (V/TTY)
E-mail: nichcy@aed.org
Web: www.nichcy.org

Technical Assistance for Parent Centers--the Alliance
PACER Center
4826 Chicago Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
(888) 248-0822; (612) 827-2966
(612) 827-7770 (TTY)
E-mail: alliance@taalliance.org
Web: www.taalliance.org

The IDEA Partnership Projects

Associations of Service Providers Implementing IDEA Reforms in Education (ASPIIRE)
The Council for Exceptional Children
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1589
(888) 232-7733; (703) 264-9456
(703) 264-9446 (TTY)
E-mail: ideapractices@cec.sped.org

Families and Advocates Partnerships for Education (FAPE)
PACER Center
4826 Chicago Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
(888) 248-0822; (612) 827-2966; (612) 827-7770 (TTY)
E-mail: fape@pacer.org
Web: www.fape.org
Final Regulations for IEPs:
§§ 300.340--300.350 TOP
Attachment A presents the Federal regulations for Individualized Education Programs (IEP). These regulations cover areas such as IEP meetings; the IEP team; parent participation; and the development, review, and revision of the IEP.

Under §300.347--"Content of IEP"--we have included additional guidance on the various parts of the IEP. Generally, this guidance comes from Appendix A and Attachment 1 of the federal regulations for IDEA, which were published March 12, 1999, in the Federal Register.

This extra information is intended to highlight and clarify what information needs to be included in a child's IEP.

Individualized Education Programs

§ 300.340 Definitions related to IEPs.

(a) Individualized education program. As used in this part, the term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with §§ 300.341-300.350.

(b) Participating agency. As used in § 300.348, participating agency means a State or local agency, other than the public agency responsible for a student's education, that is financially and legally responsible for providing transition services to the student.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(11), 1312(a)(10)(B))

§ 300.341 Responsibility of SEA and other public agencies for IEPs.

(a) The SEA shall ensure that each public agency-

(1) Except as provided in §§ 300.450-300.462, develops and implements an IEP for each child with a disability served by that agency; and

(2) Ensures that an IEP is developed and implemented for each eligible child placed in or referred to a private school or facility by the public agency.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section applies to-

(1) The SEA, if it is involved in providing direct services to children with disabilities, in accordance with 300.370(a) and (b)(1); and

(2) Except as provided in § 300.600(d), the other public agencies described in § 300.2, including LEAs and other State agencies that provide special education and related services either directly, by contract, or through other arrangements.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(4), (a)(10)(B))

§ 300.342 When IEPs must be in effect.

(a) General. At the beginning of each school year, each public agency shall have an IEP in effect for each child with a disability within its jurisdiction.

(b) Implementation of IEPs. Each public agency shall ensure that-

(1) An IEP-

(i) Is in effect before special education and related services are provided to an eligible child under this part; and

(ii) Is implemented as soon as possible following the meetings described under § 300.343;

(2) The child's IEP is accessible to each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider, and other service provider who is responsible for its implementation; and

(3) Each teacher and provider described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is informed of-

(i) His or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the child's IEP; and

(ii) The specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided for the child in accordance with the IEP.

(c) IEP or IFSP for children aged 3 through 5.

(1) In the case of a child with a disability aged 3 through 5 (or, at the discretion of the SEA a 2-year-old child with a disability who will turn age 3 during the school year), an IFSP that contains the material described in section 636 of the Act, and that is developed in accordance with 300.341- 300.346 and 300.349-300.350, may serve as the IEP of the child if using that plan as the IEP is-

(i) Consistent with State policy; and

(ii) Agreed to by the agency and the child's parents.

(2) In implementing the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the public agency shall-

(i) Provide to the child's parents a detailed explanation of the differences between an IFSP and an IEP; and

(ii) If the parents choose an IFSP, obtain written informed consent from the parents.

(d) Effective date for new requirements. All IEPs developed, reviewed, or revised on or after July 1, 1998 must meet the requirements of §§ 300.340- 300.350.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(2)(A) and (B), Pub. L. 105-17, sec. 201(a)(2)(A), (C)

§ 300.343 IEP meetings.

(a) General. Each public agency is responsible for initiating and conducting meetings for the purpose of developing, reviewing, and revising the IEP of a child with a disability (or, if consistent with § 300.342(c), an IFSP).

(b) Initial IEPs; provision of services. (1) Each public agency shall ensure that within a reasonable period of time following the agency's receipt of parent consent to an initial evaluation of a child-

(i) The child is evaluated; and

(ii) If determined eligible under this part, special education and related services are made available to the child in accordance with an IEP.

(2) In meeting the requirement in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a meeting to develop an IEP for the child must be conducted within 30 days of a determination that the child needs special education and related services.

(c) Review and revision of IEPs. Each public agency shall ensure that the IEP team-

(1) Reviews the child's IEP periodically, but not less than annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved; and

(2) Revises the IEP as appropriate to address-

(i) Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals described in § 300.347(a), and in the general curriculum, if appropriate;

(ii) The results of any reevaluation conducted under § 300.536;

(iii) Information about the child provided to, or by, the parents, as described in 300.533(a)(1);

(iv) The child's anticipated needs; or

(v) Other matters.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1413(a)(1), 1414(d)(4)(A))

§ 300.344 IEP team.

(a) General. The public agency shall ensure that the IEP team for each child with a disability includes-

(1) The parents of the child;

(2) At least one regular education teacher of the child (if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment);

(3) At least one special education teacher of the child, or if appropriate, at least one special education provider of the child;

(4) A representative of the public agency who-

(i) Is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities;

(ii) Is knowledgeable about the general curriculum; and

(iii) Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency;

(5) An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may be a member of the team described in paragraphs (a)(2) through (6) of this section;

(6) At the discretion of the parent or the agency, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate; and

(7) If appropriate, the child.

(b) Transition services participants. (1) Under paragraph (a)(7) of this section, the public agency shall invite a student with a disability of any age to attend his or her IEP meeting if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of-

(i) The student's transition services needs under § 300.347(b)(1);

(ii) The needed transition services for the student under § 300.347(b)(2); or

(iii) Both.

(2) If the student does not attend the IEP meeting, the public agency shall take other steps to ensure that the student's preferences and interests are considered.

(3)(i) In implementing the requirements of 300.347(b)(2), the public agency also shall invite a representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services.

(ii) If an agency invited to send a representative to a meeting does not do so, the public agency shall take other steps to obtain participation of the other agency in the planning of any transition services.

(c) Determination of knowledge and special expertise. The determination of the knowledge or special expertise of any individual described in paragraph (a)(6) of this section shall be made by the party (parents or public agency) who invited the individual to be a member of the IEP.

(d) Designating a public agency representative. A public agency may designate another public agency member of the IEP team to also serve as the agency representative, if the criteria in paragraph (a)(4) of this section are satisfied.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(30), 1414(d)(1)(A)(7), (B))

§ 300.345 Parent participation.

(a) Public agency responsibility-general. Each public agency shall take steps to ensure that one or both of the parents of a child with a disability are present at each IEP meeting or are afforded the opportunity to participate, including-

(1) Notifying parents of the meeting early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to attend; and

(2) Scheduling the meeting at a mutually agreed on time and place.

(b) Information provided to parents. (1) The notice required under paragraph (a)(1) of this section must-

(i) Indicate the purpose, time, and location of the meeting and who will be in attendance; and

(ii) Inform the parents of the provisions in 300.344(a)(6) and (c) (relating to the participation of other individuals on the IEP team who have knowledge or special expertise about the child).

(2) For a student with a disability beginning at age 14, or younger, if appropriate, the notice must also-

(i) Indicate that a purpose of the meeting will be the development of a statement of the transition services needs of the student required in 300.347(b)(1); and

(ii) Indicate that the agency will invite the student.

(3) For a student with a disability beginning at age 16, or younger, if appropriate, the notice must-

(i) Indicate that a purpose of the meeting is the consideration of needed transition services for the student required in § 300.347(b)(2);

(ii) Indicate that the agency will invite the student; and

(iii) Identify any other agency that will be invited to send a representative.

(c) Other methods to ensure parent participation. If neither parent can attend, the public agency shall use other methods to ensure parent participation, including individual or conference telephone calls.

(d) Conducting an IEP meeting without a parent in attendance. A meeting may be conducted without a parent in attendance if the public agency is unable to convince the parents that they should attend. In this case the public agency must have a record of its attempts to arrange a mutually agreed on time and place, such as-

(1) Detailed records of telephone calls made or attempted and the results of those calls;

(2) Copies of correspondence sent to the parents and any responses received; and

(3) Detailed records of visits made to the parent's home or place of employment and the results of those visits.

(e) Use of interpreters or other action, as appropriate. The public agency shall take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings at the IEP meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English.

(f) Parent copy of child's IEP. The public agency shall give the parent a copy of the child's IEP at no cost to the parent.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(B)(i))

§ 300.346 Development, review, and revision of IEP.

(a) Development of IEP. (1) General. In developing each child's IEP, the IEP team, shall consider-

(i) The strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child;

(ii) The results of the initial or most recent evaluation of the child; and

(iii) As appropriate, the results of the child's performance on any general State or district-wide assessment programs.

(2) Consideration of special factors. The IEP team also shall-

(i) In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider, if appropriate, strategies, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address that behavior;

(ii) In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child as those needs relate to the child's IEP;

(iii) In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child;

(iv) Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode; and

(v) Consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services.

(b) Review and Revision of IEP. In conducting a meeting to review, and, if appropriate, revise a child's IEP, the IEP team shall consider the factors described in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Statement in IEP. If, in considering the special factors described in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, the IEP team determines that a child needs a particular device or service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program modification) in order for the child to receive FAPE, the IEP team must include a statement to that effect in the child's IEP.

(d) Requirement with respect to regular education teacher. The regular education teacher of a child with a disability, as a member of the IEP team, must, to the extent appropriate, participate in the development, review, and revision of the child's IEP, including assisting in the determination of-

(1) Appropriate positive behavioral interventions and strategies for the child; and

(2) Supplementary aids and services, program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child, consistent with

300.347(a)(3).

(e) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the IEP team to include information under one component of a child's IEP that is already contained under another component of the child's IEP.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3) and (4)(B) and (e))

§ 300.347 Content of IEP.

"(a) General. The IEP for each child with a disability must include-

"(1) A statement of the child's present levels of educational performance, including-

"(i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or

"(ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities;

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Additional Guidance
An IEP must include measurable annual goals that relate to meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and to meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability [34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)]. Thus, if a child's unique needs require goals that address the child's present levels of educational performance in nonacademic areas of instructional need, such as behavioral skills, communication and language skills, self-determination skills, job-related skills, independent living skills, or social skills, the statement of present levels of educational performance in the child's IEP should provide information regarding the child's present levels of educational performance in those areas.

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"(2) A statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to-

"(i) Meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children), or for preschool children, as appropriate, to participate in appropriate activities; and

"(ii) Meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;

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Additional Guidance
Each annual goal must include either short-term objectives or benchmarks. The purpose of both is to enable a child's teacher(s), parents, and others involved in developing and implementing the child's IEP, to gauge, at intermediate times during the year, how well the child is progressing toward achievement of the annual goal. [Appendix A to 34 CFR Part 300-Notice of Interpretation (Appendix A), Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

An IEP team may use either short-term objectives (that generally break the skills described in the annual goal down into discrete components) or benchmarks (which can be thought of as describing the amount of progress the child is expected to make within specified segments of the year), or a combination of the two, depending on the nature of the annual goals and the needs of the child. [Appendix A to 34 CFR Part 300-Notice of Interpretation (Appendix A), Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

A child's IEP must include measurable annual goals that relate to meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum, and to meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability [34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)]. This may, depending on the child's needs, include annual goals that relate to the child's needs in such areas as behavioral skills, communication, self-determination skills, job-related skills, independent living skills, or social skills.

A public agency is not required to include in an IEP annual goals that relate to areas of the general curriculum in which the child's disability does not affect the child's ability to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum. If a child needs only modifications or accommodations in order to progress in an area of the general curriculum, the IEP does not need to include a goal for that area; however the IEP would need to specify those modifications or accommodations. [Appendix A, Response to Question 4, 64 Federal Register, page 12472 (March 12, 1999).]

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"(3) A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child-

"(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

"(ii) To be involved and progress in the general curriculum in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

"(iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;

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Additional Guidance
The type and amount of services to be provided must be stated in the IEP, so that the level of the agency's commitment of resources will be clear to parents and other IEP team embers. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The amount of time to be committed to each of the various services to be provided must be appropriate to the specific service and stated in the IEP in a manner that is clear to all who are involved in both the development and implementation of the IEP. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The amount of a special education or related service to be provided to a child may be stated in the IEP as a range (e.g., speech therapy to be provided three times a week for 30-45 minutes per session) only if the IEP team determines that stating the amount of the services as a range is necessary to meet the unique needs of the child. For example, it would be appropriate for the IEP to specify, based upon the IEP team's determination of the student's unique needs, that particular services are needed only under specific circumstances, such as the occurrence of a seizure or of a particular behavior. A range may not be used because of personnel shortages or uncertainty regarding the availability of staff. [Appendix A, Response to Question 35, 64 Federal Register, page 12479 (March 12, 1999).]

The term "on behalf of the child" includes, among other things, services that are provided to the parents or teacher of the child with a disability to help them to more effectively work with the child. . . Supports for school personnel could also include special training for a child's teacher. However, in order for the training to meet the requirements of §300.347(a)(3), it would normally be targeted directly to on assisting the teacher to meet a unique and specific need of the child, and not simply to participate in an inservice training program that is generally available in a public agency. [Attachment 1-Analysis of Comments and Changes (Attachment 1), 64 Federal Register, page 12593 (March 12, 1999).]

If the IEP team determines that a child with a disability needs extended school year services to receive a free appropriate public education , the public agency must ensure that the child receives those services. A public agency may not-(i) Limit extended school year services to particular categories of disability; or (ii) Unilaterally limit the type, amount, or duration of those services. 34 CFR §300.309(a).

Section 300.346(a)(1) requires that, in developing each child's IEP, the IEP team, shall consider-(i) The strengths of the child and the concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child; (ii) The results of the initial or most recent evaluation of the child; and (iii) As appropriate, the results of the child's performance on any general State or district-wide assessment programs.

Section 300.346(a)(2) requires that the IEP team also:

i. In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider, if appropriate, strategies, including positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address that behavior;

ii. In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child as those needs relate to the child's IEP;

iii. In the case of a child who is blind or visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP team determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child;

iv. Consider the communication needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode, academic level, and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode; and

v. Consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services.

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"(4) An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

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Additional Guidance
The IEP team must consider the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class; the general curriculum; and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities. If the IEP team determines that the child cannot participate full time with nondisaled children in the regular classroom, the general curriculum, and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities, the IEP must include a statement that explains why full participation is not possible. [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12593 (March 12, 1999).]

The IEP team must consider whether or not the child's education can be achieved satisfactorily in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services. The IEP team must consider the full range of supplementary aids and services that if provided, would facilitate the student's placement in the regular classroom. [Appendix A, Response to Question 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12471 (March 12, 1999).]

In determining the extent, if any, to which a child with a disability will be removed from the regular educational environment, a public agency must ensure that:

(1) such removal occurs only if the nature or severity of the child's disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily [34 CFR §300.550(b)(2)];

(2) a child with a disability is not removed from education in age-appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general curriculum [34 CFR §300.552(e)]; and

(3) each child with a disability participates with nondisabled children in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities to the maximum extent appropriate (34 CFR §300.553).

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"(5)(i) A statement of any individual modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in the assessment; and

"(ii) If the IEP team determines that the child will not participate in a particular State or district-wide assessment of student achievement (or part of an assessment), a statement of-

"(A) Why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and

"(B) How the child will be assessed;

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Additional Guidance
The IEP for a child with a disability must include a statement of any needed modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments, and must, if the IEP team determines that it is not appropriate for the child to participate in a particular assessment, provide a statement of why the particular assessment is not appropriate for the child and how the child will be assessed [34 CFR §300.347(a)(5)]. If the IEP does not indicate any needed modifications or that the particular assessment is not appropriate for the child, this is an indication that the IEP team has determined that the child will participate without modifications in the assessment.

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"(6) The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications; and

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Additional Guidance
An IEP that clearly states how often, how long and in what location the public agency will provide the specified services and modifications, and when services and/or modifications will begin meets the requirements of 34 CFR §300.347(a)(6).

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"(7) A statement of-

"(i) How the child's progress toward the annual goals described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section will be measured; and

"(ii) How the child's parents will be regularly informed (through such means as periodic report cards), at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress, of-

"(A) Their child's progress toward the annual goals; and

"(B) The extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

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Additional Guidance
Each public agency may determine the appropriate method for informing parents of their child's progress. However, the agency "must ensure that whatever methods, or combination of methods, is adopted provides sufficient information to enable parents to be informed of (1) their child's progress toward the annual goals, and (2) the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year." [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).]

Generally, reports to parents are not expected to be lengthy or burdensome. The statement of the annual goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks in the child's current IEP could serve as the base document for briefly describing the child's progress. [Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).]

The IEP team must revise the IEP to address any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum [34 CFR §300.343(c)(2)(i)].

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"(b) Transition services. The IEP must include-

"(1) For each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs of the student under the applicable components of the student's IEP that focuses on the student's courses of study (such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a vocational education program); and

"(2) For each student beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), a statement of needed transition services for the student, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages.

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Additional Guidance
The IEP team, in determining appropriate measurable annual goals (including benchmarks or short term objectives) and services for a student, must determine what instruction and educational experiences will assist the student to prepare for transition for secondary education to post-secondary life. [Appendix A, Response to Question 11, 64 Federal Register, page 12474 (March 12, 1999).]

Although the focus of the transition planning process may shift as the student approaches graduation, the IEP team must discuss specific areas beginning at least at age of 14 years, and review these areas annually. [Appendix A, Response to Question 11, 64 Federal Register, page 12474 (March 12, 1999). ]

If a participating agency, other than the public agency, fails to provide the transition services described in the IEP in accordance with 34 CFR §300.347(b)(1), the public agency shall reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objective for the student set out in the IEP [34 CFR §300.348(a)].

Nothing in Part B relieves any participating agency, including a State vocational rehabilitation agency, of the responsibility to provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria of that agency [34 CFR §300.348(b)].

If during the course of the IEP meeting, the team identifies additional agencies that are likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services for the student, the public agency must determine how it will meet the requirements of §300.344. [Appendix A, Response to Question 13, 64 Federal Register, page 12475 (March 12, 1999).]

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"(c) Transfer of rights. In a State that transfers rights at the age majority, beginning at least one year before a student reaches the age of majority under State law, the student's IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his or her rights under Part B of the Act, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority, consistent with § 300.517.

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Additional Guidance
If the public agency receives notice of the student's legal incompetence, so that no rights transfer to the student at the age of majority, the IEP need not include this statement. Attachment 1, 64 Federal Register, page 12594 (March 12, 1999).

The IEP could include a description of the rights that have been transferred, but it need not.

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"(d) Students with disabilities convicted as adults and incarcerated in adult prisons. Special rules concerning the content of IEPs for students with disabilities convicted as adults and incarcerated in adult prisons are contained in § 300.311(b) and (c).

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A) and (d)(6)(A)(ii))

§ 300.348 Agency responsibilities for transition services.

(a) If a participating agency, other than the public agency, fails to provide the transition services described in the IEP in accordance with § 300.347(b)(1), the public agency shall reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the student set out in the IEP.

(b) Nothing in this part relieves any participating agency, including a State vocational rehabilitation agency, of the responsibility to provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria of that agency.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(5); 1414(d)(1)(A)(vii))

§ 300.349 Private school placements by public agencies.

(a) Developing IEPs. (1) Before a public agency places a child with a disability in, or refers a child to, a private school or facility, the agency shall initiate and conduct a meeting to develop an IEP for the child in accordance with §§ 300.346 and 300.347.

(2) The agency shall ensure that a representative of the private school or facility attends the meeting. If the representative cannot attend, the agency shall use other methods to ensure participation by the private school or facility, including individual or conference telephone calls.

(b) Reviewing and revising IEPs. (1) After a child with a disability enters a private school or facility, any meetings to review and revise the child's IEP may be initiated and conducted by the private school or facility at the discretion of the public agency.

(2) If the private school or facility initiates and conducts these meetings, the public agency shall ensure that the parents and an agency representative-

(i) Are involved in any decision about the child's IEP; and

(ii) Agree to any proposed changes in the IEP before those changes are implemented.

(c) Responsibility. Even if a private school or facility implements a child's IEP, responsibility for compliance with this part remains with the public agency and the SEA.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(10)(B))

§ 300.350 IEP-accountability.

(a) Provision of services. Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, each public agency must-

(1) Provide special education and related services to a child with a disability in accordance with the child's IEP; and

(2) Make a good faith effort to assist the child to achieve the goals and objectives or benchmarks listed in the IEP.

(b) Accountability. Part B of the Act does not require that any agency, teacher, or other person be held accountable if a child does not achieve the growth projected in the annual goals and benchmarks or objectives. However, the Act does not prohibit a State or public agency from establishing its own accountability systems regarding teacher, school, or agency performance.

(c) Construction-parent rights. Nothing in this section limits a parent's right to ask for revisions of the child's IEP or to invoke due process procedures if the parent feels that the efforts required in paragraph (a) of this section are not being made.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)); Cong. Rec. at H7152 (daily ed., July 21, 1975))

IDEA Local Implementations by Local Administrators (ILIAD)
The Council for Exceptional Children
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1589
(877) CEC-IDEA; (703) 264-9418; (703) 264-9480 (TTY)
E-mail: ideapractices@cec.sped.org

The Policy Maker Partnership (PMP) for Implementing IDEA 97
National Association of state Directors of Special Education
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 519-3800; (703) 519-7008 (TTY)
E-mail: nasdse@nasdse.org
Web: www.nasdse.org

Regional Resource Centers

Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC)
Learning Innovations
20 Winter Sport Lane
Williston, VT 05495
(802) 951-8226; (802) 951-8213 (TTY)
E-mail: nerrc@aol.com
Web: www.wested.org/nerrc/

Serving: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Mid-South Regional Resource Center (MSRRC)
Human Development Institute
University of Kentucky
126 Mineral Industries Building
Lexington, KY 40506-0051
(859) 257-4921; (859) 257-2903 (TTY)
E-mail: msrrc@ihdi.uky.edu
Web: www.ihdi.uky.edu/msrrc

Serving: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.

Southeast Regional Resource Center (SERRC)
School of Education
Auburn University Montgomery
P.O. Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124
(334) 244-3100; (334) 244-3800 (TTY)
E-mail: ebeale@mail.aum.edu
Web: edla.aum.edu/serrc/serrc.html

Serving: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Great Lakes Area Regional Resource Center (GLARRC)
OSU Center for Special Needs
700 Ackerman Road, Suite 440
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 447-0844; (614) 447-8776 (TTY)
E-mail: daniels.121@osu.edu
Web: www.csnp.ohio-state.edu/glarrc.htm

Serving: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center (MPRRC)
Utah state University
1780 North Research Parkway, Suite 112
Logan, UT 84341
(435) 752-0238; (435) 753-9750 (TTY)
E-mail: cope@cc.usu.edu
Web: www.usu.edu/mprrc

Serving: Arizona, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC)
1268 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1268
(541) 346-5641; (541) 346-0367 (TTY)
E-mail: wrrc@oregon.uoregon.edu
Web: interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/wrrc.html

Serving: Alaska, American Samoa, California, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated states of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and Washington.

Statement of Transition Service Needs--34 CFR §300.347(b)(1)

"The IEP must include...[f]or each student with a disability beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), and updated annually, a statement of the transition service needs of the student under the applicable components of the student's IEP that focuses on the student's courses of study (such as participation in advanced- placement courses or a vocational education program);"

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Present Levels of Educational Performance

[ Space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Present Levels of Educational Performance--34 CFR §300.347(a)(1)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of the child's present levels of educational performance, including

"(i) How the child's disability affects the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or

"(ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child's participation in appropriate activities;"

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[ Page 1 of 5 ]

Measurable Annual Goals (Including Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives)

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Measurable Annual Goals, Including Benchmarks or Short-Term Objectives--34 CFR §300.347(a)(2)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of measurable annual goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, related to

"(i) Meeting the child's needs that result from the child's disability to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children), or for preschool children, as appropriate, to participate in appropriate activities; and

"(ii) Meeting each of the child's other educational needs that result from the child's disability;"

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Special Education and Related Services [ space to write ]

Supplementary Aids and Services [ space to write ]

Program Modifications or Supports for School Personnel [ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of the Special Education and Related Services, Supplementary Aids and Services, Program Modifications, and Supports For School Personnel--34 CFR §300.347(a)(3)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include... a statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child

"(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;

"(ii) To be involved and progress in the general curriculum in accordance with 34 CFR §300.347(a)(1) and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

" (iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;"

--ALSO--

Beginning Date, Frequency, Location, and Duration of Services and Modifications--34 CFR §300.347(a)(6)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . the projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(3), and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications;"

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[ Page 2 of 5 ]

Explanation of Extent, if Any, to Which Child Will Not Participate with Nondisabled Children

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Explanation of Extent, if Any, to Which Child Will Not Participate with Nondisabled Children 34 CFR §300.347(a)(4)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(3);"

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Administration of State and District-wide Assessments of Student Achievement

Any Individual Modifications In Administration Needed For Child To Participate In State Or District-wide Assessment(s)

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement Of Any Individual Modifications in Administration of State or District-wide Assessments 34--CFR §300.347(a)(5)(i)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of any individual modifications in the administration of State or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in the assessment;"

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If IEP Team Determines That Child Will Not Participate In A Particular State Or District-Wide Assessment

Why isn't the assessment appropriate for the child?[ space to write ]

How will the child be assessed?[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

If Child Will Not Participate in State or District-wide Assessment--34 CFR §300.347(a)(5)(ii)

"If the IEP team determines that a child with a disability will not participate in a particular State or district-wide assessment of student achievement (or part of an assessment), the IEP must include a statement of

"(A) Why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and

"(B) How the child will be assessed;"

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[ Page 3 of 5 ]

How Child's Progress Toward Annual Goals Will Be Measured

[space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

How Child's Progress Will Be Measured--34 CFR §300.347(a)(7)(i)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . .

a statement of how the child's progress toward the annual goals described in 34 CFR §300.347(a)(2) will be measured;"

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How Child's Parents Will Be Regularly Informed Of Child's Progress Toward Annual Goals And Extent To Which Child's Progress Is Sufficient To Meet Goals By End of Year

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

How Parents Will Be Informed of Their Child's Progress--34 CFR §300.347(a)(7)(ii)

"The IEP for each child with a disability must include . . . a statement of how the child's parents will be regularly informed (through such means as periodic report cards), at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress, of

"(A) Their child's progress toward the annual goals; and

"(B) The extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year."

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[ Page 4 of 5 ]

(Beginning at age 16 or younger if determined appropriate by IEP team)

Statement of Needed Transition Services, Including, If Appropriate, Statement Of Interagency Responsibilities Or Any Needed Linkages

[ space to write ]

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From the Regulations:

Statement of Needed Transition Services--34 CFR §300.347(b)(2)

"The IEP must include . . . for each student with a disability beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), a statement of needed transition services for the student, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages."

Definition of "Transition Services"--34 CFR §300.29

"(a) As used in [Part B], "transition services" means a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that:

"(1) Is designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

"(2) Is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and

"(3) Includes: (i) Instruction; (ii) Related services; (iii) Community experiences; (iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and (v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.

"(b) Transition services for students with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction or related services, if required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education."

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(In a state that transfers rights to the student at the age of majority, the following information must be included beginning at least one year before the student reaches the age of majority)

The student has been informed of the rights under Part B of IDEA, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority. Yes [box to check]

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From the Regulations:

Age of Majority--34 CFR §300.347(c)

"In a State that transfers rights at the age majority, beginning at least one year before a student reaches the age of majority under State law, the student's IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his or her rights under Part B of the Act, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority, consistent with 34 CFR §300.517."

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[ Page 5 of 5 ]

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If the child has limited proficiency in English, the IEP team will consider the child's language needs as these needs relate to his or her IEP.

If the child is blind or visually impaired, the IEP team must provide for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, unless it determines after an appropriate evaluation that the child does not need this instruction.

If the child has communication needs, the IEP team must consider those needs.

If the child is deaf or hard of hearing, the IEP team will consider his or her language and communication needs. This includes the child's opportunities to communicate directly with classmates and school staff in his or her usual method of communication (for example, sign language).

The IEP team must always consider the child's need for assistive technology devices or services.

For more information about these special factors, see §300.346.

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Will Parents Need an Interpreter in Order to Participate Fully?
If the parents have a limited proficiency in English or are deaf, they may need an interpreter in order to understand and be understood. In this case, the school must make reasonable efforts to arrange for an interpreter during meetings pertaining to the child's educational placement. For meetings regarding the development or review of the IEP, the school must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that parents understand the meetings--including arranging for an interpreter. This provision should help to ensure that parents are not limited in their ability to participate in their child's education because of language or communication barriers.

Therefore, if parents need an interpreter for a meeting to discuss their child's evaluation, eligibility for special education or IEP, they should let the school know ahead of time. Telling the school in advance allows the school to make arrangements for an interpreter so that parents can participate fully in the meeting.

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Supports for school staff may include professional development or more training. Professional development and training are important for teachers, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and others who provide services for children with disabilities.

The child's special education teacher contributes important information and experience about how to educate children with disabilities. Because of his or her training in special education, this teacher can talk about such issues as:

Beyond helping to write the IEP, the special educator has responsibility for working with the student to carry out the IEP. He or she may:

work with the student in a resource room or special class devoted to students receiving special education services;

team teach with the regular education teacher; and

work with other school staff, particularly the regular education teacher, to provide expertise about addressing the child's unique needs.

Another important member of the IEP team is the individual who can interpret what the child's evaluation results mean in terms of designing appropriate instruction. The evaluation results are very useful in determining how the child is currently doing in school and what areas of need the child has. This IEP team member must be able to talk about the instructional implications of the child's evaluation results, which will help the team plan appropriate instruction to address the child's needs.

The individual representing the school system is also a valuable team member. This person knows a great deal about special education services and educating children with disabilities. He or she can talk about the necessary school resources. It is important that this individual have the authority to commit resources and be able to ensure that whatever services are set out in the IEP will actually be provided.

The IEP team may also include additional individuals with knowledge or special expertise about the child. The parent or the school system can invite these individuals to participate on the team. Parents, for example, may invite an advocate who knows the child, a professional with special expertise about the child and his or her disability, or others (such as a vocational educator who has been working with the child) who can talk about the child's strengths and/or needs. The school system may invite one or more individuals who can offer special expertise or knowledge about the child, such as a paraprofessional or related services professional. Because an important part of developing an IEP is considering a child's need for related services (see the list of related services in the box on the previous page), related service professionals are often involved as IEP team members or participants. They share their special expertise about the child's needs and how their own professional services can address those needs. Depending on the child's individual needs, some related service professionals attending the IEP meeting or otherwise helping to develop the IEP might include occupational or physical therapists, adaptive physical education providers, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.

When an IEP is being developed for a student of transition age, representatives from transition service agencies can be important participants. (See the box below for more information about transition.) Whenever a purpose of meeting is to consider needed transition services, the school must invite a representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services. This individual can help the team plan any transition services the student needs. He or she can also commit the resources of the agency to pay for or provide needed transition services. If he or she does not attend the meeting, then the school must take alternative steps to obtain the agency's participation in the planning of the student's transition services.

And, last but not least, the student may also be a member of the IEP team. If transition service needs or transition services are going to be discussed at the meeting, the student must be invited to attend. More and more students are participating in and even leading their own IEP meetings. This allows them to have a strong voice in their own education and can teach them a great deal about self-advocacy and self-determination.

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The Regular Education Teacher as Part of the IEP Team
Appendix A of the federal regulations for Part B of IDEA answers many questions about the IEP. Question 24 addresses the role of the regular education teacher on the IEP team. Here's an excerpt from the answer:

"...while a regular education teacher must be a member of the IEP team if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular education environment, the teacher need not (depending upon the child's needs and the purpose of the specific IEP team meeting) be required to participate in all decisions made as part of the meeting or to be present throughout the entire meeting or attend every meeting. For example, the regular education teacher who is a member of the IEP team must participate in discussions and decisions about how to modify the general curriculum in the regular classroom to ensure the child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum and participation in the regular education environment.

"Depending upon the specific circumstances, however, it may not be necessary for the regular education teacher to participate in discussions and decisions regarding, for example, the physical therapy needs of the child, if the teacher is not responsible for implementing that portion of the child's IEP.

"In determining the extent of the regular education teacher's participation at IEP meetings, public agencies and parents should discuss and try to reach agreement on whether the child's regular education teacher that is a member of the IEP team should be present at a particular IEP meeting and, if so, for what period of time. The extent to which it would be appropriate for the regular education teacher member of the IEP team to participate in IEP meetings must be decided on a case-by-case basis."

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Related Services
A child may require any of the following related services in order to benefit from special education. Related services, as listed under IDEA, include (but are not limited to):

Audiology services

Counseling services

Early identification and assessment of disabilities in children

Medical services

Occupational therapy

Orientation and mobility services

Parent counseling and training

Physical therapy

Psychological services

Recreation

Rehabilitation counseling services

School health services

Social work services in schools

Speech-language pathology services

Transportation

If a child needs a particular related service in order to benefit from special education, the related service professional should be involved in developing the IEP. He or she may be invited by the school or parent to join the IEP team as a person "with knowledge or special expertise about the child."

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Transition Services
Transition refers to activities meant to prepare students with disabilities for adult life. This can include developing postsecondary education and career goals, getting work experience while still in school, setting up linkages with adult service providers such as the vocational rehabilitation agency--whatever is appropriate for the student, given his or her interests, preferences, skills, and needs. Statements about the student's transition needs must be included in the IEP after the student reaches a certain age:

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Needed transition services. Beginning when the child is age 16 (or younger, if appropriate), the IEP must state what transition services are needed to help the child prepare for leaving school.

Age of majority. Beginning at least one year before the child reaches the age of majority, the IEP must include a statement that the student has been told of any rights that will transfer to him or her at the age of majority. (This statement would be needed only in states that transfer rights at the age of majority.)

Measuring progress.
The IEP must state how the child's progress will be measured and how parents will be informed of that progress.

More information will be given about these IEP parts later in this guide. A sample IEP form will be presented, along with the federal regulations describing the "Content of the IEP," to help you gain a fuller understanding of what type of information is important to capture about a child in an IEP. It is useful to understand that each child's IEP is different. The document is prepared for that child only. It describes the individualized education program designed to meet that child's needs.

The school system schedules and conducts the IEP meeting. School staff must:

contact the participants, including the parents;

notify parents early enough to make sure they have an opportunity to attend;

schedule the meeting at a time and place agreeable to parents and the school;

tell the parents the purpose, time, and location of the meeting;

tell the parents who will be attending; and

tell the parents that they may invite people to the meeting who have knowledge or special expertise about the child.

Step 6. IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.

The IEP team gathers to talk about the child's needs and write the student's IEP. Parents and the student (when appropriate) are part of the team. If the child's placement is decided by a different group, the parents must be part of that group as well.

Before the school system may provide special education and related services to the child for the first time, the parents must give consent. The child begins to receive services as soon as possible after the meeting.

If the parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. If they still disagree, parents can ask for mediation, or the school may offer mediation. Parents may file a complaint with the state education agency and may request a due process hearing, at which time mediation must be available.

Step 7. Services are provided.
Step 8. Progress is measured and reported to parents.
The school makes sure that the child's IEP is being carried out as it was written. Parents are given a copy of the IEP. Each of the child's teachers and service providers has access to the IEP and knows his or her specific responsibilities for carrying out the IEP. This includes the accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided to the child, in keeping with the IEP.

The child's progress toward the annual goals is measured, as stated in the IEP. His or her parents are regularly informed of their child's progress and whether that progress is enough for the child to achieve the goals by the end of the year. These progress reports must be given to parents at least as often as parents are informed of their nondisabled children's progress.

Step 9. IEP is reviewed.

The child's IEP is reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year, or more often if the parents or school ask for a review. If necessary, the IEP is revised. Parents, as team members, must be invited to attend these meetings. Parents can make suggestions for changes, can agree or disagree with the IEP goals, and agree or disagree with the placement.

If parents do not agree with the IEP and placement, they may discuss their concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to work out an agreement. There are several options, including additional testing, an independent evaluation, or asking for mediation (if available) or a due process hearing. They may also file a complaint with the state education agency.

Step 10. Child is reevaluated.

At least every three years the child must be reevaluated. This evaluation is often called a "triennial." Its purpose is to find out if the child continues to be a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA, and what the child's educational needs are. However, the child must be reevaluated more often if conditions warrant or if the child's parent or teacher asks for a new evaluation.
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
To obtain this publication in an alternate format (braille, large print, audio cassette, or disk), please contact Katie Mincey, Director of the Alternate Format Center, at (202) 260-9895, or via e-mail at Katie_Mincey@ed.gov.

This document is also available online at:

PDF (549K) MS Word (145K)

2. Introduction

3. The Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA

4. A Closer Look at the IEP

5. Contents of the IEP

6. Additional State and School-System Content

7. The IEP Team Members

8. Writing the IEP

9. Deciding Placement

10. After the IEP is Written

11. Implementing the IEP

12. Reviewing and Revising the IEP

13. What If Parents Don't Agree With the IEP?

14. Summary

15. Sample Form

16. Information Resources

17. Attachment A

Last Modified: 08/30/2019

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individualized education programs; special education; disabilities; special needs students;

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Archived: Guide to the Individualized Education Program

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The purpose of this archived guide is to assist educators, parents, and State and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children with disabilities, including preschool-aged children.

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This is an amazing website with resources and information for writing an IEP

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IEP Writing Suggestions for First Year Teachers

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It is never easy being a first-year teacher. There is so much to learn, so much to experience, and so …

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This website is a great resource for teachers, it has plenty of information about how to teach social skills in the classroom

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Research and experience has told us that having social skills is essential for success in life. Inclusive teachers have always taught, provided and reinforced the use of good social skills in order to include and accommodate for the wide range of students in the classroom.

Essentially, inclusive classrooms are representations of the real world where people of all backgrounds and abilities co-exsist. In fact, there are school disctricts with curriculum specifically for social and emotional development.

Here are some ways in which you can create a more inclusive classroom and support social skill development in your students:

1. Model manners

If you expect your students to learn and display good social skills, then you need to lead by example. A teacher's welcoming and positive attitude sets the tone of behaivor between the students. They learn how to intereact with one another and value individuals. For example, teachers who expect students to use "inside voices" shouldn't be yelling at the class to get their attention. In other words, practice what you preach.

2. Assign classroom jobs

Assigning classroom jobs to students provides opportunties to demonstrate responsibility, teamwork and leadership. Jobs such as handing out papers, taking attendance, and being a line-leader can highlight a student's strengths and in turn, build confidence. It also helps alleviate your workload! Teachers often rotate class jobs on a weekly or monthly basis, ensuring that every student has an opportunity to participate. Check out this list of classroom jobs for some ideas!

3. Role-play social situations

As any teacher knows, it's important to not only teach the students a concept or lesson but then give them a chance to practice what they have learned. For example, if we teach students how to multiply, then we often provide a worksheet or activity for the students to show us their understanding of mulitiplication. The same holds true for teaching social skills. We need to provide students with opportunities to learn and practice their social skills. An effective method of practice is through role-playing. Teachers can provide structured scenarios in which the students can act out and offer immediate feedback. For more information on how to set-up and support effective role-playing in your classroom have a look at this resource from Learn Alberta.

4. Pen-pals

For years, I arranged for my students to become pen-pals with kids from another school. This activity was a favorite of mine on many different academic levels; most importantly it taught students how to demonstrate social skills through written communication. Particularly valuable for introverted personalities, writing letters gave students time to collect their thoughts. It levelled the playing field for students who had special needs or were non-verbal. I was also able to provide structured sentence frames in which the kids held polite conversation with their pen-pal. Setting up a pen-pal program in your classroom takes some preparation before the letter writing begins. You want to ensure that students have guidelines for content and personal safety. This article, Pen Pals in the 21st Century, from Edutopia will give you some ideas!

5. Large and small group activities

In addition to the academic benefits, large and small group activities can give students an opportunity to develop social skills such as teamwork, goal-setting and responsibility. Students are often assigned roles to uphold within the group such as Reporter, Scribe, or Time-Keeper. Sometimes these groups are self-determined and sometimes they are pre-arranged. Used selectively, group work can also help quieter students connect with others, appeals to extroverts, and reinforces respectful behavior. Examples of large group activities are group discussions, group projects and games. Smaller group activities can be used for more detailed assignments or activities. For suggestions on how to use grouping within your classroom, check out this article, Instructional Grouping in the Classroom.

6. Big buddies

We know that learning to interact with peers is a very important social skill. It is just as important to learn how to interact with others who may be younger or older. The Big Buddy system is a great way for students to learn how to communicate with and respect different age groups. Often an older class will pair up with a younger class for an art project, reading time or games. Again, this type of activity needs to be pre-planned and carefully designed with student's strengths and interests in mind. Usually, classroom teachers meet ahead of time to create pairings of students and to prepare a structured activity. There is also time set aside for the teacher to set guidelines for interaction and ideas for conversation topics. Entire schools have also implemented buddy programs to enrich their student's lives. Here is an article that offers tips on how to start a reading buddy program.

7. Class stories

There are dozens of stories for kids that teach social skills in direct or inadvertant ways. Find strategies to incoporate these stories in your class programs. You can set aside some time each day to read-aloud a story to the entire class or use a story to teach a lesson. Better yet, have your class write their own stories with characters who display certain character traits.

8. Class meeting

Class Meetings are a wonderful way to teach students how to be diplomatic, show leadership, solve problems and take responsibility. They are usually held weekly and are a time for students to discuss current classroom events and issues. Successful and productive meetings involve discussions centered around classroom concerns and not individual problems. In addition, it reinforces the value that each person brings to the class. Before a class meeting, teachers can provide the students with group guidelines for behavior, prompts, and sentence frames to facilitate meaningful conversation. Here is a great article, Class Meetings: A Democratic Approach to Classroom Management, from Education World that describes the purpose and attributes of a class meeting.

9. Explicit instruction

Finally, teachers can carve out a time in their curriculum to directly teach social skills to their students. Research-based programs such as Second Step provide teachers and schools with explicit lessons for social development. These programs can provide schools and classrooms with a common language, set of behavior expectations, and goals for the future. I have used programs such as Second Step in my classrooms with much success!

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9 Ways to Teach Social Skills in Your Classroom

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Research and experience has told us that having social skills is essential for success in life. Inclusive teachers have always taught, provided and reinforced the use of good social skills in order to include and accommodate for the wide range of students in the classroom.

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This website has a lot of ideas, resources, and information for teaching social skills at any grade level

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Helping over 1 million educators, clinicians and families around the world. Strategies to teach essential life skills including social emotional learning and self-regulation across all environments.

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This website has a ton of ideas, information, and free activities for teaching social skills in the classroom

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This websites provides teachers with information about social stories and how to utilize them in the classroom to practice social skills

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To write a Social Story is to assume an invitation into the mind of a child, adolescent or adult with autism… Let’s be careful in there. Welcome to CarolGraySocialStories.com…I am glad you stopped by.

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Great for full books and activities

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

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This module explores the basic principles of behavior and the importance of discovering the reasons that students engage in problem behavior. The steps to conducting a functional behavioral assessment and developing a behavior plan are also described (est. completion time: 2 hours).

Work through the sections of this module in the order presented in the STAR graphic above.

Related to this module

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Functional Behavioral Assessment: Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan

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This module explores the basic principles of behavior and the importance of discovering the reasons that students engage in problem behavior. The steps to conducting a functional behavioral assessment and developing a behavior plan are also described (est. completion time: 2 hours). Work through the sections of this module in the order presented in the STAR graphic above.

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Nearpod: Foster a love of learning in every student

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Create active learning experiences students can’t wait to be a part of.

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

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https://www.interventioncentral.org/teacher-resources/oral-reading-fluency-passages-generator

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Intervention Central offers free teacher resources including the oral reading fluency passages generator for educators and classroom leaders to use in classroom management

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students can create a free class book that parents can order.

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Reference #18.89f8da17.1657571359.8b19b29

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Publishing Steps Sample Books Testimonials National Book Challenge Additional Resources