Benefits of IEPs
Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are imperative to a students academic achievement when teaching a student with special needs. IEPs are used as a tool to outline specific goals teachers would like to see their student obtain within a certain timeframe. One can see from the course textbook, that Individual education plans are one of the ways to identify one particular students academic needs. IEPs outlines teaching and learning strategies as best meeting the students individual needs, sets targets, and identifies provisions and outcomes (Individual Education Plan, 2015).
            There are a number of benefits to incorporating IEPs into a special education classroom. Each IEP is specifically developed for each student. No two IEPs are the same. This is because every students needs are different. This allows teachers to ensure each of their students receive the education they deserve. Teachers begin by assessing their students, and intensifying which areas their students needs the most assistance. From there, the teacher begins compiling the IEP, to include goals geared towards that students academic needs. Having a plan specifically tailored to the student is one of the major benefits of developing and IEP.
Another benefit of the IEP is the unique team that works together to help implement the plan. One of the unique features of the IEP is not only the plan itself for each individual student with disabilities but also how the plan is constructed (Kirk, et al., 2015, p. 44). Students actually have a team, comprised of their parents/guardians, educators, and other personnel who are dedicated in following through with the IEP.   
Disadvantages of IEPs
            On the other hand, various aspects of parent involvement can also act as a barrier to the implantation of their childs IEP. It is imperative that as a teacher, you remove or minimize many of the barriers that may prevent parental participation such as communication, cultural barriers, and logistical barriers (Claxton, 2018, p.23). These types of barriers can prevent parents from becoming involved in the implementation of their childs IEP. Teachers must work with parents, in addition to the students to maximize the outcome of the students academic success.
Personal Experience
            I have seen serval IEPs over the course of my time at Liberty. More so than not, they have always benefited the student on a number of level, both academically and socially. I am currently volunteering in a Middle School special education classroom. During my first meeting with the teacher, I discussed my personal goals that I wanted to accomplish during my time there. One of those goals was learning more about the developing phase and execution phase of a students IEP.
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References
Claxton, B. L. (2018). Planning, writing, and implementing IEPs: A Christian approach. Dubuque, IA. Kendall Hunt.
Individual Education Plan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.
Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., & Coleman, M. (2015). Educating exceptional children (14th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage.