Aspergers Syndrome

An Idividualized Education Plan (I.E.P.)  is something designed to meet the unique needs and educational accomodations for one child.  The I.E.P. is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.).

In the United States under I.D.E.A. public schools are required to develope an I.E.P. for any student with a disability who meet state and federal guidlines for special education.  An I.E.P. is a written document describing the accommodations and programs that will be used to assist the student with a disability in their education. 

Before an I.E.P. is discussed students should be evaluated in their overall curriculum and how thier disability affects their learning.   Each I.E.P. is tailored to a specific student and should help teachers and other school officials understand the disability and the overall effects it has on the students learning.  It should include annual goals, how to measure goals, reporting process to parents, any services such as special education or additional aides to be used, classroom accommodations, schedule of services provided, and modifications for classwork, projects or programs. 

An team will meet to discuss the I.E.P. and should include parent or guardian, a special education teacher, one or more of their current educational teachers, school representative (principal, councelor), and a district representable who is knowledgeable about the school resources and who can discuss the instructional implications of the evaluation results.  Parents should also consider contacting their doctors for written suggestions they also have to help with the childs disability to be discussed during the I.E.P. process.

Parents need to be involved as equal partners in the I.E.P. process and must stand firm to the accomodations you and your doctors feel necessary.  You have a right to ask questions and dispute anything and everything.  You may also request modifications to the I.E.P. at any time.

Our daughter has Aspergers Syndrome and A.D.H.D.   She has dysgraphia which is a handwriting difficiencty which can be associated with the motor skills difficulties with Aspergers Syndrome.  Her hand muscles will start hurting after extended writing.   Her writing is illegible most of the time.  When tested she could write legibly but not at the adequate rate for her age and grade level.  She has difficulty with spacial and sizing of letters.  She also has difficulty with spelling and slight dyslexia with letters like P, 9, D, B.  Her I.E.P. accommodations include using a computer for almost all of her school work.  She can write one or two words for worksheets, or doing math but for overall work with multiple sentances she will use the computer.  She also has an accommodation that includes getting copies of teachers notes instead of taking notes on her own.  We currently are working with the school to get her own writing tool device which could include a laptop or a device like an Alphasmart machine.  She attends a class for dysgraphia/dyslexia on a daily basis for about 15-20 minutes.  Her teachers also work with her on specific projects that may require extra work at home or additional time to complete the project.   

Trackback URI | Comments RSS