Historical and political context for a purposeful organization and operation of the Individualized Educational Plan for students with disabilities

Abstract

The Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is a legal document supported by United States law that is created and developed by a collaborative school and family team to provide supports and services to include students with disabilities in the general education curriculum. In Brazil, while there are legal provisions that discuss similar documents, instruments, and methodologies for the inclusion of students with disabilities, there is no explicit reference to an extensive plan such as the IEP. In addition, there are no guidelines for the organization and execution of such a document or plan. This article aims to discuss the origins, history, and conceptual framework of the IEP: to differentiate the IEP from other types of school planning that already exist in Brazil; and to contextualize the IEP format for Brazilian schools by proposing guidelines and recommendations for its implementation so that it may assist in the development of Brazilian educational policies and practices. First, a review of laws of the United States and Brazil will be discussed to demonstrate what the legal provisions suggest about the IEP. Next, the various current school plans and their function in educational institutions in Brazil and the United States will be presented, followed by guidelines for the elaboration and implementation of the IEP, specifically. Then, examples are provided of how learning objectives and goals should be designed and adopted and of the roles and responsibilities for each member of the multi-disciplinary team. Finally, appropriate ways of implementing the IEP in the Brazilian school context and possible its implications for the schooling of students with disabilities in Brazil are discussed.