Running head: WORKBOOK SUMMARY 1
Workbook Summary
Katrina Shumpert
Liberty University
September 11, 2016
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Special Education in the Individualized Education Program
Gibb and Dyches walk the readers of IEPs: Writing Quality Individualized Education
Programs through the process of writing an individualized education program (IEP). Before the
year 1975 there were no laws in place that required states to provide education for exceptional
children. A few reasons for this were thoughts that the other students would be negatively
affected, teachers were not trained for exceptional children, and it was just an inconvenience. It
was not until the Handicapped Children Act of 1975 that grant exceptional children free public
education. In 2004 that Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) was
passed which governs special education in the United States (2016, p.1). To provide special
education, children 3 to 21 receive these five provisions from the state: free appropriate public
education, appropriate evaluation, an individualized education program, the least restrictive
environment, and procedural safeguards.
Every student that receives special education services is required to have an IEP. In order
to create an IEP a team is put into place that works closely with the child. An IEP includes items
such as the child’s current levels of education, measurable annual goals, progression of these
goals, accommodations, services that the student should be receiving, and other necessary
information. Gibbs and Dyches say an IEP is a personal road map for student’s education and is a
form of communication between parents and teachers (2016, p. 5-6).
Section 1: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
The first section in an IEP discusses the student’s current level of gaining knowledge and
application of that knowledge; the academic achievement and functional performance. The
information that creates the PLAAFP statement is acquired through reviewing the curriculum
standards for academic achievement, determining the student’s current academic strengths and
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limitations, and assessing the student’s current functional strengths and limitations (2016, p. 48).
When determining student achievement both formal and informal assessments are used. Formal
assessment also plays an important role in deciding if a student qualifies for special education.
Along with assessments parent input is also used in creating an IEP. The data gathered from these
assessments helps to establish the student’s strengths or what they “can do” and also their
limitations or what they “cannot do.” The information and data collect that is used in writing the
PLAAFP should be the guide in creating and writing the measurable annual goals for the student.
Section 2: Measurable Annual Goals
Annual goals are written to show what is excepted of the student within the year; their
academic achievement and functional performance. The annual goals focus on the future of the
student and in determining the effects of their disability (2016, p.59). These annual goals have to
be measurable, meaning the stated goal has to be observable. These goals are set by individuals
that work closely with the student and who can see their progression in their goals. For students
that are well below grade level there is a bi-level approach. In this approach, “one or more goals
address the student’s grade-level standards, and one or more goals address necessary skill
improvements at a lower level” (2016, p.61). Included in the annual goals section are also
benchmarks and short term objectives. Benchmarks break down the annual goals into smaller
goals for the student to achieve by a specific time. Short term objectives describe skills that need
to be mastered just as benchmarks, but they do not require a time limit.
Section 3: Measure and Report Student Progress
The third section of an IEP describes how the previous goals will be measured, how the
data will be collected, and when reports of this data will be given to parents and others that work
with the student. The goals need to be closely examined in order to figure out how that behavior
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should be measured. Some ways to measure goals are by looking at percentages, rate, fluency,
number correct, latency, or duration. The special education teacher is required to give parents
reports on their child’s progress towards their goals. This part of the IEP requires the teacher to
practice three things: measuring, monitoring, and reporting. Gibb and Dyches describe
measuring as “administering some type of assessment to describe a student’s academic or social
behavior,” monitoring as “comparing student achievement to desired goals,” and reporting as
providing “oral or written information regarding student achievement” (2016, p.78). Measuring
and reporting student progress helps in seeing where the student is in their goals.
Section 4: Services needed to Achieve Annual Goals
The fourth section of writing an IEP determines which services are necessary to help
students achieve their annual goals. Services include special education services, related services,
supplementary aids and services. It is also important to determine which services are provided
for teachers, which includes supports and program modifications. Gibb and Dyches say these
services accomplish two purposes: to help the student achieve annual goals and that they do this
in the least restrictive environment (2016, p.81). The least restrictive environment allows for
these students to be educated with their peers in order to maximize learning. Gibb and Dyches
include that IDEA requires placements to be determined annually, based on the IEP, and as close
as possible to their home (they do not need to travel far to get to school). It is important that the
determined services benefit the student. Services should help the student attain their annual
goals, make progress in general education curriculum, participate in extracurricular activities,
and participate with their peers.
Section 5: Student Participation with Nondisabled
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The law requires that exceptional students be involved and progress in general education
curriculum (2016, p. 93). This law points to student’s having the least restrictive learning
environment; which is to benefit the student’s learning. Exceptional children are to be involved
in regular education classes, extracurricular activities, and non-academic activities with their
general education peers. Exceptional students benefit from “teachers’ content knowledge and
from opportunities to learn with and from their peers with disabilities” (2016, p.93). Inclusion
helps students benefit from social interactions and to gain life experiences just like their peers. In
some cases, it is determined better for all students if exceptional students do not participate with
their classmates due to how severe their disability. This information is to be written on their IEP
and include where they are not allowed to interact with peers and the rationale for the
determinate. The IEP team needs to try to include students the best they can with
accommodations and adaptations in order to benefit the student.
Section 6: Accommodations and State and Districtwide Assessments
Included in the sixth section of the IEP are the accommodations that are necessary in
measuring academic achievement and functional performance on assessments. The law requires
that students be assessed. If determined by the IEP team that the student cannot take the
assessment even with accommodations or modifications, they then they will take another
assessment that is reasonable and allowable by the state. Exceptional students will test at the
same time as every other student in the class. Some accommodations for students include: small
group testing, extended time, Braille, larger font, native language, oral directions, repeat
procedures, and the administer record their answers. Modifications include: less questions, use of
calculator, read the test aloud, and allow reference material. The options for testing include:
regular assessment of grade-level academic content standards based on grade-level academic
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achievement standards, regular assessment of grade-level academic content standards with
accommodations with grade-level academic achievement standards, alternate assessment of
grade-level academic content standards based on grade-level academic achievement standards, or
alternate assessment of grade-level academic content standards based on alternate academic
achievement standards. (2016, p. 105). All of the accommodations and modifications need to
appear on the IEP along with the assessment that the student will take.
Section 7: Transition Planning
The last part of an IEP is the transition plan for students that are 16 or older. The
transition plan is a “student-centered process of structuring course work and other educational
experiences to prepare the student for transition from school to adult life” (2016, p.107). On the
IEP there are now measureable postsecondary goals; the law requires goals to be based around
findings from a transition assessment. The goals are broken into four areas: education, training,
employment, and independent living. Once the goals are established then the IEP team looks at
the services that are required for their transition. These services include: instruction, community
services, daily living skills, and an evaluation. One year before the student becomes an adult (by
age) a statement must be written that the student was informed of the transfer of adult rights. The
school must also provide a summary of academic achievement and functional performance of the
student who either graduated or turned 22. The summary is given to the student and should be
detailed enough that they can meet requirements of disabilities for laws that help these
individuals.
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References
Gibb, G.S., & Dyches, T.T. (2016). IEPs: Writing Quality Individualized Education Programs
(3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
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