PLAAFP / Supplementary Aids / Services / Goals & Objectives / Benchmarks / Special Education Program and Related Services
To develop a PLAAFP statement, you must determine:
How the student’s ASD affects access to, involvement/ participation in and/or success / progress in general education curriculum and environments (considering social competency and independent skills).
This identifies student NEEDS.
The following areas should be considered:
  • Ability to Participate in Instruction
  • Socialization Skills / Competence
  • Communication
  • Independent Skills
  • Transition Issues
  • Ability to Manage Stress / Anxiety
  • Behaviors
PLAAFP statements must include assessment data compared to peers in each areas coupled with observational data and other informal information. Data can be derived from any / all of the following:
  • Standardized Measures
  • Rating Scales
  • State / Local Assessments
  • Classroom Output
  • Grades / Progress Notes
  • GLCEs
/ --aids, services and other supports that are provided in regular education classes …..to enable children with disabilities to be educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.
Of the need areas identified in the PLAAFP, which ones can be addressed through the use of supplementary aids and services?
Universal supports for students with ASD should always be considered first:
  • Visual Strategies
  • Functional Communication System
  • Peer to Peer Support
  • Positive Behavioral Supports
  • Accommodations / Modifications
  • Adult Support
/ Need areas that cannot be met through supplementary aids and services and/or require specialized instruction become the goal areas for the IEP.
Goals &Objectives / Benchmarks must be measurable.
Measurable goals & objectives / benchmarks must be designed to meet the needs of the student that result from the disability to enable the child to be involved and make progress in the general education curriculum.
Goals & objectives / benchmarks are NOT a restatement of the general education curriculum nor a list of everything the student is expected to learn.
It’s often helpful to ask “What skills does the student need in order to access / master the content rather than what content the student needs to learn.” / For every goal, there must be a special education program / service to address it.
Services: SLP, SSW, OT/PT: Determine amount of time needed to assist the student in making adequate progress on goals / objectives. Consider push-in services FIRST.
Placement / Program: The question to ask to assure LRE consideration in the planning for placement is: “With supplementary aids / services and push in itinerant / related services, can the student make adequate progress on the goals and objectives?”
If yes, no placement outside of general education is needed.
If no, what amount of time would the student need to be pulled from the general education environment to work specifically on the goal(s) to assure adequate progress?
What placement is most conducive to working on the goals / objectives?

IEP Process for Students with ASD

START IEP Development and Implementation Module edited 8-10-10