Have you ever looked at the definition of IEP team members?
The IEP team must include, 1) the parents of the child, 2) at least one general education teacher, 3) at least one special education teacher, 4) a District Representative, 5) any instructors that have assessed your child, 6) other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child and 7) when appropriate, the child.
The one team member that is often overlooked is the child. It is not always appropriate to have the child there, especially when they are very young, but it becomes increasingly important as they get older. The child is the one that needs to do the hard work necessary to benefit from the special education and related services outlined in the IEP. If they aren’t on board, it makes implementing the IEP very difficult.
I was recently very impressed when one of my son’s 4th grade classmates, who has autism, asked not to have an aide or behaviorist this year. This will be the first year she will be without one and since she made the decision herself she is dedicated to making it work. My son and she have been together since pre-school and I have watched her grow and blossom for almost six years now. Even at her young age she is a great example of self-advocacy.
On the other hand, I am amazed when I hear from parents of children 14 or older and they tell me their children have never been to an IEP meeting. The number one reason given is because the child doesn’t like talking about their disability. This becomes especially difficult since you can’t put together an effective transition plan without taking into account the child’s preferences, likes & interests. Having the child in the room advocating for themselves becomes crucial at this stage.
Special needs children must learn to find their own voice, and get comfortable talking about who they are, and what help they need to prepare for life. They should not feel defined by their disability and they need to learn to overcome their discomfort with the topic. The best place to start is to let them self-advocate at an IEP meeting. As the parents, before the first IEP meeting the child attends, ask them to do the following:
- To research and become more knowledgeable about their disability including finding positive examples of others with the same disability;
- To write down how their disability affects their daily living and school days;
- To write down everything they need help with to get them through the school day;
- To research and come up with their own set of long term goals; and
- Teach them it is okay to ask clarifying questions if they don’t understand what other team members are talking about.
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The purpose of the Individuals with Disability Education Act is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment and independent living. While everyone focuses primarily on special education do not forget that teaching self-advocacy skills is an important part of preparing for life.
