Individualized Education Plan

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is perhaps the most essential document within special education because it formalizes the concept of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) for a student with disabilities by guiding and regulating all aspects of a student's special education plan. According to Bateman and Linden (1998), there is no document more important from which to monitor and enforce the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as it applies to special education services. A written instrument, the IEP describes (a) a student's educational needs and the resources that will be used to meet those needs; (b) the goals and objectives that direct the educational program and placement; and (c) the evaluation criteria to be used.

Eight factors must be included in the IEP (Drasgow & colleagues, 2001; IDEA, 1997):

• 1.
  Present levels of educational performance
• 2.
  Measurable annual goals, including benchmarks and short-term objectives
• 3.
  Special education and related services, supplementary aids, and program modifications or supports
• 4.
  Participation level with nondisabled peers
• 5.
  Participation in statewide and districtwide tests
• 6.
  Date and frequency of services and modifications
• 7.
  Measurement strategies needed for communication with parents and progress reports
• 8.
  Transition services

The IEP sometimes needs to address special factors related to the child's disability, including (Office of Special Education Programs, 2000):

• Strategies to address the child's behavior if it interferes with the child's learning or the learning of others
• Communication modifications, including those related to limited proficiency in English or hearing impairment
• Assistive technology (e.g., hearing aids)
• Instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, if the child is blind or visually impaired

An IEP team is convened after the school's multidisciplinary team (MDT) has determined that a student is eligible for special education services. Specific people must be in attendance at this meeting, including the child's parents/caregivers, a local social service agency representative, and an educational professional who is qualified to explain the instructional implications of the evaluation results. In addition, at [Page 256]least one of the child's general education teachers and a special education teacher or just the student's special education teacher must be in attendance. Other individuals, at the discretion of the parents or school, as well as the student, if appropriate, are also allowed to be included in the IEP process (Drasgow & colleagues, 2001). For example, if the student requires assistive technology (e.g., specialized computer programs, medical equipment) in IEP development, the team may include an individual whose expertise lies in this area.

According to Drasgow and colleagues (2001), the IEP team serves two major purposes during the meeting. First, the team must develop a document based on the student's needs. Second, the team must determine placement using the criterion of least restrictive environment. That is, placement in special education classrooms and schools or other more restrictive settings should occur only when a student cannot receive an appropriate education in the general education classroom, even with the use of additional aids and supports (IDEA, 1997).