Constructing the Individual Education Plan: confusion or collaboration?

The Special Education Needs Code of Practice (2001) states that both parents and children should be actively involved in the decisions that surround the child's special educational need. In particular, it acknowledges the ‘unique knowledge’ that children have of their own needs and advocates that they should take part in the setting and evaluating of Individual Education Plan (IEP) targets. This small-scale research project, involving Year 6 students in a mainstream junior school, investigates to what extent there is common agreement between the teacher, parent and child with regard to the nature of the child's need. Additionally, it examines to what extent partnership is expressed through the targets shown on the IEP and in particular whether the voice of the child is heeded. This article concludes by suggesting that while some children may be willing to engage with IEP targets that are teacher-initiated, children whose voice is overlooked are in danger of becoming disengaged from learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]