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Abstract: Individual education programs (IEPs) are the cornerstone of special education programs. The persistence of poor in- and post-school outcomes for students with significant disabilities highlights the importance of developing well-designed IEPs to address their multifaceted needs. We conducted a content analysis of IEPs for 150 high school students receiving special education services under the categories of autism (ASD) and/or intellectual disability (ID) and had significant cognitive impairments. The focus of these educational plans was quite diverse and spanned multiple domains. Moreover, we found that students with intellectual disability with or without autism tended to have similar areas of emphasis, with the exception of the domains of communication and challenging behavior. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at strengthening the quality ofeducational programming for transition-age students with significant disabilities.
An individualized education program has long been a hallmark of special education services. For students with significant disabilities (i.e., students with autism [ASD], intellectual or multiple disabilities who are eligible for their states alternate assessment), the importance of a well-designed educational program that meets their unique needs is particularly pressing. The in- and post-school outcomes of these students remain poorer than almost any other group of adolescents (Bouck, 2012; Carter et al., 2012). Moreover, the complex and multifaceted needs of these students often necessitate more intensive and individually tailored educational services
Jenna L. Lequia is now at the Center on Disability and Health, School of Health Science and Practice at New York Medical College and Westchester Institute for Human Development. Lori B. Vincent is now at the School of Human Services at the University of Cincinnati. Gregory Lyons is now at Lyons Developmental Behavior Consulting LLC in San Francisco, CA. Support for this research came from the Institute of Education Sciences, U. S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A100391 to Vanderbilt University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jenna Lequia, Westchester Institute for Human Development, 20 Plaza West, 331 Cedarwood Hall, Valhalla, NY 10595. E-mail: [email protected] and supports throughout their schooling (Carter et al., 2013; Lyons et al., 2016). It is not surprising, therefore, that much discussion has centered on determining the most meaningful goals and most appropriate curricula for students with significant disabilities to improve...