Four-Step Approach for Team Decision-Making
Used with permission from the Council for Exceptional Children. Taken from "The IDEA Amendments: A Four-Step Approach for Determining Supplementary Aids and Services," by Susan K. Etscheidt & Larry Bartlett, Exceptional Children, Winte
r, 1999, 65 (2), 170-171.
This material is still subject to full copyright laws and cannot be reused or reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher.
This approach to team decision-making gives IEP teams a process for discussing and determining the supplemental aids and services. The team is directed to consider the four dimensions of physical, instructional, social-behavioral, and collaborative an d discuss questions concerning which adaptations, modifications, aids, or services might be provided to the student.
TABLE 1
Sample Factors and Questions for the Physical Dimension
| Factors | Sample Question(s) |
|---|---|
| Mobility | Could the classroom be made more accessible to the student? |
| Room Arrangement | Could a round table be available in the classroom for small group work? |
| Seating | Does the student's desk need to be placed close to the blackboard and the teacher? |
TABLE 2
Sample Factors and Questions for the Intructional Dimension
| Factors | Sample Question(s) |
|---|---|
| Lesson Presentation | Does the student need visual aids, large print, or alternative media? |
| Skill Acquisition | Could the student be provided process-of-reading guides, highlighted or taped-recorded texts? |
| Assignments/Worksheets | Could the student be allowed extra time for completion of assignment, have alternative assignments, or be provided a calculator or word processor? |
| Test Taking | Could the student have take-home or alternative (e.g., oral) tests? Could the student use a study guide during the test? Could tests be divided into parts and taken over a series of days? |
| Evaluation | Could the student be graded pass/fail or receive IEP progress grading? Could the resource teacher and regular teacher use shared grading? Could contracting be used? Could portfolio evaluation be used? |
| Learning Structures | Could cooperative learning or reciprocal teaching be incorporated? Could the student be assigned a partner? |
| Organization | Does the student need an assignment notebook or home copies of texts? |
| Parallel Activities | Could the student work on related activities, such as illustrating? |
| Parallel Curriculum | Could the student work on alternative, functional skills (e.g., coin recognition during the unit on metric conversion)? |
| Assistive Technology | Could the student be provided computer-assisted instruction, communication switches, or software? Does the student require electronic aids or services? |
TABLE 3
Sample Factors and Questions for the Social-Behavioral Dimension
| Factors | Sample Question(s) |
|---|---|
| Skill Training | Could the student be involved in social skill instruction? Does the student need counseling? |
| Behavior Management Plan | Does the student need a behavioral management plan that describes a reinforcement system, supportive signals, and corrective options? |
| Self-Management | Could the student use self-monitoring of target behaviors? |
| Peer Support | Could peers be used to monitor and/or redirect behavior? Could peers be used to take notes, help prepare for exams, etc.? |
| Class-Wide Systems | Could the teacher implement an interdependent group contingency for the class? Could "Circle of Friends" be initiated? |
TABLE 4
Sample Factors and Questions for the Collaborative Dimension
| Factors | Sample Question(s) |
|---|---|
| 1:1 Aide | Does the student need a paraprofessional to assist him/her? |
| Co-Teaching | Could the regular educator and special educator team-teach? Do teachers need additional time for planning and problem-solving? |
| Resource Room Assistance | Does the student need additional strategy or study skill instruction (e.g., memory strategies, test-taking skills)? |
| Teacher Consultation | Could the teacher receive assistance from a curriculum consultant, strategies, or behavioral specialist? |
| Teacher Training | Could a workshop or inservice on behavior management strategies or certain topics (e.g., autism, ADHD) be provided? |
Prepared by the Renaissance Group