ERIC Number: EJ1428630
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-8756-8705
EISSN: EISSN-2168-8605
An Evaluation of Annual Goals for Rural Students Who Are Receiving Special Education Services: A Comparison of Disability Categories
Rural Special Education Quarterly, v43 n2 p65-77 2024
In this article, we describe the exploration of the content and quality of annual goals included in the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities in one rural U.S. school district. We utilized content analysis to understand the district's service delivery model comprehensively. Findings revealed disparities between inclusive placements and special education service delivery, suggesting that, despite high rates of inclusive placements noted on IEPs, most services occurred outside general education classrooms, especially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We evaluated the quality and rigor of 546 annual goals using a rubric adapted from Kurth et al. Only 37.7% of goals were rated as rigorous, highlighting a need for clearer, more specific, and applicable goals. Notably, communication goals for students with IDD were largely absent, raising concerns about support for meaningful participation in general education settings. In addition, special factors related to communication and assistive technology were not consistently addressed in IEPs. We discuss implications for improving educational experiences for students who qualify for special education services under IDD in rural schools and highlight the value of further research and actions in this area.
Descriptors: Goal Orientation, Evaluation, Rural Schools, Special Education, Students with Disabilities, Individualized Education Programs, Student Placement, Intellectual Disability, Developmental Disabilities, Communication Strategies, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Educational Quality, Longitudinal Studies, Elementary Secondary Education
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A