Research Basis of the IEP Game

The IEP Game is based on the essential elements of all Independent Education Plans

All IEPs are based on a child's deficits, evidence that proves the deficits exist, experts that confirm evidence and the impact of the disability, the unique needs caused by deficits, and the rights given by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). By using the elements of all IEPs, the IEP Game makes it easy identify the particular deficits, evidence, experts, needs and applicable rights of any individual special education student.

The IEP Game provides a method for creating the documentation necessary in any advocacy on behalf of a special education student. The IEP Game make law a process through documentation and case building.

Reference Guide Excerpt

IEP Game: Training Kit Reference Guide

The IEP Game Cards have complete reference contained within. The references are meant to both further explain individual cards and provide reference to helpful books and articles related to topics covered on the cards. Also contained in this reference guide are advocacy tips not captured by individual cards.

Deficits

Deficits, as a category, capture both the type of deficit a child might be struggling with and the particular impact that a deficit has upon functional performance or academic achievement. Functional performance means the ability to function as any typical child of similar age in any mode of human operation, such as speaking, walking, writing, playing, etc…. Academic achievement means the ability to learn and master skills at age and grade level and demonstrate the mastery of skills and attainment of knowledge with typical tests and assessments of skills and knowledge.

The options listed on deficit cards are not meant to explain childhood disorders. The options listed on deficit cards are brief descriptive indicators of common problems associated with deficits. Use the options listed on deficit cards as a guide in narrowing down and describing the student’s problems. Problems listed on deficit cards may be associated with more than one deficit.

Deficit Cards 1 – 5, Language: Background

Deficit cards 1 through 5 deal with language deficits. These cards are not written to focus on speech deficits. These cards are focused on language as a separate deficit. The language deficit has two parts: receptive language and expressive language. Receptive language means the ability to receive language, understanding language, and learn new words. Expressive language mean the ability to use language to communicate.

Language is an important part of a child’s development. Paul Wang and Marleen Ann Baron emphasize how language is often used as a gauge of general human development. “…Speech refers to the sounds that we use to transmit ideas from one person to another. Language refers to the code that gives meaning to the sounds, telling us that specific sounds mean specific things and indicating what order the sound should be in” (275). Wang and Marleen claim “…childhood language disorders commonly are classified according to 1) whether the disorder is specific to language or is part of a more general cognitive disorder; and 2) whether comprehension, expression, or both are affected” (284). Language problems are very complex and, as a result, a language disorder diagnosis is usually described in general terms.

Language is made up of several parts. The following list defines the parts of language that are part of the problems listed on deficit cards 1 – 5. The parts of language development and use are: phonology, grammar, semantics, pragmatics, and lexicon.

Phonology: includes sounds in language, sound patterns, and the different ways sounds are organized to make words. For example, we can change the meaning of a word if we change which sound we emphasize. If I use the word “to” in a sentence when telling a friend “I have to make dinner,” I do not emphasize the “o” sound. If I use the word “too” in describing that a movie I attended was “too long,” I emphasize the “oo” sound. The rules of phonology apply to changing sounds of words to communicate different meanings.
Grammar: includes the rules for organizing words so that a person can meaningfully communicate with others. For example, grammar rules teach us to use the word “and” when joining different persons, places, or things together in speech. I am supposed to say “I visited Paris and England on my vacation.” To create meaningful speech, I need to put the word “and” between Paris and England. If I don’t use proper grammar, the person I am speaking with would hear me say “I visited Paris England on my vacation.” Not using the proper grammar changes the meaning of the statement. Not using the proper grammar tells the person that I visited a city named “Paris” that is located in “England.” This violation of the grammar rules changes the meaning of the statement and creates ineffective communication. Grammar rules organize words so that users of language create meaning when using words in communication with people.
Semantics: describes the meaning of words and how words communicate meaning. To illustrate meaning, consider the difference between the words “their” and “there.” These two words sound similar when spoken but mean two different things. Semantics teaches us that using the word “their” means that the user of the word is referring to people. On the other hand, the user of the word “there” is referring to a place. In spoken language, the context of a statement cues the listener that “there” refers to a place. For example, if I told my friend “my briefcase is over there,” my friend would know “there” refers to a place (the place where I left my briefcase). Semantics refers to the meaning of words.
Pragmatics: refers to how language is used in different situations. Pragmatics can include making the appropriate eye contact and turn taking in conversations. Also, he ability to ask questions when information is needed and knowing how to respond to others needs for information in conversation is another important.
Lexicon: is the stored words held in the mind. Lexicon can be understood as a person’s dictionary. Every person has words stored in their mind. The dictionary is a source book full of all known words. The lexicon is an individual person’s mental dictionary. Of course, an individual person does not have all the words in the dictionary but an individual does have their own personal storage. The technical term for this storage of words is “lexicon.”

Tim Brackenbury and Clifton Pye (2005) explain that language deficits are most often very diverse and frequently involve a variety of difficulties with related to semantics (word meaning), learning new words, storing the words used in the lexicon (mental dictionary), correctly organizing words in the lexicon and retrieving words from the lexicon for use in conversation. When schools assess students for deficits in language, they usually only assess the size of a students receptive vocabulary and expressive vocabulary (5). Some research has shown that kindergarten children with receptive language disorders had trouble learning action words (an action word might be “getting” or “running”) and this deficit was not related to the their vocabulary size. Brackenbury and Pye are arguing that the size of a child’s vocabulary, which is most often the main test used in schools to assess a language disorder, does not necessarily have much to do with the language deficit and often cannot detect the language deficit.

Language deficits can present themselves in different combinations. For example, a child might hear a parent say “go get the full trash bag out of the kitchen and put it into the trash can outside.” A child with a language deficit might store the first part of what was said and not be able to understand the rest. The child may really only receive “go get the full trash bag out of the kitchen.” On the other hand, a child may have an expressive language disorder. For example, a child may understand language but have trouble expressing him/her self through language. A child might say “I did go baseball” when that child meant “I went to a baseball game.” This type of expressive problem might involve difficulty retrieving words from storage and organizing words correctly in speech in order to effectively communicate. A child with receptive and expressive language problems could struggle with: receiving words, storing words, retrieving words from storage and organizing words into spoken language.

Language problems are more complex than described in this reference guide. The amount of information presented is provided for basic surface level knowledge necessary to have a background for cards 1 through 5. If an IEP Game user suspects that a child is struggling with language deficits, there are assessments available through public schools. If an IEP Game user suspects that a child’s school has not discovered a language deficit, there are independent agencies that provide speech and language assessments. Also, a parent always has the right to request that a public school fund an independent assessment.

Questions listed on Deficit Cards

The questions: 1) how often does the problem occur?, 2) In which settings does the problem occur?, and 3) How is the problem impacting the student in all settings? are designed to sensitize the IEP Game user to the context of the situations in which problems occur.

If a person chooses one of the problems listed, like “student has trouble with…understanding words spoken quickly,” and that problem only occurs once per year when the entire extended family is together for a holiday, then understanding words spoken quickly might not be a deficit for the child. Therefore, the frequency of the problem has an impact on deciding if it is a deficit.

The setting a problem occurs in is important. If a child has trouble in noisy settings more than quiet settings, a professional performing an assessment needs to know. Also, a parent documenting concerns about their child needs to communicate to the school that the problem happens in specific settings.

The impact of the problem is most important. The impact is related to functional performance in all settings and academic achievement in school. The impact of the deficit creates the need for intervention. If the impact of the deficit reduces functional performance and academic achievement, then the IEP Team needs to decide if the child needs accommodations, modifications, interventions, and services.

Deficit Card 1

Some of the particular problems a child might manifest as a result of problems associated with receptive language are:

Understanding Directions
If a child has a receptive language deficit, the child might have trouble understanding directions, as with other forms of oral communication. The Scientific Learning Corporation (2000) has a questionnaire that gauges parent’s experience with their child in the area of language. This questionnaire asks the parent if their child often asks for directions to be repeated. Understanding directions is a form of receptive language that might be more noticeable than other types of communications because the parent or teacher giving directions is more likely to pay attention to a child’s compliance with directions. If the child does not follow directions, it is either caused by willful disobedience, some problem with the clarity of directions, or a problem with receptive language.
Understanding directions without gestures
If a child understands directions with gestures more often than he/she understands directions without gestures, then receptive language is implicated as a possible problem because gestures are an important factor helping the child understand what is not grasped with pure language. Hearing might also be a problem for the child reliant upon gestures. A professional needs to determine the true cause of this problem.
Understanding multi-step directions
For example, telling a child “go get the milk out of the refrigerator before you get the cereal out of the pantry” is a multiple step direction. A child who is not able to understand directions of more than one step at a time might be struggling with a receptive language disorder. This problem might also be related to attention or age. If the child struggles with Attention Deficit Disorder, multi-step directions may not be received because the child’s attention span is limited. Children who are very young may also not be able to follow multi-step directions. If the child is old enough to understand multi-step directions but has a problem with this area, then a professional needs to determine the cause.
Understanding words spoken quickly
If a child seems to understand words spoken slowly but tends to have a problem understand words quickly spoken, that child might be struggling with a receptive language problem. Problems understanding quickly spoken words might also be related to a hearing problem. A professional must rule out hearing as a cause.

Note: The problems listed on card one might also be associated with auditory processing problems. When noting that a child does have any of these problems, a parent should seek an assessment from a professional in order to identify the true deficit causing the problem. Remember, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires children are assessed in all areas of suspected disability.

Associated Cards

The Associated cards list is a helpful resource for using the IEP Game Cards together in the development of documenting a problem and supporting a claim for intervention. Other cards in the deck that could support Deficit card number 1 are:

Evidence Cards: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12

Experts Cards: 1, 3, 4 and 6

Needs Cards: 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13

Rights Cards: 1, 2, 3, 9, 13, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23

A full explanation of the research base of the IEP Game is available in the training manual.