An Overview of How to Effectively Use IEPs in the Creation of Accommodation Plans

Molly RosinskiDisability Program AnalystReasonable Accommodation Support Contract

IEP Basics

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What Does IEP Stand for?• Individualized Education Program (IEP)

▫ It is an individualized document that outlines the special education program for an individual with a disability

▫The IEP guides the delivery of special education supports and services for the student with a disability

▫The IEP should outline the specific supplementary aids and supports provided to the student with a disability

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How Does a Student Qualify for an IEP?•Must attend a school or setting that

receives IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) funding

•Must be an individual with a qualified disability

•Must be in need of special education supports and services

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The IEP in the Public School System•Maintain active IEPs

•Review and update annually

•Update goals and objectives regularly (quarterly, monthly, etc)

•Monitor the implementation of special education and related services and supplementary aids and services

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The IEP in Job Corps

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The IEP in Job Corps

•Typically, the IEP serves as ▫Documentation of a disability▫One tool for determining accommodation

needs on a Job Corps accommodation plan

•Remember, however, for centers with high school programs who fall under IDEA, the IEP serves as the program plan for the delivery of special education services and supports

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•Typically JC develops accommodation plans for qualified students with disabilities who are in need of reasonable accommodation.

•IEPs are used as a tool in the development of accommodation plans

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The IEP as a ToolThe following information from an IEP can help in the development of an accommodation plan:

1.Documentation of an individual’s disability

2.Present levels of functioning (sometimes known as a PLOP or PLEP)

3. Goals necessary for the individual to either access the general education curriculum (in state’s with standards based IEPs) or states the educational goals of the individual

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The IEP as a Tool (cont’d)

4.Accommodations/supplementary aids and supports provided in the public school setting

5.Diploma type the applicant is seeking

6.Assessment track in which the applicant is participating

7.Educational setting where services will be provided

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Documentation13 Categories

▫ Autism▫ Deafness▫ Deaf-blindness▫ Emotional disturbance▫ Hearing impairment▫ Learning disability▫ Mental retardation/

Intellectual disability

▫ Multiple disabilities▫ Orthopedic impairment▫ Other health

impairment▫ Speech or language

impairment▫ Traumatic brain injury▫ Visual impairment

including blindness

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Important Note• An IEP classification is not a specific diagnosis

and school IEP teams do not diagnose students

• For example, on an IEP it may say Specific Learning Disability. That is a classification and is not the specific type of learning disability. Some types are dyslexia, dyscalculia, auditory processing, etc.

• Looking at other parts of the IEP may help you determine more information on the student’s disability

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PLOP/PLEP•This is the foundation of an IEP. A well

written PLOP should tell you all the things you need to know about a student’s present levels of functioning with relation to the educational environment.

▫Strengths▫Weaknesses▫Assessment data▫Successful strategies used

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Goals and Objectives•The IEP lists measurable annual goals,

consistent with the student's needs and abilities

•Each annual goal should include evaluative criteria

•The IEP should identify when periodic reports will take place on the progress the student is making toward the annual goals

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Accommodations and Supports

•Should be related to disability

•Could include assistive technology

•Could include modifications

•Should include all environments necessary (classroom, testing, extra curricular activities, fieldtrips, etc)

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Adaptations-Umbrella Terms for Accommodations and Modifications• Modifications

▫Altering the curriculum to match individual needs ▫May change the content of the course ▫Fundamentally alters or lowers the standard or

expectation of the course, standard, or test • Accommodations

▫Does not change the content of the course ▫Does not fundamentally alter or lower the

standard or expectation of the course, standard, or test

▫Student will earn regular credit for course and is eligible for a High School Diploma

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Diploma Type

•What type of diploma will or did the student receive?

▫standard high school diploma▫certificate of completion ▫IEP diploma

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Assessment Track• Do they take state assessments with

accommodations and/or modifications?• Are they exempt or do they take alternative

testing?• This can help with accommodation writing

for TABE and GED. • This information can help you understand:• the curriculum type the student is using• the assessment method in which the student is

participating• the types of accommodations being afforded in

testing situations

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Educational Services/Setting

•Where and when special education and related services will be provided▫General education environment▫Special education environment▫Amount of time spend in each location or

service

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IEP LanguageThe IEP says that a student was “pulled

out” for math into a resource room. The IEP says that a student needs “1:1

support” in the area of reading.

Do these statements mean this individual cannot be successful in the Job Corps program?

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What Does1:1 Mean?• May need a full time instructional assistant.

Rarely, if ever does a student get assigned a 1:1 teacher.▫ Review the IEP carefully

Types of accommodations – how much technology is provided

Types of special education services and where Present levels of performance Evaluative assessments and recommendations

• What did 1:1 mean for this individual?• Could technology and other accommodations

increase his/her independence in the learning environment?

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Why Might a Student be Served in a Resource Room?•May need a smaller group environment•May be distractible•May need to move at a slower pace than

the rest of the class•May need specialized instruction

(qualifications of the resource room teacher)

•May be that the particular school district does not ascribe to an inclusive model

•May have sensory needs exacerbated by a larger classroom environment

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Things to Consider

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Appropriate Accommodations• The accommodations listed on the IEP may

or may not be appropriate for the student in the Job Corps setting.▫The Disability Coordinators or The Reasonable

Accommodation Team should talk to the applicant or student and ask what types of accommodations that he or she feels are needed to be successful in the program. The applicant or the student may not know what he or she needs but could perhaps share more information about things that are difficult for them and things that are easier for them to do. Remember – accommodations provided need to match the student’s disability.

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When Writing an Accommodation Plan•Of key importance is that the

DCs/Reasonable Accommodation Team reviews accommodation needs in discussion with the applicant and that determinations▫be made based upon current needs▫be individualized▫are not based upon preconceived ideas or

misperceptions of an individual’s capability based upon the type of disability or the services previously received.

•Must consider all areas of the JC program

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Other Sources to Consider for Accommodation Ideas•Job Corps Disability Website

▫Reasonable Accommodation section, Possible Accommodations subsection

•Job Corps Learning Disabilities Website▫IEP as a tool section

•Job Accommodation Network (JAN)▫Searchable Online Accommodation

Resource (SOAR) http://askjan.org/

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• Boston Region – Lisa Koshlisa.kosh@humanitas.com

• Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco Regions – Kim Joneskim.jones@humanitas.com

• Atlanta Region– Nikki Jacksonnikki.jackson@humanitas.com

• Dallas Region– Sylvia Domagalskisylvia.domagalski@humanitas.com

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