The golden rule when it comes to students with ADHD is to provide as much structure as possible - this is what an IEP does! IEP’s provide structure and support communication. We describe what an IEP is and how to create one. We look at the planning, writing and review.

1. Developing an IEP
for Students with ADHD
Kate Carr-Fanning
Vice Chairperson, HADD Ireland
Ph.D. Candidate, the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin

2. Overview
 What is an IEP?
 Why are IEPs important for students with ADHD?
 The importance of student consultation.
 Important factors to consider when gathering information
and identifying learning needs for students with ADHD.
Guidelines have been published and are available
for download on the NCSE and NEPS websites.

3. What is an IEP ???
Reviewing
Planning
Writing
Implementing
Individualized, Collaborative and Solution-focused Process.

4. What is an IEP ???
Reviewing
Planning
Writing
Implementing
The Product is a formal written individualized plan.

5. Collaboration
 The principal decides what persons to involve.
 He will identify a co-ordinator who is responsible for organizing and co-
ordinating the planning, writing, implementation and review of the IEP
process.
 Important persons to be consulted:
 Class teacher or teachers (as appropriate).
 Resource teacher.
 Other school staff (e.g., SNA).
 Parent(s) / carer(s).
 The student “as appropriate”.
 External allied professionals (e.g., psychologist or OT),
 Special Educational Needs Organizer (SENO).

6. Student Consultation
 National Children’s Strategy (2000) and the Children’s Bill (2012) insist that
students should be consulted and involved in the decision-making.
 Students have unique and privileged information about their lives, and what
helps and hinders them.
 Their involvement in the planning can create a sense of ownership, which
means they would engage and be motivated to achieve the goals set out in
the IEP.
 Students with ADHD often experience failure, rejection, exclusion and low
self-esteem, and feel a lack of control.
 Including students from the begining can contribute to resilience and
engagement.
 Achieving goals contributes to increased self-esteem and self-belief.

7. Why Have an IEP?
 Recommended:
 Legislation – Section 3 of the EPSEN Act (2004).
 NCSE, SESS, NEWB and NEPS.
 Inclusion and an individualized approach.
 Holistic approach to assessing the whole child in context.
 Proactive (time spent now can reduce ongoing time spent addressing
increasingly more complex difficulties later).
 Provides structure and supports communication across teachers, schools,
home-school and transfers.
 Student engagement and self-esteem.

8. Stage (1) Planning

9. Gathering Information
 Sources of Information:
 Consultation with multiple persons (e.g., parent, student,
teachers, etc.).
 Reports and assessments.
 Observations.
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10. ADHD the Problems & Solutions . . .
Level 1 ADHD
The Disorder
Neuro-biological Basis.
Level 2 Student-level
factors
Skills, abilities, coping mechanisms.
Level 3 Mediating
factors Supports and resources.
Level 4 Environmental
Demands
Physical, accademic,
social, emotional, behavioural.
Level 5 Effects of 1-4 The behaviour.

11. Student Factors
 Strengths.
 Functional difficulties.
 (e.g., organizational skills, reading, planning, self-awareness,
communication, social skills, etc.)
 Personal attributes.
 Co-morbidity / co-existing problems.
 Feelings and beliefs:
 Does the student feel like they can trust teachers?
 Does the student believe they can be successful?
 Physical states.

12. Social & Environmental Factors
 Educational structures and processes.
 Resources & Supports.
 Family, home and community issues.
 Peer relationship difficulties.
 Time / day.
 Settings.

13. Stage (2-3)
Writing & Implementing Plan

14. Identifying Learning Priorites
 2-4 specific learning priorities (e.g., long term goals).
 Learning is not only accademic:
 Academic performace, attainment &/or achievement.
 Social, emotional and/or behavioral.
 Setting long-term and short-term goals.
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15. Setting Goals
Be . . . S.M.A.R.T.
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed
www.sess.ie
. . . be agreed by all involved

16. Identify the specific strategies, supports
and resources which will help to
achieve goals.
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17. Writing & Implementing IEP
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Learning priority Mary needs to complete and hand in homework assignments
on time.
Learning target
Mary will remember to write down her homework asignments,
complete them during study period, and ask her resource
teacher for help when she has difficulty with an assignment.
Strategies &
resources
• Resource teacher will provide and check student has
filled in an assignment checklist.
• Classroom teacher will write assignments on the board,
provide time for students to copy down, and sign checklist
when homework is due.
• Parent will sign checklist.
• Everyone will provide praise and encouragment.

18. Stage (4) Reviewing

19. Reviewing
 An IEP should have a maximum self life of one year, and reviews
should be carried out periodically during that time, e.g., on a term by
term basis.
 Review date should be stated in IEP.

20. Thank You for Your Attention!!!
Contact Kate Carr–Fanning:
katecarrfanning@gmail.com