Abstract
Teachers in a large urban school system were surveyed with a self-administered questionnaire and a modified nominal group technique to assess their views about IEPs and identify impediments to implementing the IEPs of their students. Teachers indicated that they viewed the IEP more as a legal requirement than as an important guide for planning instruction. Frequently they were not involved in the development of their students' IEPs. The article specifies reasons given by teachers for not adhering to their students IEPs and provides recommendations for increasing teacher involvement in IEP preparation. It also presents recommendations for improving instructional conditions and practices which may facilitate IEP implementation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dudley-Marling, Curtis (1985). Perceptions of the usefulness of the IEP by teachers of learning disabled and emotionally disturbed children.Psychology in the Schools 22: 65–67.
Gerardi, Robert J., Grohe, Barbara, Benedict, Gary C., and Coolidge, Paula G. (1984). IEP—More paperwork and wasted time.Contemporary Education 56(1): 39–42.
Hackman, J. Richard, and Oldham, Gregory R. (1982). Motivation through the design of work. In David A. Nadler, Michael L. Tushman, and Nina G. Hatvany (eds.),Managing Organizations: Readings and Cases, pp. 158–172. Boston: Little, Brown.
Johnson, David W., Johnson, Frank P. (1982).Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Manley, Shirley C., and Levy, Stine M. (1981). The IEP organizer: A strategy for turning IEP's into daily lesson plans.Teaching Exceptional Children 14(2): 70–72.
Morgan, Daniel P., and Rhode, Ginger (1983). Teachers' attitudes toward IEP's: A two-year follow-up.Exceptional Children 50: 64–67.
New York State Education Department (1984).A Parent's Guide To Special Education: Your Child's Right to An Education In New York State. Albany, New York: Office of Education for Children with Handicapping Conditions.
Truesdell, Lee Ann (in press). Mainstreaming in an urban middle school: Effects of school organization and climate.The Urban Review, forthcoming.
Ulschak, Francis L., Nathanson, Leslie, and Gillan, Peter G. (1981).Small Group Problem-Solving: An Aid to Organizational Effectiveness. Boston: Addison-Wesley.
U.S. 94th Congress, 6th Session. 104 et seq., P.L. 94–142,Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.
Wood, Carolyn J. (1984). Participatory decision making: Why doesn't it seem to work?The Educational Forum 49(1): 55–64.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Margolis, H., Truesdell, L.A. Do special education teachers use IEPs to guide instruction?. Urban Rev 19, 151–159 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01111876
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01111876