Where is my seat at the table: Student perceptions of behavioral intervention plan development

This dissertation examines how middle school students with significant problem behaviors due to a disability such as, serious emotional disturbance (SED) or autism spectrum disorders (ASD), perceive and experience the individualized educational plans (IEP) and behavioral intervention plan (BIP) process in which interventions are designed to decrease the student's problem behaviors. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) states that students with disabilities should be included in the IEP process whenever it is appropriate, and students are mandated to be invited to their meetings by their 14th birthday. However, current practice and research recognize that students with disabilities are often excluded from the IEP and BIP process. Through the lens of Critical Disability Theory, the dominate paradigm’s perception of ‘ableism’ would mean that students are viewed as incapable of contributing to their IEP or BIP. In this qualitative case study data were collected though document analysis of IEP and BIP documents, along with semi-structured individual interviews with six student participants. Incorporating evidence from the document analysis and individual interviews, this study concluded that participating students did not perceive themselves as members of the IEP team, however, expressed strong interest in being a part of the process. Participants concluded that inviting them to discuss IEP and BIP topics during a non-preferred class or having preferred staff lead the conversions instead of the assigned classroom teachers would foster more inclusive participation. The students also shared extensive insight into their own behaviors, strengths, and limitations. All the students knew that they needed to develop their behavioral responses when they were upset or agitated, but the students were also aware of their academic strengths, like reading fluency or math computations. The findings indicate a need for policy and practice change which encourages more inclusion in the IEP and BIP process.

Author

• Lopez, Jessica D.

Identifier

hdl:10057/27414

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/27414