IEP Accommodations

Any accommodations, including supplementary aids and services needed by the student to assist the student in both special and general (regular and vocational) education, should be clearly listed and described in the IEP. This may include instructional modifications, assessment modifications, adaptive equipment, and/or assistive technology devices.

NOTE: The term assistive technology devices means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

 General Education Services and Nonacademic Activities

 Students with disabilities must be given the opportunity to participate with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate in general (regular and vocational) education and nonacademic and extracurricular activities. The extent to which the student participates needs to be documented on the IEP. This may be done in the same manner as special education and related services.

 Placement

 Once a student's IEP has been developed, the next step is to determine where the student will receive the services outlined in the IEP. This decision is made only after the annual goals and short-term objectives have been agreed to. The student's placement must be based upon the student's goals and short-term objectives.

The placement of the student must be in the least restrictive environment (LRE) appropriate for that student. When determining this, one must consider the following:

that the student has the opportunity, to the maximum extent appropriate, to participate with nondisabled age-appropriate students in academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities;

that the student will be served in a setting as close as possible to which the student would be assigned if the student did not have a disability;

that the amount of time and the distance the student must be transported from his/her home is considered

that the student is removed from the regular educational environment only when the nature and severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved;

that consideration is given to any potential harmful effects the placement may have on the student;

that the placement provides the quality of services the student requires, and

that the programs/services as specified in the student's IEP are appropriate to meet the student's needs.

To assist in determining the placement, the IEP committee should consider a continuum of services. Once chosen, a justification statement is needed to explain why the option was chosen. The continuum options include:

Option 1: Direct instruction and/or consultative services within regular/vocational education

Option 2: Direct instruction and/or consultative services within regular/vocational education with content instruction in a resource room

Option 3: Direct instruction and/or consultative services within regular/vocational education with content instruction in more special education classes

Option 4: Self-contained in a special education classroom with integration as appropriate

Option 5: Self-contained in a special education classroom with no integration into regular public school

Option 6: Separate public day school for students with disabilities

Option 7: Separate private day school for students with disabilities

Option 8: Public and/or private residential facilities

Option 9: Homebound

Option 10: Hospital

 Before special education and related services are provided to a student with a disability, an IEP must be in effect including consent for initial placement. Also, the IEP must be implemented as soon as possible following the IEP meeting.

Finally, once the IEP has been developed/revised, the parent must receive a copy of the IEP at no cost and a copy of their procedural safeguards.

Confidentiality

Although the student's confidentiality must be ensured, the contents of the student's IEP should be shared with all instructional staff serving the student. The individual managing the student's IEP should review the IEP's goals and objectives, including accommodations, with all of the student's general (regular and vocational) education teachers. One must remember that these individuals are considered to have a bona fide educational interest in the student and, therefore, have access to all confidential information.