Special Factors (communication plan for DHH students) is a component of the IEP.

Special Factors (communication plan for DHH students) is a component of the IEP.

• A. Annual Goals
• B. Accommodations
• C. Special Factors (communication plan for DHH students)
• D. Transition Plan (14+)

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how the IEP addresses how a student who is deaf or hard of hearing will access communication in school. Special Factors is a required part of the IEP that specifically requires the team to consider the student’s communication needs. For DHH students, this includes whether a formal communication plan is needed—such as interpreter services, lip-reading support, sign language, cued speech, or other modalities and supports—to ensure the student can participate meaningfully and access information in the classroom. That’s why this item fits exactly as the place to document a communication plan for a DHH student. Annual goals are the measurable objectives the student will work toward, not the place to set communication supports. Accommodations are the specific supports to help access instruction, but they aren’t the designated section for outlining a formal communication plan. The Transition Plan (14+) outlines postsecondary goals and the services needed to reach them, and is separate from the communication considerations.

The key idea here is how the IEP addresses how a student who is deaf or hard of hearing will access communication in school. Special Factors is a required part of the IEP that specifically requires the team to consider the student’s communication needs. For DHH students, this includes whether a formal communication plan is needed—such as interpreter services, lip-reading support, sign language, cued speech, or other modalities and supports—to ensure the student can participate meaningfully and access information in the classroom. That’s why this item fits exactly as the place to document a communication plan for a DHH student.

Annual goals are the measurable objectives the student will work toward, not the place to set communication supports. Accommodations are the specific supports to help access instruction, but they aren’t the designated section for outlining a formal communication plan. The Transition Plan (14+) outlines postsecondary goals and the services needed to reach them, and is separate from the communication considerations.