How to Run a Self-Directed IEP
There are multiple different ways to encourage students to become involved in the IEP process. It ultimately depends on how much they are involved and what resources that you as a parent or teacher will use. After learning about their disability, improving self-determination skills and building confidence, students will then have the opportunity to take charge at their annual meeting. Usually within a meeting students will introduce everyone, explain their disability, individual strengths and weakness, and accommodations that work for them. They will discuss their goals within the IEP, transition plans, and then have a closing to the meeting. This will be different for each student depending on his or her understanding and desired involvement.
High School PPT from bansber2
Below- an example of a script for a student – led IEP meeting guided by a PowerPoint that they created themselves:
The objective is to allow for students to actively participate in their IEP through assistive tech, dialogue, and/or scripted drafts they have worked on prior to coming into the meeting.
GOALS:
· Student’s interest/preferences and desires will be reflected in the written goals.
· Students will discuss supports they need from the school.
· Students will advocate on their own behalf
· Students will recognize and/or indicate knowledge of the IEP by writing goals, stating goals, identifying courses of interest, making plans for post-high school through utilizing programs currently available to them at the high school.
1. Today we are here for ______ (student name) ____________. (student name) would you like to begin by stating the purpose of this meeting and introducing everyone?
· If the student declines to begin introductions or doesn’t state why they are here for the meeting – case managers will prompt
2. Is there anything you would like to present to us before we begin discussing your IEP?
· At this time some of the students might present a power point presentation, video documentary, narrative summarizes:
o His/her disability
o Strengths/weaknesses
o Goals
o Post-High School plans
o Needed Accommodations/Modifications
3. Thank the student for his/her input, and invite the team to begin discussing how to incorporate the information given by the student into the IEP document. Ask the students if they have a working document (IEP located on a jump drive) that they would like to use right now.