Role Play: Actualizing the IEP Meeting for Pre-Service Teachers

Teacher preparation programs provide numerous teaching and learning opportunities for pre-service teachers; however, participating in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting is not an experience that can be guaranteed. Leading and participating in IEP meetings are a responsibility that all special education teachers will be held accountable for, but many pre-service teachers will never be able to observe a real IEP meeting before entering the field. In this qualitative case study, the researcher utilizes a simulated IEP meeting to provide pre-service teachers with experience in participating in an IEP meeting prior to entering the profession. The case study method is utilized to examine the perceptions and experiences of pre-service teachers following the simulated IEP meeting experience. Findings in this study support the use of role-play in developing a greater understanding of the IEP process, from program development to the IEP meeting itself.