Analyse the importance of the Individual Educational Program (IEP) in teaching

children with disabilities.

Children with disabilities face adverse challenges with the education system because they
lack the support and help they require to maximize their effort and achieve success. As such
they require an inclusive education system and special services such as an Individual
Education Program to be availed to them so as to maximise their opportunities in the
education system. IEPs are mainly designed for children with learning disabilities,
intellectual disabilities, children with autism and children with delayed development as well
as sensory impairments. They are important in that they enable a child’s educational
advancement, identifies a child strengths and gifts or needs and difficulties, motivates the
child and also ensures parental involvement in the child’s education. Ahmed (2015) asserts
that IEPs provide intensive and direct instructional intervention which meets the learning
needs or sensory needs of the child. This essay will therefore analyse the importance of IEPs
in teaching children with disabilities.

The Illinois State Board of Education (2009) defines IEPs as a written statement of the
educational program designed to meet the students need, it includes the detailed description
of what will be done to give the child extra help. Nastiti and Azizah (2018) defined IEPs as a
systematic planning of instructional action which is needed to fulfil the student’s necessary
intellectual difficulty or physic, its purpose is to accommodate children with special needs.
Yell et al (2013) further defines IEPs as a written document that records the essential
components of an eligible student’s special education program and a collaborative process
between a child’s parents and school personnel to design this program. Yell et al (2013)
further states that IEPs address the student’s needs, sets their annual goals, provides them
with special education and ensures that evaluation and measurement criteria put in place are
implemented. IEPs are therefore generally designed to support children with learning
disabilities to thrive in both the education system and the society.

IEPs create an opportunity for teachers, parents and related service personnel to work
together to improve educational results for children with disabilities, which ensures quality
education for each child with a disability, (US Department of Education, 2000). An IEP also
ensures that parents are involved in the child’s learning process, Nugent (2005) claims that
sometimes parents have different expectations from those held by the school, an IEP
therefore ensures that all parties involved in the child’s learning process set realistic goals for
the child as well as keep record of the child’s progress. Nugent (2005) further asserts that
IEPs offer an opportunity to discover the child’s gifts, strengths, their hopes and plans so that
the child can be assisted to achieve them. An IEP therefore is important in providing
information about the nature of the child’s disability, the child’s progress and also encourages
parents to take part in their child’s learning process as they may feel that their unique child is
individually valued.

Nugent (2005) asserts that IEPs help in developing a collaborative approach and encourages
participation and commitment of the child in the learning process. Giddens (2006), in his
analysis of theories of education tackled Basil Bernstein ‘s theory of language, in this theory
Bernstein states how the system of education is instrumental in reproducing inequalities
within the society. Bernstein argues that children’s background can subsequently affect their
learning experience. Research has shown that children with disabilities especially learning
disabilities often act out, withdraw or feel frustrated with the learning process lowering their
chances of educational advancement hence reproducing inequalities in the society. However,
IEPs are important in ensuring that the learning process is not frustrating for the child and the
child is able to engage and commit to their learning process thus providing the child with an
equal opportunity to thrive in education system through inclusivity.

IEPs can also be socially beneficial to children with disabilities. Nugent (2005) posits that
children with disabilities may find it overwhelming to fit within the social system. They may
face difficulties in articulating themselves, socializing, they may display unhealthy eating
behaviours, inability to concentrate and sometimes display attention seeking behaviours. IEPs
then help develop a plan of action for the child involving the parents of the child, the plan
allows the child to have a unique customized education that fits their needs, and this helps to
increase the child’s self-esteem and confidence. Moreover, through IEPs children with
disabilities gain access to support services or systems such counselling, occupational therapy,
remedial and speech therapy. Access to such services ensures that the child receives
individualized attention and support which helps them succeed not only academically but
socially as well.

IEPs protect children from being labelled as lazy or dull especially children with learning
disabilities often referred to as silent disabilities. Children with disabilities such as dyslexia,
autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and many other silent disabilities are
often victims of labelling. For many children with these disabilities traditional methods of
assessments and lesson delivery are not applicable to them as a result they struggle with the
main stream learning process which often results in them being labelled as lazy or too
playful. IEPs therefore motivates the child to participate in their learning process without
being labelled as realistic and attainable goals are set which are within the child’s
capabilities. Symbolic Interactionists view the education system as a tool for labelling.
Merton (1968) states that Symbolic Interactionists believe that low standardized test scores in
class often leads to the labelling of the child as a low achiever which often creates a self-
fulfilling prophecy however IEPs offer children with disabilities an opportunity to deviate
from the labels imposed on them and gives them a chance to learn within their abilities giving
them an equal opportunity to advance in life.

IEPs constitute fundamental mechanisms to make special education services child-specific

and improve the developmental outcomes of children with disabilities, (Boavida, et al. 2010).
Boavida et al (2010) further emphasizes that IEPs function as a tool for the assessment of the
child and fosters parental involvement in setting and monitoring goals for the child.
Moreover, IEPs help in identifying the resources that may be needed in the learning process
of the child. Children with disabilities require assistive technologies to help them with
learning, IEPs therefore are important in identifying devices that cater for the child’s
inabilities when learning. Wolf (2018) tackles the importance of assistive technologies in
IEPs, he defines assistive technologies as any item or piece of equipment acquired, modified
or customized to improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. He further
notes that assistive devices can allow children with disabilities to participate in and benefit
from the general education curriculum as well as meet Individualized Education Program
goals. The provision of an IEP to a child with disabilities therefore ensures that appropriate
assistive devices for the child are also identified.

Sahar (2003) cited in Ahmed (2015) reveals that as much as IEPs are important there has
been challenges in the implementation of IEPs as most teachers are less efficient and do not
have adequate trainings in carrying out the evaluation process as well as the implementation
of the IEP, sometimes finding common ground with the personnel’s involved in the
implementation may be difficult as individuals may come with different focus. Nugent (2015)
asserts that IEPs have been widely criticised for not being implemented effectively in some
parts of Britain and USA. However, Nugent further maintains that even though IEPs have not
been implemented effectively in some parts they remain useful and important in the learning
process of children with disabilities as 85% of teachers have found IEPs effective and useful
in delivering education services hence revealing that IEPs are a paramount factor in teaching
children with disabilities.

In conclusion IEPs have been found to be an essential part of a child with disabilities as it
helps keep record of the child’s progress, encourages the child to participate in their learning
process, it also pushes parents to be involved in their child’s education. IEPs have been
instrumental in the advancement of the child’s education and they have further helped
children with disabilities to deviate from the labels imposed on them by the society hence
their importance.
REFERENCES.

Ahmed, E.Y.E. 2015. The Effectiveness of Individual Education Plan: Application among
People with Learning Disabilities. Vol 3 no 5. International Journal of Education and
Research.

Boavida. T, Aguiar. C and McWilliams, R. A. 2010. Quality of Individualized Education

Program Goals of Pre- schoolers with Disabilities.

Giddens, A. 2006. Sociology. 5th Ed. Polity Press.

Illinois State Board of Education. 2009. Educational Rights and Responsibilities, Ch6:
Individualized Education Programs. Illinois.

Merton. R, K. 1968. Social Theory and Social Structure. New York, Free Press.

Nugent, M. 2005. A Rough Guide to Individual Educational Planning. NEPS.

Natsiti. A, T & Azizah, N. 2018. A Review of Individualized Educational Program in some

Countries. Antlantis Press VOL 296.

U.S Department of Education, 2000. A Guide to the Individualized Education Program.

NICHCY.

Wolf, T. 2018. Assistive Technology in the IEP: A Guide for the IEP Teams. Common
Wealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Education.

Yell. M, Conroy. T & Katsiyanis. A. 2013. Individualized Education Programs and Special
Education Programming for Students with Disabilities in Urban Schools. University of South
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