Individualized Education Program Analysis

According to Salvia, J., Ysseldyke J. E., & Witmier, S., (2017), individuated educational program, least restrictive environment, protection in evaluation procedures, and due process are all key legal components under IDEA that must be considered when assessments on students are being carried out. An individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document that describes the services that are to be provided to students with disabilities who qualify for special education services. Those detailed services are based upon the findings of the child’s assessment results. A multidisciplinary team performs a comprehensive assessment of the child through various tests, interviews, and observations, and the information collected from those findings

is evaluated and organized to set the foundation for the types of services each disable child will need over a period of time. A list of long and short-term goals and objectives are developed and complied into an instructional program for the child. The program must detail how and when progress towards accomplishment of the goals and objectives will be monitored and evaluated. In addition, the multidisciplinary team must include parents in the process of setting up the child’s individual program.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as defined in IDEA mandates that schools educate students with disabilities in integrated settings, alongside students with and without disabilities, to the largest extent appropriate according to Salvia et al., (2017).

Special classes, separate schools, or removal from the general education class should only happen when your child’s learning or attention issues such as his “disability” under IDEA is so severe that supplementary aids and services can’t provide him or her with an appropriate education as stated by Salvia et al., (2017). Salvia et al. (2017) went on to explain that during assessments, it is vitally important that educators must look at ways to incorporate the child in learning with his or her non-disabled peers as much as

possible.
Protection in evaluation procedures under IDEA is a legal obligation to protect students’ rights to ensure that procedures are fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory.

In addition, testing or evaluations selected and administered to children with disabilities must be racially and culturally nondiscriminatory according to Salvia et al (2017). To the highest extent that is feasible, students must be assessed in their native language or primary mode of communication. When a test is given, it must be validated for the specific purpose for which it is being used, and it must be administered by trained personnel in conformance with the instructions provided by the test producer. Tests must include those designed to provide information about specific educational needs, not just a general intelligence quotient. Evaluations should be made by a multidisciplinary team that includes at least one teacher or other specialist with knowledge in the area of suspected disability. Children should be assessed in all areas related to a specific disability, including where appropriate health, vision, hearing, social emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communicative skills, and motor skills. Overall, a fair and comprehensive assessment should be made on each child that strikes a balance so that so decisions about the child are based on more than their performance on a single test or evaluation and is fair and

equitable.

Parent rights are paramount in decision making. When any decisions that affect identification, evaluation, or placement of students with disabilities are to be made, parents and legal guardians must be given the opportunity to take part in the decision making and the right to have an impartial due process hearing if conflicts between the parents and the school personnel arise according to Salvia et al. (2017). Schools must give parents the opportunity to inspect their child’s records and oppose any of the contents that they feel should not be made a part of their child’s records. If parents are not in agreement with psychoeducational decisions made by school personnel, they have the right to have their children independently evaluated. In addition Salvia et al. (2017) also stated that before any evaluations that may result in placement changes for students with disabilities occurs, parents must receive written notice.