Individualized Education Program (IEP)

According to Section 300.15 of the U.S. Department of Education federal legislation, the acronym IEP stands for individualized education program. Since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94–142) in 1975, the IEP has been a mechanism for ensuring that students with disabilities up to the age of 21 receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) that is individualized to meet their needs. The IEP process is also intended to hold educational systems accountable for student progress. An IEP initiates a process that is completed and guided through the creation of a document that communicates legal intent. In the United States, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 requires that an IEP be developed for every student with a disability who receives special education and/or related services.

Before any student is identified as having a disability, a comprehensive evaluation must be completed. This evaluation includes an assessment of the student's potential and achievement, home and social environment, biological development, and (if related areas of [Page 944]difficulty are observed) speech and language ability and fine and gross motor skills. An IEP is developed only if the identified disability has a negative impact on the student's learning and/or academic progress. In cases where the disability does not have such an impact, a section plan may be developed for the provision of accommodations and modifications in accord with Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act.

A student's IEP is developed with information gathered by an interdisciplinary team through a comprehensive evaluation of the student. The IEP is designed to ensure that a student with any type of disability that affects his or her progress in learning receives specialized and individualized instruction. These outcomes are reached primarily through the development of annual goals and quarterly benchmarks. Goals and objectives are linked to individual student progress and are not based primarily on available professionals' services. Goals and objectives are developed with parental and student involvement and consider individual student strengths and needs. The parents are required members of the IEP team, and the student is also encouraged to attend and participate in planning sessions. Special education experts recommend that a student's IEP goals and objectives, not his or her disability diagnosis, be used to determine the service delivery setting. Furthermore, the model calls for services to be provided in the LRE, ensuring that students with disabilities are not segregated from nondisabled peers as a direct result of their disabilities.

The IEP process provides an opportunity for the individualization of educational services for students with disabilities. The IEP details individualized services and teaching that focus on the attainment of goals and objectives. Attention to individual student progress on set goals and objectives is intended to ensure that educators and service providers address the student's learning needs. Well-developed IEPs have the power to have a positive impact on students' learning if the services are implemented and interventions and progress are reviewed and revised on at least an annual basis. Although individualized education plans are not mandated for students in general education, many educational systems recognize the benefits that IEPs afford and are beginning to adopt such strategies for general education settings.

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