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

2. 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

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

5. 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

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

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

8. 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).

9. 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).

10. 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).

11. 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).

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. Self-Directed IEP Instructional Tools

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

18. 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

19. 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!

20. Various Levels of Self-Directed IEP Scripts

22. 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.

23. Student & Teacher Feedback on Student Involvement in IEP

24. Other Curriculum to Support Self-Directed IEP
Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment Website
ME! Lessons for Self-Awareness & Self-Advocacy
ME! Bell Ringers
Student-Directed Transition Planning
IEP Team Training Modules
Whose Future is it Anyway?

25. 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),
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),
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,
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,