education

Individualized Family Service Plan Development (IFSP) (25 points-small group project)
This project is an in-class group activity. Students will be given a case study about a family with a child who is eligible to receive early intervention services.
Part1: Students will complete a blank IFSP form with all relevant information. Students are required to determine the family’s resources, priorities, and concerns and then generate longterm outcomes (functional goals) and short-term goals for the IFSP.
• Based on the information students have about the family, they will list their resources,
priorities, and concerns related to enhancing the child’s development. (5 points)
8
• Students will write two long-term outcomes (functional goals) for the child and family.
This is a statement of what the family would like to see happen as a result of early
intervention services. The outcomes may be developmental goals for the child or be
related to the family’s ability to enhance the child’s development. The outcome must be functionally stated, in family terms and measurable. (5 points)
• For each long-term outcome, students will write three short-term goals. Short-term goals are building blocks that lead to the achievement of the long-term outcome. These goals should be written from the perspective of what the child should be able to accomplish, should represent an end result, and should be functional and measurable. (8 points)

Part 2: Students will collaboratively develop an intervention activity / strategy to support an IFSP goal to implement in the case study child’s natural environment. (7 points)
a. What IFSP goal is addressed?
b. Describe the activity / intervention
c. Describe how natural learning opportunities or family routines are used to support
the intervention activity 
d. Describe how you know the child or family made progress.

The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and the Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Definition of the IFSP
A plan of services for infants and toddlers and their
families. Such a plan includes statements regarding the
child’s present developmental level, the family’s
strengths and needs, the major outcomes of the plan,
specific interventions and delivery systems to
accomplish outcomes, dates of initiation and duration of
services, and a plan for transition into
public schools.

Definition of the IEP
A program devised to satisfy IDEA’s requirement that
students with disabilities must receive an educational
program based on multidisciplinary assessment and
designed to meet their individual needs. The IEP must
include consideration of the student’s present level of
performance, annual goals, special education and related
services, time in general education,
timeline for special education services,
and an annual evaluation.

FIRST THING!!!!!
(before anything else)
PARENTAL CONSENT
Parents as partners
Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences
Family’s strengths and needs
Child’s strengths and needs

Process of the IFSP
SCREENING. Child Find,
established in the 1960s
(though not added to law
until 1986) as an effort to
find children with disabilities
and other special needs,
does a screening to find
those children. Those that
need further evaluation go
on to diagnostic testing.

Definition of a couple of terms …
VALIDITY: a test that measures what it purports to measure.
RELIABILITY: how accurate, de-pendable, and predictable a test is.
SENSITIVITY: ability of a screening tool to identify correctly children with disabilities.
SPECIFICITY: ability of a screening tool to correctly identify children who do NOT have a disability

Back to IFSP process
DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY. Eligibility for
special education and related services cannot be
made on a single test or assessment. The data
must be gleaned from several domains and
sources. Assessment tools must be in a child’s
native language. This does not mean a tool that
has been TRANSLATED – this screws with the
test’s validity and reliability.

IFSP process
PLANNING THE PROGRAM – to plan a
program that will benefit the family and the
child; the writing of the IFSP with all domains
considered and a part of the writing. IFSP
outlines what services will be delivered, how
they will be delivered, and what skills and areas
will be addressed.

End of IFSP process . . .
MONITORING PROGRESS and
EVALUATING THE PROGRAM: the IFSP
should be reevaluated at least once a year.
From these evaluations, the program may be
modified to better suit the
child’s strengths and needs.

TERMINOLOGY
Service coordinator: an interdisciplinary team member responsible for integrating services and keeping the family informed and involved.
Assistive technology: various kinds of equipment designed to facilitate learning and communication for children with disabilities.
Itinerant special education teacher: a consultant that travels between several classrooms for service delivery

TERMINOLOGY
AUDIOLOGIST: a specially certified professional who focuses on hearing testing and hearing impairments
DURATION MEASURES: how long an event or behavior lasts.
FREQUENCY COUNTS: keeping track of how often a behavior occurs
INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM: several different professionals working together on a common problem
IQ TESTS: intelligence tests, norm-referenced

TERMINOLOGY
LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT: most normalized environment in which the needs of a child with disabilities can be met appropriately.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY: involving members of various disciplines who work independently but exchange findings
NORM-REFERENCED ASSESSMENT: instrument that compares a child’s developmental level to a normative sample of same-age peers.

TERMINOLOGY
ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST: therapist who works with children with visual impairments to teach awareness of their position in the environment, of significant objects, and how to move safely and efficiently in the environment.
PATHOLOGIST: professional who focuses on diseases or impairments.
PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGIST: physician who specializes in diseases and malfunctioning of the eyes in developmental years.

TERMINOLOGY
PORTFOLIO: a carefully selected collection of a child’s work that is used to document growth and development.
PSYCHOLINGUIST: one who studies and analyzes the acquisition and production of language
PSYCHOPATHOLOGIST: one who specializes in viewing mental disorders from a psychological perspective.
SECONDARY PREVENTION: providing adequate intervention services before the condition worsens or affects other areas of development.

TERMINOLOGY
SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL: a formal plan devised by the various agencies involved in providing services to a child and his/her family.
STANDARDIZED TESTS: assessment instruments that include precise directions for administering and scoring.
TRANSDISCIPLINARY TEAM: a team that shares the responsibilities for assessment, program planning, implementation, and evaluation across members.

TYPES OF TEACHER
OBSERVATIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
CHECKLISTS
FREQUENCY COUNTS
DURATION MEASURES
ANECDOTAL NOTES
RUNNING RECORDS
LOGS, JOURNALS, DIARIES
TIME SAMPLING
LANGUAGE SAMPLING
PORTFOLIO

TEACHERS SHOULD NOT:
MAKE A DIAGNOSIS!!!
Use LABELS to describe children
Raise parents’ ANXIETY
TELL parents what to do
JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS without adequate data

TEACHERS SHOULD:
Work well with families
Voice concerns to families
Listen carefully and respectfully
Be knowledgeable
Be culturally sensitive
Work collaboratively with parents
Remember that all children (and all parents) are different and unique.

PROCESS OF THE IEP
Same as for IFSP: screen,
diagnose, plan program,
monitor, and evaluate.
Should include
child’s present levels
Long term goals
Short term objectives
Specific services to be provided
Accountability
Where and when

WHO IS ON THE TEAM???
PARENTS
Child’s regular classroom teacher
Child’s special education teacher
Principal or vice-principal or program head (LEA representative)
A person who can interpret the data
Service coordinator or equivalent
School counselor or equivalent
Interpreter
Physical therapist
Occupational therapist

Psychologist
Medical Doctor
Speech-Language Pathologist
Community support person
Social Worker
Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Lawyers
Behavior specialists
Assistive technology specialist
Vision Specialist
ASL interpreter
Other interested or involved parties

Informal Assessment Measures
Checklist: a method
of documenting the
presence or absence of
skill or behavior in a
developmental
sequence.
~class activity
Frequency Count:
keeping track of how
often a behavior
occurs.
~watch how many times players in white shirts pass ball
http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html

Informal Assessment Measures
Running Records:
detailed account of a
segment of time,
recording all behaviors
and quotes during that
time.
~write down EVERYTHING exactly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ulsq4a2SCg&feature=related

*

Informal Assessment Measures
Logs, Journals,
Diaries: a form of
observation technique
that involves making a
page of notes about
children’s behavior in a
cumulative journal.
Time sampling:
method of recording
where children are by
choice at a certain
time, measuring
attention span and
interests.

Informal Assessment Measures
Anecdotal Notes:
Factual narrative of an
incident

Portfolio: a carefully
selected collection of a
child’s work that is
used to document
growth and
development.

Informal Assessment Measures
Duration Measures:
How long an event or
behavior lasts
~ about 4 minutes
~ how many questions Will asks
~ how many letters in his answer?

~ how many times does he use the letter Q?

Dashawn’s Case

Dashawn was referred to the Infant & Toddler Connection of Wonderland by his Pediatrician, Dr. Purvis. Dr. Purvis sent over copies of the developmental screening and M-CHAT he completed with Dashawn. Based on parent report, Dashawn was born full-term, weighing 8lbs 3 oz., following an uncomplicated pregnancy. He has a history of ear infections and his sister received speech therapy when she was a toddler. Dashawn’s mother is not concerned about his hearing or vision. During the evaluation, Dashawn played with blocks, a ball, looked at books, and pointed to some body parts. He made some animal sounds, used jargon as he played, and said two words. Dashawn interacted with others around him, responded to his name, and following simple directions. He took turns in play, put shapes in a puzzle, and scribbled with crayons. He pretended to feed his Clifford dog and put him to sleep. Dashawn can take off his clothes and occasionally seems to be aware that his diaper is soiled. He eats without any problems except that he chokes often, according to his mother. Based on the evaluation, Dashawn was found eligible for weekly speech therapy services due to developmental delays. He is showing strengths in his gross and fine motor, social, receptive communication and self-help skills. Dashawn was born August 12, 2013.

Dashawn was referred to the Infant & Toddler Connection of Wonderland by his pediatrician, Dr. Purvis, due to concerns for his expressive language development. Dr. Purvis completed a developmental screening with Dashawn and his mother at 24 months well-child visit and noted that Dashawn was only using three words: mama, ball and juice. Dr. Purvis also completed the M-CHAT but no concerns for autism were noted based on the screening results. Dr. Purvis recommended that Dashawn be tested by the developmental pediatrician at the local children’s hospital, which is scheduled for May. Dashawn also had an audiological exam on July 3, 2018, which found his hearing to be within normal limits. Dashawn was born full-term, weighing 8lbs 3oz, following an uncomplicated pregnancy. Based on review of Dashawn’s medical records, the only complication noted after delivery was jaundice, three ear infections but otherwise has been a healthy child. Dashawn passed his newborn hearing screening at birth and no concerns have been noted for his vision. All immunizations are up-to-date.

Dashawn’s mother reports a family history of delayed communication development, as his sister also received early intervention services due to developmental delay. His assessment service planning was held in the family’s home with Dashawn, his mother, a speech therapist, a developmental service provider, and the service coordinator present. Dashawn was shy at first, but warmed up quickly to the assessment activities. He especially enjoyed playing with the ball, putting pegs in a pegboard, and scribbling with crayons. As Dashawn warmed up, he began to interact with those around him and would look around to be sure that everyone was watching and clapping for him. He took turns in play stacking blocks (up to a tower of eight) and knocking the tower down and tossing the ball back and forth. While playing with the ball, at one point Dashawn hit his head on the underside of the table and went to his mother for comfort. He quickly recovered and continued playing. Dashawn was able to follow directions to locate the ball, to give the ball to his mom, and other 1-2 step commands. During the assessment, Dashawn responded to his name, pointed to pictures in a book, and pointed to 5 body parts on a doll and himself. When looking at the book, Dashawn made the “woof” and “meow” sounds to pictures of dogs and cats, and used some jargon in play.

They only true words today were “mama” and “ball”. Dashawn’s mother said that Dashawn can also say “top’ for stop, to tell his sister to stop bothering him. Dashawn’s mother reports that Dashawn has tantrums often during the day when he gets frustrated or tired. Because Dashawn’s tantrums are so frequent, his mother said that it is difficult to take him out on errands and to the mall. Dashawn’s mother and sister have started trying to teach Dashawn a few signs (more, cracker, car) but Dashawn have not yet begun to use them.

Dashawn attended well to activities where he played one-on-one with an adult. He put the shapes in the puzzle and looked to the educator who was playing with him for help when the triangle would not fit correctly. He enjoyed scribbling and copying lines and playing a matching game during which he matched three objects on request. Dashawn played pretend with his Clifford stuffed animal, pretending that Clifford was eating and going to sleep. When Dashawn wanted to play a different game, he would put his hands on the toy bag that contained the testing materials, look at the educator, and vocalize “uh-uh” He was very purposeful in his communication but was not able to imitate words or sounds in play today.

Dashawn is able to move about independently by walking, climbing, and running. His mother reports that Dashawn’s ability to move is his greatest strength. Dashawn can push and carry large objects, like his child sized chair. He can jump from the bottom step in his house, climb up onto the couch to sit, and throw a large ball without falling. Dashawn helps put laundry away and helps throw trash away when asked. He can take off his clothes and occasionally seems to be aware of his diaper being soiled. Dashawn will vocalize to get assistance, using the same “uh-uh” sounds mentioned earlier, and will point to what he wants if out of reach. Dashawn eats well but has trouble chewing his food. His other reports that he will sometimes pack his cheeks “like a squirrel” then choke trying to swallow. She also reports that when he was an infant, he took a long time to drink his bottle. Dashawn can feed himself using fingers and will sometimes use a spoon. He also drinks from a sippy cup and will say “hush” to get juice when his cup is empty. Based on the assessment, Dashawn is showing strength in his gross and fine motor, social receptive communication, and self-help skills. He is showing developmental delays in his expressive communication and cognitive development. His expressive communication is limited by the fact that Dashawn is only using 4 words consistently at this time and seems to have a limited variety of sounds. He seems to have some difficulty coordinating the movements of his mouth to chew and make sounds. Dashawn’s cognitive delay appears to be related to his expressive communication, as his problem-solving skills appear to be appropriate for his age.

Writing IFSP –Dashawn’s case Page 4

IFSPSample Template

Child’s name ________________________ Age _______________________ Date ______________________

Service Coordinator_(this will be you)_________________________________ Review Date _(the date you

submit)_____________________

I. Statements of Family Strengths and Resources

II. Statements of Family Concerns and Priorities

*Concerns:

*Priorities:

III. Child’s Present Level of Development and Abilities

Cognitive Skills (Thinking, reasoning, and learning)

Communication Skills (Understanding, communicating with others, and expressing self with others)

Self- Care/Adaptive Skills (Bathing, feeding, dressing, and toileting)

Gross and Fine Motor Skills (Moving)

Social-Emotional Development (Feelings, coping, and getting along with others)

Health/Physical Development (Hearing, vision, and health)

IV. Outcome Statements

• Write one Goal with a strategy or activity that Dashawn must master before the next meeting in 6month.

• Write one goal with a strategy or activity that his parents must due before the next meeting in six months.