Individualized education program team decisions: A preliminary study of conversations, negotiations, and power

Given the centrality of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to services for students with disabilities, the decision-making process during the IEP meeting deserves attention in research and implementation. In this case study, IEP team decision-making is examined as a socially situated practice. Transcripts of an initial evaluation and IEP meeting and subsequent interviews with team members were analyzed in concert with the pertinent documents to understand the decision-making process and outcomes for a 5-year-old boy. The student's diagnosis, placement, and goal setting resulted in discussion and were pursued in postmeeting interviews. Further analysis was conducted regarding the proportion of interactions among participants. Results indicate that the turn-taking structure of the IEP meeting, the IEP template, and communication prior to the meeting influenced the decisions, and individual team members held opinions that they did not voice during the meeting.