Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs)

Visual impairment or blindness affect the ability to learn, and each child with additional disabilities has unique educational needs. These academic needs and goals and the methods selected for reaching them are detailed in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Developed by a team of the student's educators and parents, the IEP outlines is reviewed and updated throughout the student's academic career.

For Parents

Advocacy Tips and Techniques: Ideas by and from Parents and Those Supporting Parents and Children, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/winter00/advocacy_tips.htm
The author suggests bringing a buddy to an IEP meeting, and also lists strategies for parents to try if the meeting will be stressful; available in Spanish.

Facts on Hand: IEP Goals and Objectives, Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE)
http://www.fape.org/pubs/fape-41.pdf
This two-page fact sheet provides parents with a basic introduction to IEP goals and objectives, including some specific examples.

IEP Basics: What the School Forgot to Tell You, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/winter02/iep.htm
DeAnn Hyatt-Foley gives parents a brief overview of the three components of the IEP: evaluation, curriculum, and placement.  It includes a checklist of information that should be in the IEP document; available in Spanish.

IEP Services Checklist for Parents of Blind Children, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr8/frsf0224.htm
This checklist is "a tool to help parents who want to make sure that their child receives the special education and related services listed in their IEP."

IEP (Individualized Education Program) Strategies, Future Reflections – National Federation of the Blind
http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr18/Issue1/f180109.htm
Barbara Ebenstein lists ten strategies for parents regarding the development and monitoring of the IEP; reprinted from Exceptional Parent Magazine.

Is My Child Getting a Quality VI Program? Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/summer04/qpvi.htm
Cyral Miller "provides families with some guidelines to help assess if the IEP is meeting the vision-related needs of a child with a visual impairment"; available in Spanish.

Planning Your Child's Individualized Education Program (IEP): Some Suggestions to Consider, Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers/FAPE
http://www.taalliance.org/publications/ALL8.pdf
In this two-page fact sheet, parents learn what they can do before, during, and after the IEP team meeting; available in Spanish, Hmong, Somali.

Pop-Up IEP for Parents/Advocates, National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities (NCSSD)
http://www.unco.edu/ncssd/resources/popup.shtml
This site lists common objections made by educators and administrators when learning there will be a child with visual impairments in the classroom. Each objection is countered by a thoughtful, respectful reply that offers a solution and affirms the child's rights.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective IEP Teams, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/winter05/seven.htm
Eileen Hammar and Anne Malatchi list seven ways to make the IEP team an effective one; available in Spanish.

Ten Common Mistakes Parents Make During the IEP Meeting, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/winter01/mistakes.htm
Matt and DeAnn Foley list the most common mistakes that parents making during the IEP meeting and offer advice for avoiding and correcting them; available in Spanish.

Your Child's Educational Team, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
http://63.240.118.131/familyconnect/parentsite.asp?SectionID=82&TopicID=382
Family Connect describes the role of each member of the educational team. There are links to related documents, including strategies for success, the role of the paraprofessional and the TVI (Teacher of the Visually Impaired).

Your Child's Individualized Educational Program: Your Blueprint for Services, Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
http://63.240.118.131/familyconnect/parentsite.asp?SectionID=82&TopicID=383
This page describes the essential elements of the IEP, offers checklists of keys points, what to do before, during and after an IEP meeting, a checklist of key points, and advice for keeping educational records.

For Educators

Informed Choices: Accountability and Individualization, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/newsletter/fall07/informed.htm
Millie Smith examines research-based instructional strategies and discusses the impact of current federal legislation on IEPs for students with severe disabilities; in English and Spanish.

Where Is There Joy in This IEP? Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/fall04/joy.htm
David Wiley and Kate Moss "discuss the importance of building highly motivating instructional elements into daily programming in order to improve the students' openness to instruction"; in English and Spanish.

Aligning IEP's and Curriculum for Deafblind Students with Statewide General Curriculum, National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness
http://www.tr.wou.edu/ntac/documents/conference/2004_hilton_perkins/CurriculumAlignment.swf
In this Power Point presentation, Mary Zatta talks about bringing a student's educational plan into alignment with state's curricular requirements, with specific examples from the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.