Equitable and Inclusive IEPs for Students with Complex Support Needs: A Roadmap

Students with complex support needs are at high risk for exclusion from general education and frequently require communication supports, assistive technology, and services from a variety of related service providers. Pre- and in-service educators need guidance on how to develop IEPs for this population. Organized around a process chart and covering each section in the IEP document, this book guides educators to create legally and ethically defensible IEPs that are also person-centered, useful, and meaningful.

Table of Contents:
About the Downloads About the Authors About the Contributors Acknowledgments Preface SECTION I: Before the Meeting Chapter 1 - Getting the Team Together Appendix: Planning Worksheet—IEP Team Members Chapter 2 - Organizing IEP Preparation and Communication Appendix: IEP Team Data Collection Plan Chapter 3 - Fostering Collaborative and Trusting Relationships with Families and Students Appendix: Resources for Communicating with Families Chapter 4 - Discussing Data and Making Decisions Appendix: Skill Data Collection Plan SECTION II: Developing the IEP Chapter 5 - Describing Present Levels of Functional and Academic Performance Chapter 6 - Planning for Special Factors, Extended School Year, and Alternate Assessment Appendix: Summer Activities Planning Tool Chapter 7 - Determining What Gets Taught: Curriculum and Goals Appendix: Resources for Determining What Gets Taught Chapter 8 - Identifying Supplementary Aids and Services Appendix: Ecological Assessment With Supplementary Aids and Services Chapter 9 - Determining the Least Restrictive Environment Appendix: LRE Decision Flowchart   SECTION III: At the Meeting and Afterward Chapter 10 - Setting an Agenda and Setting the Tone: Communication During the IEP Meeting Chapter 11 - After the Meeting: Implementing the IEP Appendix: Resources for Implementing the IEP

About the Author :
Andrea Ruppar, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1000 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706 Andrea Ruppar is Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011. Dr. Ruppar's research focuses on decision making among special education teachers and other professionals, especially related to students with extensive support needs. Jennifer A. Kurth, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Her research centers on efforts to promote inclusive education for students with complex support needs, and she prepares educators to deliver high-quality, inclusive education to learners with complex support needs. Prior to working in higher education, Jennifer was an inclusion specialist for students with disabilities in both elementary and secondary schools.