IEP Process
Individualized Education Plan, IEP is a written statement that children with disability use. IEP describes the child’s uncommon education program. IEP is a legal and binding document that spells out the special programs that a disabled child will receive. The document spells out the reasons of the activity that the special will receive (Allen and Cowdery, 2011). The document includes the classification of the child, the services they receive placement, therapies, behavioural and academic plans. However, the document will show the time percentage of regular education if a behavioural plan is included in the document. The behavioural plan shows the detail of reports from therapists and teachers. The IEP document is planned during an IEP meeting (Allen and Cowdery, 2011).
An individualized IEP must be tailored to shape the needs of a child with exceptional needs. The document must ensure that it outlines and meets the needs of the child (Smith, 2006). The designers of the document must select and enforce the goals, accommodation, modification, placement, and requirement to meet the needs of the special child in mind. Designing the IEP is not an individual response. The school or an institution without an IEP must design, scrutinize, and implement an IEP document to accommodate the child in mind (Allen and Cowdery, 2011).
The guiding principles in IEP hence include:
- Providing free and appropriate public education, which is consistent with the state and federal requirements.
- Ensuring students receive education and get to interact with normal students in a given education environment.
Responsibilities of parents
The parents are equal and members of the IEP. The parents have unique and exceptional knowledge that they know the needs and strengths of their child. The parents have to be involved in the crucial meeting that touches on the evaluation, identification, educational placement and IEP development of their child (Allen and Cowdery, 2011). The parents have the opportunity to question the panel on the requests, disputed points, and plan modification, just like other IEP team members.
Responsibilities of teachers
The teacher is responsible for reporting the child’s progress to the parents and the school. The teacher spends most of their time with the child. They are in a better position than any other person to report on the child’s progress in school. The teacher discusses the supplementary aids that ensure the progress and success of the special child in that environment (Smith, 2006).
Relevant materials and resources
The IEP team uses several materials and resources to achieve the set targets and objectives of the team. One of the most vital resources that the team uses to progress in the IEP setting is placement. After developing the IEP, the team determines the placement. The placement is the environment that the IEP is not readily implemented. The IDEA needs the IEP process to be completed before the team makes placement decisions. The educational requirement of the special of the child controls the IEP process of development. The school may get the resources to write the IEP to fit the student, choosing the right placement to match the IEP (Allen and Cowdery, 2011).
The IDEA requires the IEP to design resources that enable the distinct learn in the same environment with their peers. The best IEP process is designed in a way that provides for the student with disability a chance to integrate with his peers in the school. The teacher works with small groups to identify the resources that fit the student with the disability (Smith, 2006). Working with a small group of students enables the teacher to get a quick response from the special child. Managing the small group with the child is easier than operating in a large group of students.
Components of IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan)
An IFSP, Individualized Family Plan is a document that guide and controls the intervention process for the disabled children and their families. The IFSP is the way through which IDEA implements effective intervention according to section C of the IDEA. The IDEA, contains crucial information concerning the services that the special child requires in his development process (Smith, 2006). The document consists of information that enhances the capacity of the family to enhance the child’s development process. Through the process of IFSP, service providers and the family members work as a team to evaluate, plan, and implement the services that are tailored to the unique concerns of the family, depending on the resources and priories (Sorensen and Brown, 2006). The plan includes the child’s present assessment based on the development level, goal statement, dates the showing the onset of the services, support services implemented to achieve the desired goals, the service provider identification and the laid down desired goals (Sorensen and Brown, 2006).
The family is the constant that the special child has in the life. IFSP revolves around the child’s family. However, the IEP concentrates about the special child. This is because the document revolves around provision of his education. The goals of the IFSP target the family while IEP targets the child. IFSP includes natural environments like parks, home, and childcare, unlike in IEP that concentrates in the classroom (Sorensen and Brown, 2006).
Responsibilities of parents
The parents play a significant role in the education of their disabled child. The parents ensure that their child get the free effective public education. There are no expenses levied on the education of the child with disabilities.
The parents requests for an evaluation of their child whenever they need. The parents give consent to the whole evaluation process (Smith, 2006). The parents can choose to reject the teacher’s evaluation, and they might require the services of a private evaluator. The parent is the only person that has access to the child’s personal records. The parent may change the information if they feel that the information in the document is misleading, inaccurate, or violates the child’s rights and privacy. The parent is thoroughly informed on the rights that the school provides the child and the teacher. The parent participates in the IEP process. They assist in decision making during the IEP and IFSP meetings (Sorensen and Brown, 2006).
Responsibilities of the teachers
The teacher informs the parents of the child whenever they would want to evaluate the potential of the child. The notification allows for the changing of the education process and procedures. The teachers ensure that the child undergoes the IFSP process. They ensure that the child in their classroom is comfortable and integrating with his mates. The teachers monitor the progress of the child, and they advise the child’s parents on the necessary program that the child requires (Smith, 2006).
Relevant materials and resources
The IFSP acts as the family’s cornerstone that involves the early services on intervention that the toddlers and infants with disabilities receive (Allen and Cowdery, 2011). The resources ensure that the child functioning, their development, physical, and cognitive development are taken care of in the document. The family acts as the resource for the development of this child. The family act as the strength and the requirement that the child needs during the IFSP process (Smith, 2006).
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References
Allen, E., & Cowdery, E. G. (2011). Exceptional Child: Inclusion in Early Childhood Education. New York: Wadsworth Publishing.
Smith, D. (2006). Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference (with MyLabSchool). New York: Allyn & Bacon.
Sorensen, J., & Brown, J. E. (2006). Overview of Early Intervention. New York: Pro ed.
