THE IEP: Analysis of Roles - Essay Example

The IEP: Analysis of Roles Challenges The IEP team as described by IDEA includes a varied pool of professionals ranging from a special education teacher to interpreters of evaluation results regarding the child with the disability (Siegel, 2011). All members of the IEP team become expected to collaborate in an inclusive process that formulates an education that addresses respective individual needs for the child with the disability. This, however, may not turn out as expected. Challenges may arise from having different and many professionals on the IEP team (Siegel, 2011).

The first challenge may arise from the different perspectives provided by the different professionals in the team. Each professional may present a different perspective on the way forward in regards to addressing the disabled child’s educational needs. This may lead to jostling and friction between the members in regards to whose contribution is more vital. This creates competition within the team and creating rivalries among the professionals (Siegel, 2011). Jostling for leadership positions and competition proves to be detrimental to the whole IEP process.

Ultimately, it results to a fruitless end as the disabled child ends up as the biggest loser due to a lack of focus in the team.The general education teacher A child under the IEP needs a thoughtful representation and participation by his or her general education teacher (Siegel, 2011). The general educator should display current knowledge about the child in regard to the child’s conduct. As the general educator in the IEP team, one’s role is to choose the appropriate behavioral interventions and support plus other strategies that will positively improve the child’s learning (Siegel, 2011).

The general educator also needs to evaluate what additional aids and services become needed to assist the child’s progress towards the annual goals. The general educator proposes program modifications to assist the child to take part in the general education curriculum and participate in extracurricular and non academic activities. This will go towards assisting the child to learn and interact with other children who have disabilities and those without disabilities (Siegel, 2011). The general educator may provide the child with an assistant, adapt curriculum for the child, or use graphic lines in conjunction with reading materials.

It is upon the general educator to inform the team on his or her requirements to aid the child in understanding the general curriculum and attaining the overall goals listed in the IEP. The general educator should inform the team on what gets expected of children in the general curriculum through his or her knowledge on the curriculum for a child’s grade level (Siegel, 2011). The general educator inform the team on what the child will get taught and required to learn if the child will participate in any general curriculum class.

It is through this information that the IEP bases its decisions in determining what supplementary aids and services will get geared at assisting the child’s learning outcome. ReferenceSiegel, L. (2011). The Complete IEP Guide:How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child. California: Nolo.