1. Student-Led IEP Meetings
John R. Johnson, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Development
Center for Disabilities
1400 W. 22nd St. Sioux Falls SD 57105
Phone:
Fax:
Webpage:

2. Additional Acknowledgement & Credit
James Martin, Ph.D.
Zarrow Professor of Educational Psychology
University of Oklahoma
Zarrow Center
338 Cate Center Dr, Rm 190
Norman, OK 73019
Webpage: zarrowcenter.ou.edu

3. Agenda Rationale Building the Student-Led IEP as an effective practice
Student-Led IEP Lessons
Resources & Templates

4. Seven Transition Steps
Students become involved in IEP Planning Process
Students complete a three-part transition assessment process.
Students write present level of academic achievement and functional performance
Students develop course of study
Students develop post-school linkages
Students work on attaining IEP and personal goals
Students build a Student-Directed Summary of Performance

5. Step 1: Involve Student in IEP Planning Process
Teach students to become active participants in own IEP meeting
Learn terms and process
Students write script of what to say and when
Practice
Provide opportunities for students to speak at IEP meetings
Involve and educate IEP Team in facilitating student involvement

6. Composite of Self-Determination Skills Learned
Goal Setting
Choice-making
Decision-making
Self-management/evaluation

7. The Reason Why
I dunno…My mom’s looking into it.

8. Invitation Does Not Equal Participation
We are mandated to invite students to attend their IEP meetings when transition issues are discussed. This invitation does not guarantee meaningful student involvement in the meeting, nor does it equal meeting participation on behalf of the student.

9. IEP Engagement Who Attends Who Talks Approximately 80% of students
Family Member(s)
Special Educator(s)
General Educator(s)
Support Staff
Administrator(s)
Special Educator(s): 51%
General Educator(s)/ Administrator(s): 18%
Family Member(s): 15%
Support Staff: 6%
Student: 3%

10. Study of Educator-Directed IEP Meetings
3-year study of IEP meetings
Almost 1,700 IEP team members across 393 IEP meetings
389 IEP meetings over three years
Martin, J. E., Huber Marshall, L., & Sale, P. (2004). A 3-year study of middle, junior high, and high school IEP meetings. Exceptional Children, 70,

11. I Knew the Reason for Meeting
Students knew the reason for IEP meeting less than all other participants.
General educators knew the reasons for the meeting less than everyone except the student
Gen Education Teachers reported helping to make decisions less all other team members, followed by student.
Additional studies follow in next slides (FYI)
Go to 18

12. More Student Findings
Students knew what to do at the meetings less than everyone else, followed by parents, and then general educators.
Students talked less than everyone & sped teachers talked the most
Students felt uncomfortable in saying what they thought more so than anyone else.
Students reported that they helped make decisions less than anyone else.
Students understood less than anyone else in what was said.
Students reported feeling less good about the meeting than anyone else.

13. When Students Attend Meeting
Parents knew the reason for the meeting and understood what was going on
Special educators talked less
Parents, gen ed, and related services felt more comfortable saying what they thought
Administrators talked more about students strengths and interests
Parents and gen ed knew more of what to do next
Gen Ed felt better when students attended

14. Additional Research Studies
Students learn skills to become active team members (Allen, Smith, Test, Flowers, & Wood, 2001; Snyder & Shapiro, 1997)
Students remember IEP Goals (Sweeney, M. (1996)
More students and parents attend IEP meetings ( Sweeney,1996)
Effective for students with learning disabilities, emotional problems and MR (Allen, Smith, Test, Flowers, & Wood, 2001; Snyder & Shapiro, 1997; Snyder, 2002)

15. The Sweeny Study Control and intervention group design
Students with learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and speech/language impairments
Students taught the SD-IEP learned the steps, had significantly higher levels of involvement in IEP meetings, attended more meetings, and knew significantly more of their goals after the meeting ended.
Sweeney, M. A. (1997). The effects of self-determination training on student involvement in the IEP process. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, Tallahassee.

16. North Carolina Study Allen, Smith, Test, Flowers, & Wood (2001)
Students with intellectual disabilities led their meetings and engaged in the SD-IEP steps at their meetings after being taught the SD-IEP.
Allen, S. K., Smith, A. C., Test, D. W., Flowers, C., & Wood, W. M. (2001). The effects of self-directed IEP on student participation in IEP meetings. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 24,

17. The Snyder Studies
Snyder & Shapiro (1997) demonstrated that the SD-IEP increased IEP participation behaviors for students with emotional/behavior problems.
Snyder (2000) demonstrated that the SD-IEP increased IEP participation behaviors for students with learning disabilities.
Snyder (2002) demonstrated that the SD-IEP increased IEP participation behaviors for students dually diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and emotional/behavior problems.
Snyder, E. P. (2000). Examining the effects of teaching ninth grade students receiving special education
learning supports services to conduct their own IEP meetings. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.
Snyder, E. P. (2002). Teaching students with combined behavioral disorders and intellectual disabilities to
lead their own IEP meetings. Behavioral Disorders, 27(4),
Snyder, E. P., & Shapiro, E. (1997). Teaching students with emotional/behavioral disorders the skills to
participate in the development of their own IEPs. Behavioral Disorders, 22,

18. Van Dycke Study
Van Dycke (2005) found that the written IEP documents of students who received SD-IEP instruction had more comprehensive postschool goal/vision statements than those who attended teacher-directed IEP meetings.
Van Dycke, J. L. (2005). Determining the Impact of Self-Directed IEP Instruction on Secondary IEP Transition Documents. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Oklahoma, Norman.

19. Student-Led IEP
The small-n, experimental, and quasi-experimental studies demonstrate SD-IEP as an evidence-based practice.

20. IEP Participation Is a By- Product of Skills and Opportunities
Opportunity

21. Transfer of Learner Control7
High
Student
Control of Learning
Low
Faculty
Time
11/13/2018

22. Examples and Non-Examples
Teachers and parents telling team student’s interests & strengths
Teachers and parents telling team about student’s limits
Teachers and parents deciding who will attend IEP meeting
Educators being responsible for attainment of goals
Student telling team about her own interests & strengths
Student telling team about her own limits
Student inviting those who have to be there and those of her choice to the meeting.
Student attaining goals

23. Components of Student-Led IEPs
Prepare and send invitations
Conduct introductions
Make a presentation; provides a profile
Communicate strengths, weaknesses, needs, and interests
Present goals and action steps
Talk about progress
Explains how he/she learns best; what works & doesn’t work
Explains why goals are important
Writes sections of IEP
Facilitates all or part of the meeting

24. Levels of Engagement Rubric
Score
Level of Engagement
IEP takes place without student present 1
Student present – minimal participation or preparation 2
Student present – some participation (presents information, gives input into goals, answers questions) 3
Student present and actively participates 4
Student present and takes responsibility for most of the process 5
Student leads and directs IEP process

25. Recommended Minimum Steps
Step 1- Pre-Meeting Planning, Instruction & Practice
Step 2- During Meeting Activities
Step 3- Post Meeting Debriefing
Step 4- Annual Review of Previous Meeting

26. Step 1: Pre-Meeting Planning
Teacher completes state mandated sections of IEP with student and family.
Student completes interest, preference inventories and skill assessments
Student works with teachers and family to choose goals, based on results of assessments and preferences.
Student develops PowerPoint profile
Decide who will be invited and how
Decide what student will present, when and how
Participants informed about student’s role
Components of meeting are created
Student practices meeting conduct, behavior, and presentation

27. Step 2: During meeting activities
Initial introductions with a lead in for student
Student will be leading meeting and questions may be presented to him or her, as well as the student, as meeting proceeds.
Student begins the meeting.
Lead teacher, administrator or case manager facilitates conversation as needed.
Cue provided when lead is transferred to other members

28. Step 3: After Meeting Student self-evaluates performance
Student identifies things he/she would do the same or differently
Student identifies responsibilities he/she agreed to during meeting
Student identifies what he/she wants to do next in IEP
If meeting filmed…review

29. Step 4: Annual Review Review last year’s presentation
Develop a new plan
What does student want to present?

30. Templates/Examples

31. My 20 Minute Self-Determination Profile (one pager)
Photo
About me
Interests, preferences, strengths, needs
Other stuff you need to know about me
What works for me at school
What doesn’t work for me at school
Goals
What I will do to achieve my goals
People who will support me on these goals

37. Tips
Use a PowerPoint that uses visual and auditory cues (visual and auditory reminders)
Develop and role play questions and participation in advance
Provide opportunities for practice (role play with other students and staff)
Create a cue for a graceful exit if needed

38. One-Pager from ImDetermined

39. Strengths Friendly Good at math Drawing Working with people Music/Art
Enjoy working with kids
Why is it important that students know their strengths?

40. My Preferences Working inside Going to a tutor
Listening to books on tape
Using AT (Assistive Technology)

41. My Interests Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts Watching movies Pet Exercising
Hanging out
Clubs/intramural sports
What are your interests? What do you like to do?

42. My Needs Smaller classes Notice on tests/quizzes
Working with teachers to problem-solve
Hard copy vs. computerized assessments
What is hard for you or what is challenging for you to do in school?
Do you know what accommodations you receive in school?
Do you have an adult ally? A person who helps you, supports your goals or helps solve problems?
When you leave high school, what kind of job would you like to do?

43. Resources

44. Self-Directed IEP
IEP
Teaches students to become active participants of their IEP team!

45. Student-Directed Transition Planning
Available from: OU Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment

46. Self-Directed IEP
Strand of The ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Curriculum (Martin & Marshall, 1995)
Purpose: teach students to participate in and lead their own IEP meetings
Content: Multimedia package; includes a Teacher’s Manual, Student Workbook, and two videos that present 11 steps necessary for students to lead their own IEPs

47. Self-Directed IEP Steps
State Purpose of Meeting
Introduce Team
Review Past Goals
Ask for Feedback
State School and Transition Goals
Ask Question If Don’t Understand
Deal with Differences in Opinion
State Support Needs
Summarize Goals
Close Meeting
Work on Goals All Year
Link: Self-Directed IEP

48. Self-Directed IEP: Lesson Format
Lessons include a variety of activities to teach each step including learning strategies, role-playing, discussion, and brief reading and writing activities.
Follows a model-lead-test instructional format with each lesson including
cumulative review of prior steps
preview of lesson content and instruction on new vocabulary used in each step
videotaped material designed to introduce each step and provide a model (i.e., Zeke’s IEP meeting) and sample situations to be used for guided practice
workbook activities for students to practice each step using their own information

49. Self-Directed IEP: Lesson Format
Follows a model-lead-test instructional format with each lesson including
teacher demonstration and student practice of material as it would be used in an IEP meeting
brief student skill evaluation
wrap-up by asking students to relate new skills to other situations (e.g., asking students to describe other situations in which they might have to introduce other people)
picture prompts for steps 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 for students who may have limited reading, writing, or cognitive skills.

50. Self-Directed IEP
Self-Determination Behaviors: Choice/Decision Making; Goal Setting/Attainment Self Evaluation; IEP Planning; Self Awareness
Target Audience: transition age students with/without disabilities; at-risk youth
Other Information: predominately used with HS youth but has been implemented with middle school youth

51. Student-Directed Transition Planning
SDTP uses the Student-Directed Summary of Performance as a means for students to learn, organize and present transition information (Martin, Van Dycke, D'Ottavio, & Nickerson, 2007).
Lessons delivered using PowerPoint files
Detailed Teacher's Guide provides step-by-step instructional suggestions.
Students can complete activities on-line
Results automatically transfer to their Summary of Performance Script.
Summary of Performance Script may be used by students during their IEP meetings to facilitate transition discussions and decision-making.
Student knowledge gains can be measured using pre/post exams available in true/false or multiple choice formats.

52. Student-Directed Transition Planning
Lessons and Materials
Lesson 1 Awareness
Lesson 2 Terms and Concepts of Transition
Lesson 3 Vision for Employment
Lesson 4 Vision for Postsecondary Education
Lesson 5 Vision for Adult Living
Lesson 6 Course of Study
Lesson 7 Connecting Services
Lesson 8 Summary of Performance

53. Student-Directed Transition Planning
Pre-Post Measurement Tools
Transition Knowledge Test
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: Multiple-Choice (doc)
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: True False (doc)
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: Answer Key (doc)
Self-Efficacy Scale
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: Student (doc)
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: Parent (doc)
Pre-Post Measurement Tools: Teacher (doc)

54. My Future My Plan Population: for students and families
Purpose: to help facilitate planning during the early transition stages
Materials:
Video and video discussion guide
Planning and resource book for students
Guide to the book for family members and teachers
Time Allotment:
1 minute
Materials:
Optional to show: My Future My Plan curriculum
Facilitator’s Notes:
“My Future My Plan is a curriculum designed to motivate and guide students with disabilities and their families as they begin early transition planning for life after high school. It promotes positive attitudes and self-advocacy, and assists students, parents, and professionals to make the transition planning process more effective. The curriculum package – which may be used in home, school, and community settings – includes a videotape and discussion guide, a workbook for students, and a guide for family members and teachers. All materials are available in English and Spanish.”

55. My Future My Plan Content: For further Information:
Self-advocacy
Legal rights
IEP and transition team
Career options
For further Information:
Publisher: State of the Art
$44.95 (non-NEA members); $39.95 (NEA members)
Time Allotment:
1 minute
Materials:
Optional to show: My Future My Plan curriculum
Facilitator’s Notes:
To preview My Future My Plan materials, visit

56. Lesson Structure Cumulative Review Lesson Preview
Vocabulary Instruction
Video / Example
Sample Situations
Workbook / Written Notes
Evaluation
Relate to Personal Experience

57. For More Information Contact
John R. Johnson, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Development
Center for Disabilities
1400 W. 22nd St. Sioux Falls SD 57105
Phone:
Fax:
Webpage: