Interactive Training

The IEP Game is based on five essential elements of IEPs: Deficits, Evidence, Experts, Needs and Rights. Using the essential frames of reference all Individual Education Plans are constructed upon provides a fixed number of easily understandable categories applicable to differing circumstances.

The IEP Game interactive training employs the use of playing cards in conjunction with a reference guide, fill-in form and sample special education file that combine into a step by step rational-legal method of documenting the impacts of a disability and justifying entitlements to intervention.

Parents learn how to:

• Identify a child’s deficits and problems
• Document evidence
• Understanding the importance of different types of evidence
• Understand appropriate interventions
• Create an advocacy strategy
• Learn and use legal rights
• Learn and use legal methods
• Get what a child needs

The IEP Game Training Kit is designed to facilitate small group interactive learning. An IEP Game Facilitator uses a sample case in conjunction with the IEP Game Cards and Fill-in Form to guide parents through a step-by-step process of identifying Deficits, Evidence, Experts, Needs and Rights. The training manual includes sample syllabi that organize sessions as a combination of working with the sample case and interactive discussion.

Trainings Held in California

At Access Center for Education, small group IEP Game trainings are held monthly.
Access Center trainings are organized as follows:

IEP Game Interactive Training: Day 1

IEP Game interactive training is an 8hour session beginning with an introduction to: advocacy, assessments and educational testing, and documentation and the law. Parents then use the IEP Game with sample cases and build a special education case by creating the pieces of a paper trail. The instructor to student ratio is 1 to 5.

IEP Game Clinic: Day 2

The IEP Game Clinic is a co-facilitator guided self-advocacy work group. Parents bring in their own child’s special education file and use the IEP Game to perform a thorough case analysis, create a unique advocacy strategy for their child and begin the process of documentation necessary to build a case for needed placement and/or services. The instructor to student ratio is 2 to 5.

Wrap Around Services

Wrap around services include five hours of phone support and direct advocacy services at the next scheduled IEP following the clinic. Utilizing wrap around services compliments the work done in the IEP Game Clinic by providing support all the way through the initial advocacy experience.