The Educational Team and the Individualized Education Plan

Slide 2: Introduction

  • Special education services are services that provide individualized instruction designed to meet the needs of the specific student.
  • Educational plans are designed by educational teams.
  • Students with ASD have complex needs; therefore, educational teams are a critical part of the student’s education.
  • It is important to use effective communication strategies in order to promote the success of the educational plan.

In this presentation we will address:

  • What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?
  • Who are the team members of the educational team?
  • What are the roles of members of the educational team?
  • What it the role of the paraprofessional on the educational team?
  • What is effective teaming?
  • How do educational teams ensure effective communication and consistency?

Many students with ASD will require special education services. Simply put, special education services are services that provide individualized instruction designed to meet the needs of the specific student. Special education is not a place, but instead, it is a service. The services received will vary tremendously from student to student. This type of customized instruction will require the student to have an educational plan that is developed specifically for that student. The plan takes the student’s strengths and needs into account and outlines goals and objectives he needs to learn.

In education, one single person does not determine and implement an education plan for a student with ASD. Instead, these educational plans are designed by educational teams. Teams can develop a stronger plan because different members will have different kinds of information to provide. Students with ASD have complex needs, therefore, educational teams are a critical part of the student’s education. As a paraprofessional, you are a part of the educational team for one or more students.

In this presentation we will address:

  • What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?
  • Who are the team members of the educational team?
  • What are the roles of members of the educational team?
  • What it the role of the paraprofessional on the educational team?
  • What is effective teaming?
  • How do educational teams ensure effective communication and consistency?

Slide 3: What is an Individualized Education Plan?

  • Every student receiving special education must have an Individualized Education Plan or what is called an IEP.
  • An IEP is a document that describes the educational program designed for a student.
  • A student with ASD often has many needs that will be addressed in the IEP and include academic needs, behavioral needs, communication needs, daily living skill needs, and social needs.

Many students with ASD will have unique learning needs and will require special education services. These students receive an individualized education that is tailored specifically for them! Every student receiving special education must have an Individualized Education Plan or what is called an IEP. For these students, they have already been tested and observed and a team has determined they have a disability and require special services.

An IEP is a documentthat describes the educational program that has been designed for a student. It is designed tooutline what it is the student needs to learn. An IEP is a complex document but, it is important because it is the student’s guiding document. It describes the goals the student will work on, and describes the plan for how the student will be supported and what services are needed in order to make progress. It is the plan that all team members must follow.

A student with ASD often has many needs that will be addressed in the IEP. These can include academic needs, behavioral needs, communication needs, daily living skill needs, and social needs, among others.

Slide 4: What are the parts of an IEP?

  • Every student who receives special education services will have an IEP.
  • This law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004).
  • Every IEP must contain certain information.

As mentioned, every student who receives special education services will have an IEP. This is mandated by federal law. This law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004).

Every IEP must contain certain information. In the upcoming slides we will discuss the different parts of the IEP you need to know about.

Slide 5: Present level of performance

  • Present level of performance: A thorough description of the student’s strengths and needs. It includes information regarding how a student is performing across all areas of development.

Emily is completely verbal and can be very expressive. In conversation, Emily will use delayed echolalia referencing movies and TV shows she has watched. She also engages in echolalia when she is working independently. During class, Emily’s echolalia can be distracting and she frequently receives reminders to be quiet or lower her voice…

Present level of performance: A description of the student’s strengths and needs. It includes information regarding how a student is performing across all areas of development. For example, it will include information about the student’s performance in math, reading, communication, social skills, daily living skills (these include feeding self, grooming, dressing) motor skills, and behavior.

Slide 6: Goals and objectives

  • Goals and objectives: The skills the student will work on in all areas of development.

Goal 1: Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic.

Goals and objectives: The skills the student will work on in all areas of development. Goals and objectives may be written in just a few areas. For example a student with Asperger’s syndrome may only have goals in social and communication skills. For other students with more complex needs, goals and objectives may be written for all areas including math, reading, communication, social skills, daily living skills (these include feeding self, grooming, dressing) motor skills, and behavior.

Slide 7: How progress will be measured

  • How progress will be measured: A description of how the team will measure progress on the goals and objectives and how the team will know when they are mastered by the student.

Measure: Emily will take two turns in a conversation with a classmate and will make a relevant comment about the topic on 4 out of 5 opportunities observed.

How progress will be measured: A description of how the team will measure progress on the goals and objectives and how the team will know when they are mastered by the student.

Slide 8: Modifications and accommodations

  • Modifications: A description of the ways in which the general education curriculum will be modified to meet the needs of the student.
  • Accommodations: A list of supports the student needs to learn the goals and objectives that are outlined.

Modifications and Accommodations:
-Extra time to complete assignments - Fewer questions on the test
-Use of a visual schedule -Communication system

Modifications: A description of the ways in which the general education curriculum will be altered or changed to meet the needs of the student. Many students with ASD will not be able to learn the general education curriculum, therefore, changes will need to be made. For example, a high school student may benefit from receiving fewer questions on a test or perhaps another student will only be responsible for learning 3 facts from the science lesson instead of all of the information.

Accommodations: A list of supports the student needs to learn the goals and objectives that are outlined. In order to learn the goals, often, special items or activities are needed for the student. For example, one student may require a calculator to perform math in 6th grade. Another student may benefit from using pictures to communicate his wants and needs.

Slide 9: Services

  • Special education services: The type, level, and amount of services the student will be provided by special education staff.
  • The location where special education services are provided: Description of where the student will be when getting services.

Service(s) / Frequency / Location
Special Education / 5 days per week for 2 hours a day / Special Education Classroom
Speech Language / 3times a week for 30 minutes / Special Education Classroom
General education / 5 days per week for 4 hours / General Education Classroom

Special education and related services: The type, level, and amount of services the student will be provided by special education staff. All students have different needs, therefore, some students may only need minimal support by a special education teacher, while others will need support by a teacher, an occupational therapist, and a speech language pathologist.

The IEP will also describe the location of special education services. Some students will receive all of their services in the general education environment. For instance, a student may have a special education teacher or paraprofessional go to the general education classroom at different times during the day. Another student may be in a special education classroom all day long, while others spend time with a speech language pathologist or other service providers in their room. The number of locations and the length of time spent in these locations will vary tremendously from student to student.

When considering services, the team will consider the extent of participation with students without disabilities to ensure they are thinking about the student spending time with general education peers.

Slide 10: Participation in statewide tests

  • Participation in statewide tests: A list of the required tests the student will take and any modifications he may receive to perform at his best.

Participation in statewide tests: A list of the required tests the student will take and any modifications he may receive to perform at his best. The tests required will vary from grade to grade. Additionally, given the different learning needs of students, some may not take all tests while others may require special supports to take the test. For example, a student may benefit from having the test items read to him.

Slide 11: What are other parts of an IEP?

  • Transition plan: A description of the way the IEP will help prepare the student for the transition to adult life once he or she graduates.
  • Behavior Intervention Plan: A plan which describes the strategies and supports that are to be implemented for any student who demonstrates interfering behavior.

There are other parts of the IEP which are optional and are included based on certain criteria.

Transition plan: A description of the way the IEP will help prepare the student for the transition to adult life once he or she graduates. A transition plan is for students 16 years of age or older and provides a description of those areas the student and family would like to target to prepare him or her for higher education or for a career and to work towards living in the community. Students ages 16 and older may be spending time outside of the school and in the community to help prepare them for adulthood.

Behavior Intervention Plan: A plan which describes the strategies and supports that are to be implemented for any student who demonstrates interfering behavior. A plan is legally required for any student who has behavior that interferes with his or her own learning, interferes with the learning of other students, or behavior that is dangerous and poses a safety issue.

Slide 12: What does the paraprofessional need to know about the IEP?

  • It is very helpful for the paraprofessional to have key parts of the IEP always accessible.
  • Goals and objectives
  • Modifications and Accommodations
  • How progress will be measured
  • Behavior Intervention Plan

Paraprofessionals have the legal right to access the IEPs of students with whom they work. In order to support your students, you will want to be familiar with the IEP of any student you work with. Take the time to find your students’ IEPs and read them carefully. You will want to talk to your supervising teacher regarding where they are stored and how you can gain access to them.

Additionally, it is very helpful for the paraprofessional to have key parts of the IEP always accessible.

  • Goals and objectives: These should be listed and in a location you can access at any time since your primary role will be teaching them to the student! The goals and objectives are often listed on data sheets you use to collect data. They can also be listed in a chart and put on a clip board for easy access.
  • Modifications and Accommodations: You will need to be aware of any modifications and accommodations the student may need to learn the goals and objectives or to take tests.
  • How progress will be measured: Your supervisory teacher is to collect data on the goals and objectives and will work with you so you know how to collect data so progress can be measured.
  • Behavior Intervention Plan: For any students with a BIP, it is critical that you as a paraprofessional are aware of the plan and know how to implement it.

Discuss with your supervisory teacher how you can access this information easily and how it can be stored securely.

Slide 13: Apply it!Titled: Educational Team & IEP. Question titled: Parts of the IEP

Table 3.2. How to read an individualized education program (IEP)

  1. Find the present level of performance. Read it. Now ask yourself…
/ Do I have a clear picture of what this student does well?
Do I have a clear picture of this student’s skills?
Do I know any strategies that work with this student?
Do I know what to avoid when working with this student?
  1. Find the annual goals and objectives. Read each goal and objective. Now ask yourself…
/ Do I have a clear picture of what the student should be able to do by the end of the year?
  1. Find the services. Read it. Now ask yourself…
/ Do I understand the services and supports that this student needs in different environments?
  1. Find the section on accommodations. Read it. Now ask yourself…
/ What supports does this student need? If I need to provide support, do I understand what to do?
  1. If the student has a behavior intervention plan, find it. Read it. And ask yourself…
/ What are the strategies and techniques that will increase the likelihood that appropriate behaviors will occur? If problem behaviors begin to escalate, how can I redirect the student to more positive behaviors? If the student becomes aggressive, do I know the steps in the response plan to deescalate the situation?
  1. Now read the rest of the individualized education plan. Ask yourself…
/ Do I have any questions about this student, his or her needs, or his or her support that I should share with my teaching team?

Causton-Theoharis (2009), p. 34

Now it’s your turn. In your documents find the Apply it! document titled: Educational Team & IEP. Now find the question titled: Parts of the IEP.

Find the IEP of a student with ASD with whom you work. Take a look at the table you see in the Participant Handbook. Look through each part of the IEP and answer the corresponding questions.

Once you have completed this “Apply it” activity, share your paper with your supervising teacher. Discuss any areas in the IEP where you have questions and need further insight. If you were unable to find any of the sections listed in the table, ask the supervisory teacher to help you. If you were unable to answer any of the questions listed, be sure to discuss them with the teacher. This is a valuable opportunity to learn more about each student you support and ensure you know what you are to teach, where you are to teach, and how you are to teach.

Slide 14:Why is there ateam?

  • A team of people come together to develop the IEP and make decisions about the student’s education.
  • Teams are an essential part of the educational process for students with ASD.
  • It is necessary that everyone involved in providing services and supports work together.

A team of people come together to develop the IEP and make decisions about the student’s education. Teams are an essential part of the educational process for all students, but this is especially true for students with ASD. You should remember that the core deficits of communication, social behavior, and restricted and repetitive stereotypical behaviors affect a student with ASD both inside and outside the classroom. Therefore, it is necessary that everyone involved in providing services and supports work together to wrap around the student and implement the educational plan more successfully.