It’s All About Me! The Self-Directed IEP Tracy Sinclair & Mindy Lingo The University of Oklahoma

Goals for Today Importance of student involvement in the IEP meeting Impact increased student involvement can have Strategies to increase student involvement Self-Directed IEP program and process

What Does the Law Say? PL 94-142 - “...when appropriate” IDEA - “required” starting at minimum age of 16 (most states)

Attendance vs. Participation Passive Seat at the table No input provided, or superficial answers given Talking “about” students Participation Active Member of the team Input is sought Talking “with” students

Who Talks at Teacher Led IEP Meetings Martin, Van Dycke, Greene, et al., (2006)

Comparison of Teacher Led & Student Led IEPs Martin et al., (2006)

Importance of Active Student Involvement Research shows that by promoting self-determination in adolescents with disabilities, the more likely their productive adult outcomes (i.e., employment, independent living, quality of life, and life satisfaction) will increase (Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997). Many students with disabilities cannot learn the skills and behaviors associated with self-determination on their own, they still have a desire to master the skills and this is only possible through guidance of teachers (Campbell-Whatley, 2008).

Importance of Active Student Involvement Schools with the most promising transition practices improved students’ self-determination by including the of use: (a) curriculum designed specifically for self-determination, (b) teaching and coaching methods to enhance student participation in the IEP process, and (c) non-instructional practices to enhance students’ choices and decision making skills (Karvonen, Test, Wood, Browder, & Algozzine, 2004).

Impact of Active Student Involvement While students lead their IEP meetings, they demonstrate self- determination skills like goal setting, planning, self-evaluation, mediation, public speaking, self-advocacy, and mediation skills (Martin et al., 2006). Students are more likely to take ownership of the educational planning when they are actively involved in the process (Fiedler & Danneker, 2007).

Impact of Active Student Involvement Students are gaining important life skills and demonstrating self-determination when they lead their IEP meetings through goal setting, planning, self-evaluation, mediation, public speaking, self-advocacy, and mediation skills (Martin et al., 2006). Student-led IEP meetings provide opportunities for students to learn and participate in important social skills (Torgeson, Miner, & Shen, 2004).

How to Get Students Involved Start Small Deliver Invites PowerPoints One Pagers Videos Posters Use curriculum designed to teach skills

How to Facilitate & Teach Involvement in IEP Meetings Teaching Students: Resource/Lab Setting Mini-lessons SD-IEP Bootcamp Leadership Retreat for all students with disabilities Training other Teachers: School wide training on SD-IEP Lunch & Learns PLC Time Professional Development

ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Transition Curriculum Self-Directed IEP The Self-Directed IEP is one of six instructional packages available in the ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Transition Curriculum

Self-Directed IEP Instructional Tools 1. Self-Directed IEP in Action video (7 minutes). A captioned video used to introduce the self-directed IEP to students, parents, teachers, and administrators by demonstrating use of lessons and students opinions. 2. Self-Directed IEP video (17 minutes). This video, available in both a captioned or uncaptioned version, demonstrates a self-directed IEP. 3. Teacher’s Manual. Provides detailed instruction on implementing Self-Directed IEP. 4. Student Workbook. This consumable workbook provides students an opportunity to apply each step of the Self-Directed IEP to their own meeting. Students complete a script which summarizes all the steps to take with them to their own IEP meetings.

Self-Directed IEP Instructional Tools

Lessons Structure for Self-Directed IEP Cumulative Review Lesson Preview Vocabulary Instruction Video / Example Sample Situations Workbook / Written Notes Evaluation Relate to Personal Experience

11 Steps of the Self-Directed IEP State Purpose of Meeting Introduce Team Review Past Goals Ask for Feedback State School & Transition Goals Ask Questions If Don’t Understand Deal with Differences in Opinion State Support Needs Summarize Goals Close Meeting Work on Goals All Year

Adapting the Self-Directed IEP Script After students learn the 11 steps of the SD-IEP, the “script” that the student creates can take many forms. Teachers can provide a general outline as a reminder of what the student should talk about Students can work with the teacher to develop a script Students may want to use IEP as a guide and fully write out a script Scripts can be scaled up or down depending on the student’s: Needs Wants Ability Level Comfort level Most importantly...flexibility and developing a script with the student is critical to ownership of the meeting!

Various Levels of Self-Directed IEP Scripts

Ideas for What to do After Self-Directed IEP Allow students to give their accommodations to all interested parties Students keep an accommodations sheets in folder Have students involved in documentation of goal progress Encourage students to keep IEP an evolving document throughout the school year and give case-manager updates on what is working and what does not.

Student & Teacher Feedback on Student Involvement in IEP

Other Curriculum to Support Self-Directed IEP Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment Website http://www.ou.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/zarrow.html ME! Lessons for Self-Awareness & Self-Advocacy ME! Bell Ringers Student-Directed Transition Planning IEP Team Training Modules Whose Future is it Anyway?

References Campbell-Whatley, G. D. (2008). Teaching students about their disability: Increasing self-determination skills and self-concept. International Journal of Special Education, 23(2), 136-144. Fiedler, C. R., & Danneker, J. E. (2007). Self-advocacy instruction: Bridging the research-to-practice gap. Focus on Exceptional Children, 39(8), 1-20. Karvonen, M., Test, D. W., Wood, W. M., Browder, D., & Algozzine, B. (2004). Putting self-determination into practice. Exceptional Children, 71, 23–41. Martin, J. E., Van Dycke, J. L., Christensen W. R., Greene B. A., Gardner J. E., & Lovett D. L. (2006). Increasing student participation in IEP meetings: Establishing the Self-Directed IEP as an evidenced-based practice. Exceptional Children, 72(3), 299-316. Martin, J. E., Van Dycke, J. L., Greene, B. A., Gardner, J., Christensen, W., Woods, L.L., & Lovett, D. L. (2006). Direct Observation of Teacher-Directed IEP Meetings: Establishing the Need for Student IEP Meeting Instruction. Exceptional Children, 72, 187-200. Torgerson, C. W., Miner, C. A., & Shen, H. (2004). Developing student competence in self-directed IEPs. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 38,42-47. Wehmeyer, M., & Swartz, M. (1997). Self-determination and positive adult outcomes: A follow-up study of youth with mental retardation. Exceptional Children, 63, 245-255.