The IEP goals that individuals with autism attempt to achieve typically include more effective learning, minimized symptomatic behavior, and an individualized understanding experience.
An IEP is the individualized education plan created for your child’s learning experience in school. The IEP provides a specially designed document that directs educational development for the individual child, allowing teachers, parents, and experts to recognize whether or not progress is actually being made.
The IEP goals that parents seek are a general outline that includes measurable elements so that progress, or lack thereof, can be recognized. No two plans are the same and each has its own purpose and individual steps for further educational development.
Parents often wonder exactly what role they play in the development of their child’s IEP, its goals, and its practice. Fortunately, there are many resources to help guide parents along this sometimes daunting path.
The first thing parents should do is sit down with their child’s educators to discuss their child’s needs, challenges, and various autism symptoms and behaviors. This will help ensure that your child’s IEP and her goals actually establish a practical and workable foundation for the educational services he or she will receive.
It is vital that parents understand exactly what the IEP means and how it will affect the autistic child’s learning. Therefore, parents should always be encouraged to do their own research, seek second opinions, and ask as many questions as necessary until the IEP is fully understood.
Experts recommend that parents think of IEP goals as a process and document to be established, rather than a vague and indefinable concept. In this way, parents can better learn each of the parts of the autism IEP and its goals throughout the creation of the final document.
With each new school year, parents become more familiar with the various steps in writing the IEP goals that their children will work to achieve. They learn many important tips and strategies to get the most out of the IEP meeting to write the document, such as:
1. Before the meeting takes place, review your child’s information, including information provided about home, community (such as doctors, guardians, therapists, etc.), and schools. If you find that the information does not show the whole picture, please make an effort to fill in as many of the missing pieces as possible. You want to be sure that the picture you are painting of your child’s unique situation is as accurate as possible. Bring your records to the meeting, including any pictures your child has drawn or painted, any work they have done, audiotapes, and/or videotapes that demonstrate specific ideas or concerns you would like to share.
2. If your child is going to attend all or part of the IEP meeting, be sure to tell them ahead of time exactly how the meeting will work. Let your child know that this is a very important meeting and that any ideas or opinions she may have to contribute will be helpful. You may need to prepare your child for each part of the meeting and he or she may need to speak. Talk with your child about ways she can express her feelings and ideas.
3. Brainstorm with people who know your child well—family, friends, teachers, therapists, tutors, and consultants, for example—for some ideas to bring to the IEP meeting. Write everything down so you don’t forget.
4. Ask any team member questions at the IEP meeting so you always understand. Never hesitate to ask for further explanation. If you disagree with something, ask more questions and ask for supporting information that supports that person’s claim. If you have information that says something different, feel free to share it.
5. Be thorough about your efforts at the meeting. Make sure you agree completely with what is suggested and with all the language used in the document. Before finalizing any of the IEP goals autism process, make sure you are sure that your child’s unique needs will be met and that you have not left any doubts in your mind.