Weekend Links

• L'Arche Montreal :: community living for adults with disabilities; especially take a look at their videos describing their community life in the right column
• Hayden's World: Hayden's IEP :: a great how to on the IEP
• What I Want You To Know About Having a Child with Autism 
• Life According to Sam :: a documentary trailer about Sam who lives with progeria

The I.E.P....Not Just Another Piece of Paper

The Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.) is a key document in a special needs child's education.  It is mandated by law to ensure a child is receiving the accomodations he/she needs in order to reach his/her full educational potential.  It provides a comprehensive overview of the child's strengths and weaknesses, accomodations needed and applicable teaching strategies.  The document is reviewed and modified as needed annually by the school team and parents.  The school team usually consists of but is not limited to an administrator, resource teacher, classroom teacher and therapy providers.  The timeline for the creation and format of an I.E.P varies depending on the school or district.

This document sounds like it will set the tone and foundation for a special needs child trying to succeed in a formal education setting.   Yet the realities of the I.E.P process can be fraught with difficulty.  It is difficult to write and implement an I.E.P. that has real meaning for the everyday classroom.  Here are some of the difficulties I have experienced as a teacher.