Introduction

From a Christian perspective, a better understanding of the importance of prayer prior to,

the duration, and after the individualized education program process, or IEP, is important.

Although there has been research involved in how the individualized education program process

should be approached, I understand that I will need to seek the Lord for guidance and strength in

ensuring that I consider any and all accommodations, modifications, assessments, and service

options for the students that I meet with who have disabilities. In providing the student who has

special needs with an environment that is the least restrictive for their condition, I will need to

seek his guidance. It will also be necessary to consider how to prepare the student for post-

secondary education plans by developing a transition plan. Finally, after the individualized

education program has been written, and everyone is on the same page, it will have to be

implemented. The following will summarize the final stages of the IEP process.

Chapter 5: Accommodations, Modifications, Assessments and Services

Claxton (2018, p 58) states, “According to the law, the IEP must contain a statement of

any individual accommodation that are necessary to measure a student’s progress based on the

information in the student’s PLAAFP.” In this section of the IEP, it is important to take into

consideration any accommodations that a student may need due to their functional performance.

Accommodations could include reading instructions for an assignment to a student instead of

them reading the instructions themselves. For a student who may have vision impairments,

accommodations could be made to provide them with material written in Braille. Modifying

what a student learns is included in this section of the IEP. A student in a general education class

may be graded on correct spelling and grammar in a book report. A student with a learning

disability, however, would get spelling and grammar support with that book report. This is also
the section where a students assessments and assessment goals would be. “All students with

disabilities participate in the general education state and districtwide assessments to the greatest

degree possible, just as their nondisabled counterparts,” (Claxton, 2018, p 62). It is the IEP team

that ensures reasonable accommodations are in place so in order to allow the student to

participate in these assessments in order to determine the student’s progress. For the services

component of the IEP, it is important that the team determine which services are necessary for

the student to achieve their annual goal, to what extent that service is needed, how often the

service is needed, how long the service is necessary and instructional settings that will be

provided for the student to receive a free appropriate public education (Claxton, 2018, p 66).

Chapter 6: Least Restrictive Environment

It was not required that public schools provide an education for students with disabilities

before 1975, but with the Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 public schools

were required to provide all students with a free appropriate public education. (Claxton, 2018, p

78). The least restrictive environment basically calls for students with disabilities to be educated

equally, and when possible, within the general population of nondisabled students. The idea is

that the environment be based on the needs of the student’s disability. It should not be based on

how teachers work together to incorporate a special needs student into a less restrictive

environment, nor should it be based on teachers not choosing to work together. Environments are

categorized in most restrictive, which is within the residence, to least restrictive which is in

regular classes among general education students. According to Claxton (2018), figuring out the

least restrictive environment is a major part of the IEP process.

Chapter 7: The Transition Plan

 The sole purpose of the transition plan is to help students achieve their goals after their

secondary education. Whether the student decides to go to a post-secondary institution or go into

the work force, the transition plan portion of the individualized education program should clearly

outline a plan to help the student with a special need achieve that goal. Students who are 16 years

or older are required by law to have a transition plan included in their individualized education

program to ensure a smooth transition into adulthood. An transition survey is given to the special

needs student in order to identify transition goals. Those goals could be learning a trade, going to

college, working to earn wages, or simply living independently of caregivers. This is the section

where you allow a student to identify what it they want to do in their future and provide a plan

for how this goal can be attained, whether you as the teacher feels they can achieve this goal or

not

Chapter 8: Implementing the IEP

After meeting with the student, parents, and the rest of the individualized education

program, or IEP, team, it is time to actually implement the IEP. By this time, all appropriate

documents should have been signed and added to the individualized education program. The

present level of academic achievement and functional performance is the where the student

started out academically at the beginning of the school year and will help monitor student

progress over time. The process of achieving the annual goals set before hand will start.

Appropriate assessments are taken to measure the student’s progress. The student is placed in the

least restrictive environment most appropriate for his or her condition. Services have been

identified that will help the student obtain his or her educational goals. For those students who

have disabilities and are at least 16 years of age, a transition plan is put in place to help the

student determine how they will succeed after high school.

 Christian Perspective Gained

The Bible says, ”Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they

made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly” (1

Chronicles, 29:9, New International Version). Giving with your entire heart, and being elated

while doing so can be so rewarding. Although I have never served as a teacher, and have no

experience with special needs students, I have been able to imagine myself in that setting by way

of Brett Smiths individualized education plan. From start to finish I have imagined that my team

and myself have given to Brett whole heartedly to help him have a successful public education

and a plan of how he can work towards his goals after he graduates high school. I understand the

importance of bearing the burdens of Brett, along with my team so that we may fulfill the law of

Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:2).

Conclusion

The individualized education program is of an importance for the student who has special

needs to obtain a successful education despite the difficulty that comes with their condition.

Once a team in favor of the student with special needs groups together to come up with a written

plan of how to help the student succeed academically, there is nothing but opportunity. This

individualized education program ensures that the student has outcomes that are opposite of

those that were once grim. The Lord guides us by way of this individualized education program

to provide the students with success. Laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act, or IDEA, ensured that all children with a disability receive a free appropriate public

education, or FAPE, ensures the rights of that student and their parents are protected, and the

student is not discriminated against based on their disability. With God in the midst of the IEP

process, we can create success one student at a time.