乌鸦传媒

Module 1 begins with a brief introduction to the Center for Change in Transition Services and an overview of transition planning for students with disabilities. It identifies the four performance indicators for secondary transition and the role that quality Individual Education Programs (IEPs) play in preparing students for post-school success.

This module explores what traditional IEP meetings have looked like, and what it means to truly include student voices in those meetings. It examines the benefits of increased student participation and why those benefits matter even more for students who have historically been excluded from general education settings. The module concludes by outlining four steps for preparing students to be involved in their IEP meeting: assessing students, building skills, understanding the IEP, and planning for participation.

Module 2 addresses the first steps towards involving students in their IEPs: assessing students and informing/involving their families and caregivers.

Assessment is the foundation of everything that follows. Before we can prepare students to participate in their IEP meetings, we need to understand their strengths, communication styles, and what supports they need to grow. This module introduces tools and approaches for assessing students' self-determination skills, and strategies for bringing families and caregivers into the process as partners.

Equity and inclusion note: the assessment step applies to all students, including students who communicate nonverbally or use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and students with significant cognitive or adaptive delays. Historically, these students have often been excluded from this step entirely. It is also important to recognize that students and families bring their own cultural frameworks to conversations about disability, goals, and participation, which is important to keep in mind both when selecting assessment tools and interpreting results.

The second step in preparing students for IEP involvement is developing the skills of self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-determination. These skills are interconnected. Students who understand who they are (self-awareness) are better equipped to speak up for what they need (self-advocacy), and students who can do both are in a good position to set goals and make meaningful decisions about their futures (self-determination). These skills develop over time through intentional instruction, repeated practice, and real opportunities to use them across school, home, and community settings.

Equity and Inclusion Note: Skill-building in self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-determination looks different for every student. Every student starts where they are. For some, that might mean choosing between two options, using an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to express a preference, or indicating a like or dislike. These are all meaningful expressions of these skills. It is also important to recognize that cultural context shapes how these skills are expressed and valued. Take time to ask families what self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-determination mean to them and what they hope these skills look like for their child.

Module 4 addresses the third step in preparing students for IEP participation: understanding the IEP. Before students can meaningfully lead or participate in their IEP meetings, they need to understand what the IEP is, what it contains, and what rights they have as a student with a disability. This module introduces key IEP vocabulary and components, explores students' special education rights, and offers resources to help students engage with their IEP in a way that feels relevant and accessible to them.

Understanding the IEP is not a one-time lesson but rather an ongoing process as students move through their school years and take on greater ownership of their educational planning.

Equity and Inclusion Note: Understanding the IEP looks different for every student. For students with significant support needs, this might mean learning about one or two key goals rather than the full document, using visual supports or simplified summaries to make IEP content accessible, or having a trusted person explain what the IEP means without educational jargon.

For families and students from diverse cultural backgrounds, the IEP document itself can feel unfamiliar or even intimidating. Take time to explain not just what the IEP contains, but why it exists and how it is meant to serve the student.

Module 5 addresses the final step in preparing students to lead their IEPs: planning for participation. It explores ways to prepare students and to make delivery accommodations in meetings.

When students are prepared, they arrive at the table with confidence and a sense of ownership over the conversation about their own lives. Even simple, targeted activities done in the days or weeks before the meeting can make a significant difference in how students experience and contribute to their IEP.

Equity and Inclusion Note: Preparation looks different for every student. For students with significant support needs, preparation might mean practicing how to communicate one preference using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device or watching a short video about what to expect. For students and families from diverse cultural backgrounds, it is worth taking time to discuss what the meeting will look and feel like, who will be in the room, and what role the student and family are expected to play. As with everything in this training, there is no single right way to prepare.

Module 6 begins by exploring what student involvement in the IEP looks like in elementary years, middle school years, and high school years. It introduces a tool for thinking about approaching complex change. And finally, the Student Participation Continuum from Module 1 is revisited to set goals for next steps.

Equity and Inclusion Note: A systems-wide approach only works if it's built with every student in mind from the start. As you set goals on the Student Participation Continuum, ask who might get left off it entirely, and build your plan around including them from day one. Too often, students with significant support needs and students from historically underserved communities are the last to be included as student-led IEPs expand, not the first. The good news: what's necessary for one student to participate meaningfully often makes the process better for everyone. For example, visual supports, plain-language summaries, and flexible formats benefit the whole range of learners, not just the student they were designed for.

Please consider taking five minutes to reflect on what you’ve learned throughout this course and share it in the .

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