The effects of using the transition planning inventory and a structured IEP process as a transition planning intervention on IEP meeting outcomes

Abstract

This study examined two areas. First, the authors looked at whether secondary individualized education program (IEP) teams who used the Transition Planning Inventory (TPI) in conjunction with a structured IEP meeting that based discussions and decisions on TPI data as a planning intervention generated significantly more transition-related IEP goals. Second, the authors examined (a) whether parents reported after IEP meetings that they felt they had been heard and valued in their structured IEP process and (b) if all legally required transition-related IEP components had been discussed. From a conve-nience sample of three high schools in one large Midwestern suburban special education cooperative, 56 students and their families were randomly assigned to a control or an experimental (TPI and structured IEP process) group. Results indicated significantly more transition-related goals for the experimental group. In addition, parents of students in the experimental group were likely to report more satisfaction with the IEP process. Keywords transition, planning, individualized education program, IEP Transition assessment and planning are arguably two of the most important components of federal special education law for students in secondary schools. Because we live in a societ