ESPC IEP Implementation Support 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student's IEP includes assistive technology (AT) as a required support. The device is unavailable one day. What should the paraeducator do?
- Proceed without the AT and do not mention it
- Have the student complete work without any support
- Document the unavailability and inform the supervising teacher (Correct answer)
- Permanently substitute a different strategy
Correct answer: Document the unavailability and inform the supervising teacher
When mandated AT is unavailable, the paraeducator should document the incident and notify the supervising teacher so the issue can be addressed.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of the least restrictive environment (LRE) principle in IEP implementation?
- Placing all students with IEPs in a self-contained classroom
- Including a student with a disability in general education with appropriate supports (Correct answer)
- Separating students with disabilities during all activities
- Requiring paraeducator supervision at all times regardless of need
Correct answer: Including a student with a disability in general education with appropriate supports
LRE requires that students with disabilities be educated alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.
Question 3: A student's IEP requires that verbal directions be broken into no more than two steps at a time. A general education teacher gives four-step instructions. What is the paraeducator's best response?
- Repeat all four steps louder
- Quietly re-state the directions in two-step chunks to the student (Correct answer)
- Tell the teacher she is violating federal law
- Have the student sit out until instructions are simplified
Correct answer: Quietly re-state the directions in two-step chunks to the student
The paraeducator should discreetly implement the required accommodation by chunking directions to meet the IEP requirement.
Question 4: During an annual IEP meeting, a paraeducator is asked to share observations. What is the most appropriate type of information to provide?
- Personal opinions about what goals the student should have
- Objective observational data and specific behavioral examples (Correct answer)
- Diagnoses or labels for the student's challenges
- Comparisons to other students on the caseload
Correct answer: Objective observational data and specific behavioral examples
Paraeducators contribute objective, observational data to IEP meetings rather than making diagnostic or prescriptive recommendations.
Question 5: A student's IEP goal targets increasing independent task initiation. Which paraeducator approach best supports this goal?
- Prompt the student to start every task immediately
- Wait briefly and provide a prompt only if the student does not initiate independently (Correct answer)
- Complete the first step of every task for the student
- Avoid all prompting to allow full independence
Correct answer: Wait briefly and provide a prompt only if the student does not initiate independently
A time-delay prompt strategy allows the student an opportunity to initiate independently before receiving a prompt, supporting the goal.
Question 6: Confidentiality of a student's IEP requires that paraeducators:
- Share IEP details with any school staff who ask
- Discuss the student's needs only with those directly involved in the student's education (Correct answer)
- Post IEP goals in the classroom for transparency
- Share information with parents of other students who inquire
Correct answer: Discuss the student's needs only with those directly involved in the student's education
FERPA and IDEA require that IEP information be shared only on a need-to-know basis with those directly serving the student.
Question 7: Which scenario reflects a paraeducator correctly fading support as outlined in a student's IEP transition plan?
- Staying close to the student throughout the entire school year
- Gradually reducing prompts as the student demonstrates skill mastery (Correct answer)
- Abruptly stopping all assistance once a goal is written
- Providing more support as graduation approaches
Correct answer: Gradually reducing prompts as the student demonstrates skill mastery
Fading support systematically as skills develop promotes student independence, which is a key goal of transition planning.
ESPC IEP Implementation Support 3
A student's IEP includes assistive technology (AT) as a required support.
The device is unavailable one day.
What should the paraeducator do?