An investigation of the special education process: current practices

The procedural requirements of P.L. 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, are designed to ensure a natural transition from assessment to individualized program planning for handicapped children. Based on a full and individual evaluation, an individualized education program ( IEP) is developed for each identified handicapped child.

The literature suggests a failure to achieve a significant relationship between written psychoeducational reports and IEP' s which led to the present investigation which described the procedural aspects of the transition from assessment to IEP development. Information was obtained from individuals directly involved in the process.

Through the administration of a survey instrument to 508 special education directors and/or supervisors and learning disability teachers in five eastern states, the process from referral through IEP development as implemented in their districts was described. Data were collected which described, (a) the special education process of decision making and IEP development, (b) the development of IEP's, (c) the perceived problems in the process, and (d) the utilization of the IEP document.

The results indicate substantial consistency in the process, with special education teachers appearing to be the most involved person in all IEP related tasks. The major problems in the process are attributed to the amount of paperwork and time required and the extensive degree of responsibility for IEP related tasks assumed by special education teachers. The findings indicate that special education teachers utilize the IEP more often than any other school personnel.

This study revealed several needs in the area of special education. Foremost among these needs is increased participation by parents, students, and regular classroom teachers in the IEP process and a reduction in instructional time consumed for noninstructional tasks.