SPCE 682 Report: Autism, IEP Process, Transition Issues and Solutions

This report, prepared for SPCE 682, examines the author's experiences working with families and students with autism, focusing on the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and the challenges students face during transitions. The author emphasizes the importance of family involvement in the IEP process, highlighting how it enhances the success of children both at home and at school. The report discusses the significance of structured environments and routines for students with autism and addresses the issues students with special needs encounter when transitioning from special education to college or the workplace. These issues include adapting to new environments, employer readiness, and training gaps. The author suggests strategies for assisting parents in navigating the system, such as parent workshops and readily available support. The report concludes by referencing the importance of establishing guidelines for consistency in special education program design.

Running Head: SPCE 682 1
SPCE 682
Name
Institution

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Experiences working with families and students with autism and the IEP process.
Autism is the serious age-related complaint that weakens the capacity to interconnect and
interrelate, (Russell, 2014). In my experience with families, I have discovered that the
involvement of family members in the IEP process is of great significance and it helps in
enhancing the success of the children with the disorder while at home and at school. I tried to
keep both the affected child and the family member at the center stage of my operations because
they are both important in enhancing the success of this process. With the family and child at the
center, this will assist the IEP crew to establish operations that are mostly directed by the
necessary requirements of the child which can be easily supported by their families. The process
turns out to be easier because the caregivers of the child, the family members and even the
siblings can give out the necessary information such as the needs, weaknesses and strengths of
the child. This could assist in coming out with the progressive suitability of goals and
intercession tactics for the success of the child. In my experience with the students, the most
significant session of working with a student with autism disorder is the act of reliably applying
spaces. Research shows that many students show the best learning outcomes when there are no
daily alterations in their routines. Their capability to learn can even be affected by a minimal
change in their routine.
Issues in transitioning from special education HS services to college or beyond.
The students with the special needs are likely to be faced with some issues when
transitioning from their current levels of education to other new environments, which can be
colleges or even the work place. The students are likely to be faced with difficulties with
adapting to the new environment. Another issue is that the employers may show lack readiness to
employ the such students in their organizations and this is a challenge that needs a proper

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discussion, (Mcdaniel, 2017). The next issue is that there might be complications in ensuring that
the students with special needs are placed in the necessary working environments according to
the teacher’s perspectives. Training issues is also a challenge in the transitioning process. The
students might lack proper trainings in their next levels due to unavailability of trained personnel
in their new institution, (Mcdaniel, 2017).
How I could help the parents navigate the system.
Having had an experience in this field, I would assist the parents navigate the system
suggesting for a parent workshop to be held at least once in a year to discuss about the system. I
would also try so that I be approachable and available all the time so that the parents can reach
me in case of concern or clarification regarding the system. I would also ensure that the parents
are provided with proper procedural safeguards.
One important piece of information that I learnt from Wagner (2014) and Zirkel
(2014).
There is a common information that I learned from both the authors. They both state that
the Board of Education worldwide should take the responsibility to establish guidelines that
necessitates the school districts to develop a plan to establish the constancy in special education
software design, (Zirkel & Wagner, 2014).

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References
Mcdaniel, K. M. (2017). Beyond Compliance. Transitioning Children with Disabilities, 43-57.
doi:10.1007/978-94-6351-134-6_4
Mcdaniel, K. M. (2017). Special Needs, Special Issues. British Journal of Special Education,
17(3), 99-100. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8578. 1990.tb00368.x
Zirkel, P. A., & Wagner, A. (2014). Which Procedural Parts of the IEP Process Are the Most
Judicially Vulnerable? Exceptional Children, 83(2), 219-235.
doi:10.1177/0014402916651849
Russell, G. (2014). Contextualising Autism Diagnosis. Autism-Open Access, 04(01).
doi:10.4172/2165-7890.1000128