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ADHD Outside the Classroom | Ella Horowitz | TEDxTheMastersSchool

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The EPSEN Act 2004, is outlined in this document.

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The development of an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) truly is critical to the success of a student with complex learning needs. An IEP is as unique as each learner, developed through a complex process by multiple team members with varied roles. But there are elements that, by law, must be included in every plan.

We've created this informative infographic of the required IEP components as a quick reference to help keep both new and veteran educators on track.

View Accessible Text Version

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Components of an Individualized Education Program

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The development of an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) truly is critical to the success of a student with complex learning needs. An IEP is as unique as each learner, developed through a complex process by multiple team members with varied roles. But there are elements that, by law, must be included in every plan.

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Educational psychologist Julia Dunlop outlines the key factors early years practitioners should consider when working with young children with autistic spectrum disorders...
The autism spectrum is an umbrella term used to describe a range of people who have a common set of characteristics relating to their ability to interact, communicate and make sense of the world. Wing & Gould (1979) described these three areas of difficulties as the 'Triad of Impairments'.

At one end of the spectrum is the child with 'classic' autism, as described by Leo Kanner in the 1940s. This child is likely to be very aloof, have little or no language and to be extremely sensitive to changes in routine. At the other end of the spectrum is the child with Asperger syndrome. This child does have language and social interaction skills, but an odd way of using them. Rigid behaviour is still present, but in a more subtle form.

A diagnosis on the autism spectrum is arrived at following observation and assessment by a range of professionals within a multi-agency team. Children at the 'classic' end of the spectrum are, nowadays, frequently diagnosed before their third birthday. A child with Asperger syndrome, however, is unlikely to receive a diagnosis before they start school - although initial concerns will probably be raised during the preschool period.

Supporting assessment

Observations recorded by early years practitioners can provide invaluable information to those professionals involved in the diagnostic process, especially if these observations focus on the three areas of the 'Triad'.

When observing a child's social interaction skills, look out for whether they:

● return your smile

● spontaneously bring things of interest to show you

● come for comfort when upset

● can take turns in simple games

● get upset, or walk away, if others come close to them

● ever make the first move to seek interaction with others.

When observing a child's social communication skills, notice whether they:

● follow your gaze when you look at something across the room

● point out things of interest (not just things they want)

● look towards something you are pointing out

● use social gestures - a nod, a wave, a shake of the head

● understand your gestures and facial expressions

● engage in two-way communication, naturally filling gaps with their own sounds or words

● ever mix up pronouns, perhaps saying, "He wants some juice" rather than, "I want some juice."

Judge the extent to which the child's behaviour is flexible by noting whether:

● genuine pretend play is present - rather than the repetition of the same sequence of actions over and over

● they 'allow' others to get involved in their play, perhaps changing the game slightly

● there is any insistence on certain routines - and distress if things happen in the 'wrong' order

● there is unusual sensory sensitivity - perhaps the sniffing toys or overreaction to sudden noises

● hands or fingers are moved in an odd or unusual way - for example, flapping or flicking.

As with all assessments, it is important to take account of the child's developmental level and the context of the observations.

Developmental impact

A child on the autism spectrum has a different way of seeing and interpreting the world. This inevitably has an impact on the way they learn and interact. It's useful for early years practitioners to consider three main areas.

From the perspective of the young child on the autism spectrum:

People are perplexing
Most typically, developing children have, by the age of four, become aware that other people have thoughts and feelings that may be different from their own. The young child on the autism spectrum may never realise this. This presents them with huge difficulties in 'reading' people. If you can't make sense of people and find them unpredictable, this can be terrifying - leading to avoidance of social situations.
For example: Bertie used to love listening to music. When the music stopped, he just stood beside the CD player wailing. He didn't realise that he had to go and ask Mum to change the CD.
The known is comforting, the unknown is terrifying
Young children with autism find it difficult to make connections, leading to problems in generalising skills learnt in one situation to another context. If connections aren't obvious, everything seems new and frightening - no wonder they have a preference for the familiar.
For example: Ella, who'd been attending nursery for over a year, arrived one day and became inconsolably distressed. It took some time before staff realised that Ella's upset was because they'd repositioned some items of furniture. Although a minor change as far as the other children were concerned, it had rendered the nursery unrecognisable to Ella - hence her terror.
This is my focus; I don't know that your focus is different
When working with very young children, two commonly used strategies are to gain joint attention and to get the child to imitate. The young child on the autism spectrum often has an idiosyncratic focus of attention and will have no idea what you want them to look at - let alone be able to imitate. This is the case even when the child appears to be paying attention.
For example: Izzy was sitting amongst a group of children at storytime, looking towards the book. When asked, she had no idea what the story had been about, but she knew how many telegraph poles she'd seen in the pictures.
How can we help?

Early years practitioners are likely to be just one of a number of agencies involved in helping the child and supporting their family. It is in the child's best interests if all these agencies work closely together. Within the setting, this will be coordinated by the SENCo.

Within the EYFS, practitioners can help the young child on the autism spectrum by:

● following the child's lead, seeing what interests them, sitting beside them, then gradually sharing the activity

● slowly introducing other children, one at a time, to the activity - modelling and prompting turn-taking

● structuring activities so that the child's role is obvious

● specifically teaching imitation skills

● giving clear visual clues to help prepare the child for changes

● creating situations which could prompt the child into using their language communicatively - for example, 'forgetting' to give them a straw for their milk carton

● exaggerating gestures and facial expressions to emphasise their meaning

● using photos and videos to help children recall tasks they've completed previously - helping them to connect episodes of learning.

The most fundamental thing we can do is to try to see the world as the child sees it - to understand their perspective. In this way, we can begin to present the world in a way which will help them to make sense of it, thus minimising stress and maximising learning.

Case study: Javid - age four years

Javid's parents had been concerned about his development since he was 18 months old, particularly because he didn't start to develop language. He also seemed very 'distant', as if he was unaware of other people. His play was repetitive: lining up cars or spinning their wheels endlessly. When Javid reached the age of two his family health visitor referred him for assessment at the local child development centre.

Following an assessment involving a paediatrician, educational psychologist, teacher and speech & language therapist, Javid was given a diagnosis of autism.

Javid's entry to nursery at the age of three was planned carefully and staff were given advice and support by a specialist teacher. Despite this planning, it was soon clear that Javid became upset at less-structured times of the day. A simple picture timetable was introduced. At first this was just two pictures - emphasising: first this; then that. By the time he went to school, Javid's timetable had a series of five pictures on it.

Javid could vocalise, but he still had no spoken language. The speech & language therapist helped to introduce the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) (Bondy & Frost 1996). This helped Javid begin to initiate communication with adults in the setting - he could hand over a picture to request things. In time, he would vocalise to gain the adult's attention before making his request. By the time he went to school he had developed, and was using, a few single words.

Javid's imitation and play skills were enhanced using Tabletop Identiplay (Beyer & Gammeltoft 2000). This activity uses two identical sets of toys: one for the child, one for the practitioner. Initially the adult copies what the child does. Later the child begins to imitate the adult's actions.

Javid successfully transferred into Reception class following an extended induction period.
Before her retirement, Julia Dunlop was, for 12 years, a senior educational psychologist and early years specialist. She is the co-author of Autism in the Early Years - a practical guide and Asperger syndrome - a practical guide for teachers.
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SEN: Understanding Autism | A Unique Child | Teach Early Years

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Educational psychologist Julia Dunlop outlines the key factors early years practitioners should consider when working with young children with autistic spectrum disorders... The autism spectrum is an umbrella term used to describe a range of people who have a common set of characteristics relating to their ability to interact, communicate and make sense of the world.

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Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty. If somebody has dyslexia, they might find it more difficult to read and write, among other things, but it does not affect their intelligence and is not an illness or disease.

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Provides details of what an IEP is

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You asked to have your child evaluated for special education services. Now it's time for the IEP meeting, but you're not sure what to expect. What's in an IEP? How can you prepare for the meeting?

What is an IEP?

The IEP, Individualized Education Program, is a written document that's developed for each public school child who is eligible for special education. The IEP is created through a team effort and reviewed at least once a year.

Before an IEP can be written, your child must be eligible for special education. By federal law, a multidisciplinary team must determine that (1) she's a child with a disability and (2) she requires special education and related services to benefit from the general education program.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law, requires certain information to be included in the IEP but doesn't specify how the IEP should look. Because states and local school systems may include additional information, forms differ from state to state and may vary between school systems within a state.

IEP team members

The members of the multidisciplinary team who write your child's IEP include:

You, the parents, who have valuable insights and information about his strengths and needs and ideas for enhancing his education

General education teacher(s) who can share information about classroom expectations and your child's performance

A special education teacher who has training and experience in educating children with disabilities and in working with other educators to plan accommodations

An individual who can interpret the results of your child's evaluation and use results to help plan an appropriate instructional program

A representative of the school system who knows about special education services and has the authority to commit resources

Individuals with knowledge or special expertise about your child that are invited by you and/or the school district

Representatives from transition services agencies, when such services are being discussed

Your child, when appropriate, and whenever transition is discussed

Contents of the IEP

The IEP is a document that is designed to meet your child's unique educational needs. It's not a contract, but it does guarantee the necessary supports and services that are agreed upon and written for your child.
At the least, the IEP must contain these pieces of information:

Present levels of educational performance

Information about your child's strengths and needs is presented by teachers, parents, and the school staff who evaluated her. Comments will be made about how your child is doing in the classroom. Observations and results of state and district-wide tests and the special education evaluation, including individually administered standardized tests, are reviewed. Besides academic needs, any other areas of concern that have been identified, such as language development, behavior, or social skills, should be discussed, as well.

Goals

The next step is to write measurable goals that he can reasonably accomplish in one year. Goals are based on what was discussed and documented in present levels of educational performance and focus on his needs that result from the disability. Goals should help him be involved and progress in the general curriculum and may be academic, social, behavioral, self-help, or address other educational needs. Goals are not written to maintain skills or help him achieve above grade level.

The requirement for objectives and benchmarks - with which to measure progress toward goals - was eliminated from IEP requirements with the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA. However, the law now states that the child's IEP must include "a description of how the child's progress toward the annual goals ... will be measured and when periodic reports on the progress the child is making toward annual goals will be provided" - for example, at the same time report cards are issued for all students.

This chart from Understood.org, a comprehensive resource for parents of kids with learning and attention issues, will help you tell if your child's IEP goals are "SMART."

Special education and related services

Once the IEP is written, the team has to decide how to put it into action. The school district is obligated to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). So the IEP team considers the way - to the maximum extent appropriate for both - to educate your child alongside kids without a disability. Special education is a set of services, rather than a specific place for your child to go. The services your child needs to reach the goals and objectives and how they'll be delivered are identified. For most kids, the general education classroom will be the preferred setting, but a range of options is available, including special day classes. In addition to the above, the following are part of the IEP:

The extent, if any, to which your child will not participate with nondisabled kids in the regular class and other school activities

When services will begin, where and how often they'll be provided, and how long they'll last

Necessary transition services (age 16 or the first IEP that will be in effect when the child turns 16)

These special factors will be considered and addressed in the IEP, depending on your child's needs:

Supports and strategies for behavior management, if behavior interferes with her learning or the learning of others

Language needs as related to the IEP if he has limited mastery, or proficiency, in English

Communication needs

Assistive technology devices or services required in order to receive FAPE

Necessary accommodations in the general education classroom

To see what an IEP looks like, visit Understood.org .

Your role at the meeting

Parents often feel overwhelmed when they attend an IEP meeting because so many people are there. The time goes by quickly, and you may feel rushed. Education jargon can be hard to understand, yet you're supposed to be a full participant in the meeting. Here are some ideas that may help to reduce your anxiety, increase your participation, and facilitate the process.

Communicate regularly with school staff so that you'll have an idea of what the teachers may say at the meeting.

Prepare your thoughts before the meeting by writing down the important points you want to make about your child. If you'd like, ask to have your information included in your child's IEP.

Take someone with you to serve as your support system. If a spouse or family member can't attend, ask a trusted friend to go with you. If you decide to bring a friend or advocate, you should inform the school so they are aware of whom you're bringing. Be prepared for them to question who the person is and why you have decided to include them in the meeting. The school should tell you if they have a specific policy on other attendees at the IEP meeting.

Ask questions if you don't understand the terms being used. If necessary, arrange to meet with individuals after the meeting to review their statements or reports.

Try to stay focused and positive. If anyone becomes frustrated or angry, ask to have the meeting continued at another date. It's hard to develop an IEP when emotions have taken over the process.

Remember that you can sign to show you participated in the meeting, but you don't have to agree to the goals or services at the meeting. You can take the IEP home to review, get input, and return later.

What happens next

Written parent permission is necessary before the IEP can go into effect. If you agree with only parts of the IEP, let the school know so services can begin for your child. Once you sign the first IEP, you have granted your permission for the school to provide ongoing special education services for your child.

Although you may change your mind after signing the IEP and withdraw your permission, you should be aware that this action may have legal implications. (Consult with an advocate before taking this action.) Write a letter to the school that tells why you've changed your mind and which parts of the IEP you disagree with. Most likely, the school will want to hold another IEP meeting to discuss your concerns.

The IEP is reviewed at least once a year. However, if you or the teacher believe that your child isn't learning or making progress or has achieved the goals sooner than expected, a meeting may be scheduled to revise the IEP. If you feel that an IEP review meeting is needed, put your request in writing and send it to the school and/or district administrator.

Work collaboratively with the staff responsible for your child's IEP. Ask what you can do to reinforce skills at home.

Visit Understood.org for a collection of resources on how to make sure your child's IEP is working .

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You asked to have your child evaluated for special education services. Now it's time for the IEP meeting, but you're not sure what to expect. What's in an IEP? How can you prepare for the meeting? The IEP, Individualized Education Program, is a written document that's developed for each public school child who is eligible for special education.

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all members are crucial for the creation of an appropriate IEP

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IEP goals should be set for no more than a 12 month period and should be reviewed and reset as needed.

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unfortunately it is not a legal requirement 

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unfortunately it is not a legal requirement 

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The EPI process is not a legal requirement but it is being made compulsory in some schools

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IEP Example.pdf - Sample Individualized Education Program I. Student Information and Instructional Profile Student Morgan Beatrice | Course Hero

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View IEP Example.pdf from EDUC 525 at Liberty University. Sample Individualized Education Program I. Student Information and Instructional Profile Student Morgan Beatrice Smith Parents/Guardians