How do we ensure IEPs are still ambitious, well-rounded, and inclusive?

Presume Competence and Potential

A guiding principle when working with students with complex needs is to presume competence. This means we start with the assumption that the student can learn and understand far more than might be immediately apparent. Too often, students with significant disabilities are taught only very basic skills or kept in isolated settings because educators underestimate them.

An equitable IEP defies that by setting high expectations, appropriately supported. For instance, a student who is non-verbal and has a severe motor impairment might still learn academic content through auditory means or eye-gaze technology. We shouldn’t limit a child to only coloring shapes or sorting blocks if they could also be listening to grade-level stories and showing comprehension in alternative ways.

So, when crafting the IEP, include goals that stretch the student. Maybe instead of a generic “life skills only” curriculum, you introduce a literacy goal – like the student will use a switch device to choose the correct picture in response to questions about a story. Or a math goal – like experiencing counting through touch and eye gaze. Of course, also include essential life and communication goals, but balance is key. Equitable and inclusive IEPs for students with complex support needs have both academic and functional goals, integrated to support the whole child.

Collaborate with a Multidisciplinary Team

Students with complex needs usually have multiple professionals involved: special educators, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, vision or hearing specialists, behavior analysts, nurses, etc. The magic happens when these professionals truly collaborate rather than operate in silos.

An IEP meeting for such a student might have a large table, but all those voices are valuable. Ensure that the goals in the IEP complement each other. For example, if the PT (physical therapist) has a goal for improving head control, the teacher might incorporate that into an academic activity (“Johnny will lift his head to look at the smart board during morning circle, with prompts” – combining physical and cognitive engagement). The speech therapist might have a goal for using a communication device to make choices, and the teacher includes that in a daily routine (choice of activities, expressing needs).

This integrated approach means the student isn’t doing isolated therapy that’s disconnected from learning. Instead, therapy goals support classroom participation, and classroom activities provide opportunities to practice therapy skills. Community-based instruction special education workbook activities, for example, might involve going into school hallways or community sites to practice skills – therapists can join those trips to work on mobility or social communication in real contexts. It’s all hands on deck, working towards inclusion.