Teaching Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders the Skills to Participate in the Development of Their Own IEPs

Abstract

Three students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) were taught to manage their own simulated IEP staffing using the Self-Directed IEP instructional program (Martin, Marshall, Maxon, & Jerman, 1996a, 1996b). A multiple-baseline design across four specific groups of behaviors was used. Skills taught included introducing the IEP meeting, reviewing past goals, discussing future goals, and closing the IEP meeting. Acquisition of the skills was assessed during simulated IEP meetings before and after the instruction as well as after the completion of each instructional component. Two of the three students showed substantial improvements in the taught skills. Implications for teaching adolescents with E/BD to be active participants in the IEP development process are discussed.