Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum and Instructional Design

Choosing Outcomes and Accommodations for Children (COACH, Giangreco et al., 2011) is a comprehensive, yet practical approach to collaborative instructional planning for IWD who require intensive supports. The COACH process is designed to focus on promoting achievement for IWD within inclusive settings. There are two parts of COACH: Part A guides families and educators to determine a student’s educational program; and Part B guides the team to translate the family-identified priorities into goals and objectives. Part A involves a family interview that helps IWD and their families identify valued life outcomes and prioritize learning outcomes within selected curriculum areas. Part A concludes with the student team identifying general supports that will improve access and participation in the student’s educational program. These general supports outline accommodations, modifications, and individuals essential to implementing a successful inclusive program for a student. Part B of COACH then guides the team to translate these supports into measurable annual goals and short- term objectives. Finally, the team delineates a “Program-at-a-glance” that is shared with everyone who supports the student. A resource for assisting IWD plan their supports and services is the website www.imdetermined.org . The “One-Pager” from this resource is a practical tool that can be used by students and their teams to share strengths, preferences, interests, and needs with new teachers, employers, case managers, and other people who may support the students. A template is provided that allows students to type or handwrite and embed pictures within this one-page document. Examples are provided on this website for how this tool can be used. Overall, the “One-Pager” is a tool that can be 3