The IEP from A to Z

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[fbshare]Parents of children with special needs have many concerns and issues to handle. Initially, it’s getting a proper diagnosis and understanding what it means. Then we need to figure out what treatments are available. But it doesn’t end there. Parents must also become familiar with their school’s  IEP (Individualized Education Program) process.

Experience has taught me that it is best to do it right the first time. By this I mean that when establishing an IEP for your child, it is far easier to do it right from the start, rather than to attempt to change your child’s placement and services after-the-fact. So with this in mind, you need help!

As a parent, I have been a believer in going into the IEP process with an advocate–someone who represents me. This is not an adversarial approach, but rather, I know that I can’t learn what I need to know fast enough to get the job done right. Parent advocates do this for a living, so they are on top of all the ins and outs that we mere parents may miss.

This being said, I know that many parents are not in a position to be able to hire an advocate. Thank goodness for  The IEP from A to Z: How to Create Meaningful and Measurable Goals and Objectives written by Diane Twachtman-Cullen and Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett! Now parents can arm themselves with a guide that will show them how to get the right education plan for their child.

As the authors explained,

This book is broadly based, in that it covers individuals with nonverbal learning disability, ADD/ADHD, emotional disturbance and behavioral difficulty, language difficulties, and of course, autism spectrum disorders.”

But they went onto  share that:

While there may be other books that address other aspects of the IEP, we address areas that are usually left untouched – for example, executive function and theory of mind.“

Part 1

The first part of this book aims to provide the needed information to create an IEP that will deliver effective services for your child. The initial chapter starts with a very brief overview of the history of special education law. Information is then summarized on the latest reauthorized and amended 2004 IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).

Chapter 2 discusses how the present level of performance (PLP) is tied to achievement in academic and nonacademic  areas. The authors explain why the PLP statement in the IEP is so important, although it is often the most misunderstood component.

The authors continue to present many pieces that make up the IEP and explain in detail, with examples, their importance. It is also essential to know what conditions will lead your child to perform successfully.

Chapter 5 examines scaffolding and how it can be addressed in the goals and objectives of an IEP. Examples are provided and a useful list of prompt hierarchy is presented. This chapter is very important for many spectrum children, because prompting and the fading of prompting is a critical component for them learning to perform tasks on their own. Generalization of skills  is equally important and is discussed in Chapter 6.

Annual goals and short-term objectives are the key to the IEP. Since they help drive the treatment plan, it is important to put the necessary time into their development. As the authors stated:

Although all the essential elements of the IEP contribute to the effectiveness of instruction, it is the goals and objectives that ‘get the job done.’” (p. 65)

The objectives must be clear, useful, consistent, and measurable. The final chapter of this section addresses data collection, quantitative versus qualitative measurement and when each is appropriate. Finally, a number of items from IDEA are explained, such as the least restrictive environment (LRE), assessments, and modifications versus accommodations.

Part 2

The second part of this book provides many examples to illustrate how each component of the IEP contributes to the development of an appropriate,  individualized education program. The examples are also very helpful in seeing how what we just learned in Part 1 (the theory and the  law) can be put into practice to result in a well designed and effective IEP.

Many parents are at a loss as to how to formulate good goals and objectives. They will often ask other parents for samples of what they have used in their IEPs. The remainder of Part 2 focuses on goals and objectives designed to attain appropriate educational services. The last 80 pages are comprised of sample PLPs, goals, and objectives in the following areas:

• cognitive and social-cognitive functioning,
• c9mmunication, language and speech,
• nonverbal comprehension and expression,
• social relatedness and interaction, play, and leisure skills,
• executive function,
• theory of mind, and
• critical thinking.

These samples alone are worth the price of the book!

The Authors

Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP and Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett are a mother and daughter who teamed together to help make sense of the IEP process. Diane is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Autism Spectrum Quarterly, the international Magajournal® that combines human interest and “how to” articles with important research news. In addition to this book, Diane has authored three other books, numerous chapters, and articles. Diane is a popular speaker who gives workshops on communication/language, social behavior, and ASD worldwide. She can be reached through e-mail: addconcenter@snet.net

Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett, M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in ASD and related conditions. She is the associate editor of Autism Spectrum Quarterly and has authored several articles and chapters on communication, language, and feeding issues in ASD. Jennifer has presented workshops at conferences across the nation.

Summary

This book is essential for any parent of a child with ASD, nonverbal learning disability, ADD/ADHD, emotional disturbance and behavioral difficulty, or language difficulties who will be required to help create a meaningful IEP for their child. There is something for everyone, novice and experienced parents alike.

For me, the last sentence in the Epilogue of the book summarizes why over the years I have fought for an appropriate IEP for my daughter. Diane wrote:

It is our fondest wish that The IEP from A to Z will enable IEP teams to fulfill their obligation to students by helping them build education programs that are appropriate and individualized to the needs of those students so that they may lead successful, productive, and independent lives.” (p. 181)

I want to thank Diane for giving me the opportunity to review her book–hot off the press! Please read on to see how you can win a free copy of your own.

Giveaway

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I am pleased to offer this book to one lucky reader. You can enter this giveaway up to two times. Here are the rules for entering:

1. Register for the new  S-O-S Step-by-Step FREE Standard Membership over in the right-hand column and gain access to the Step-by-Step online information; and/or
2. Sign up for the new and revised  S-O-S newsletter over in the right-hand column.

Please enter one comment here for registering with Step-by-Step and one comment for signing up for the newsletter. If you have already signed up for Step-by-Step and/or the Newsletter, you are already eligible to enter this contest! (Please remember to enter a comment(s) and let me know.)

This giveaway will appear in the April 15th Best of the Best and will end at 11:59 pm (PST) on April 30th. Good luck!

Martianne won this book!

Note: Jossey-Bass/Wiley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for being featured on Help! S-O-S for Parents.  The opinions expressed in this post are mine and have not been influenced in any way.