Individualized Education Plan’s (IEP’s)

There is perhaps no document as essential to helping the art teacher meet the needs of students with disabilities as the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This mandated learning plan for every child with an identified disability includes information on his or her present levels of functioning, as well as modifications that need to be made to the general curriculum in order for the student to gain maximum benefit. Art educators know the value of the arts to children with special needs. Not only does art engender self-confidence and self-expression, it also is a cognitive process that helps students to make learning gains in ways that they not otherwise.

What follows are a list suggestions on how art teachers can become more aware of and involved in the IEP process:

• Participate as a member in the IEP team of a child that you teach. This will give you the opportunity to share with other teachers the ways in which this student makes learning gains through art. Not only will this give a more accurate picture of the aptitudes of the child, it will also send a message to the administrators and other educators on the team regarding the value of the arts to students with disabilities.
• Read the child’s IEP’s and be able to describe how your art curriculum can meet the annual goals that have been set for the child. This provides the child and the members of the IEP team awareness that everyone has an array of learning styles, and for many children with disabilities, the combination of visual and kinesthetic modes of presentation is a successful one. By engaging in this activity, you will also be reminded of your ability as a teacher to competently and seamlessly implement the goals of a child’s IEP into your curriculum. For examples of how to implement this suggestion, check out the lesson plans on Professor Lucy Andrus’ website, Art Partners (http://www.artpartnersprogram.com/)
• If you have a child that is particularly gifted in art at the secondary level, participate in the formation of his or her transition plan. IDEA states that at age 14, students should have a transition plan detailing their post-school activities. If a child desires to pursue further training or a career in the arts, the art educator is the best person to supply the IEP team with this information. What follows are a list of links on services and resources for those with a disability to pursue further training or a career in the arts:

The National Arts and Disability Center http://nadc.ucla.edu/resources.htm

Quest: Arts for Everyone http://quest4arts.org/artsbridge/careers.htm

The Kennedy Center forum on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities, 1998 http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/forum/index.html

VSA arts online guide: Putting Creativity to Work: Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities http://www.vsarts.org/resources/publications/careerguide/index.html

Name of Site: U.S. Department of Education: Guide to the Individualized Education Plan
Purpose of Site: To familiarize parents and educators with the basic contents of an IEP and what the law requires in every state for a child’s IEP.
Recommended Sections: “A Closer Look at the IEP” gives you an understanding of the basic parts of an IEP; “IEP Team Members” outlines the role that the child’s regular education teacher (perhaps their art teacher) plays in the IEP team.
URL: http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html

Name of Site: NICHCY—Individualized Education Plans
Purpose of Site: To make educators aware of the legal requirements of an IEP
Recommended Sections: “Appendix A: Q&A” lists a number of relevant questions that educators have regarding the IEP.
URL: http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/ideapubs/lg2txt.htm