End of Chapter Questions
Discussion Activity
Answer the following questions before discussing the case with a group (part 1), as a group (part 2), and individually after the group discussion (part 3).
Part 1: Pre-Discussion Individual Determination
After reading the case study, please answer the following:
In determining whether a child’s behavior was a manifestation of his or her disability, the following questions must be answered:
Was the conduct in question caused by, or did it have a direct and substantial relationship to, the child’s disability?
_________ Yes __________ No
Was the conduct in question the direct result of the local education agency’s (LEA) failure to implement the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?
_________ Yes __________ No
If the answer to both questions is NO, the student’s conduct is not a manifestation of his or her disability. If the answer to either question is YES, the student’s conduct is a manifestation of his or her disability.
After making your decision, please select one:
The student’s behavior is related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
The student’s behavior is not related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
Rank your certainty, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the least and 10 is the most, of the above determination.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Very Very
Uncertain Certain
Please explain as thoroughly and clearly as possible what evidence brought you to this determination.
Part 2: Manifestation Determination Group Decision
As a team, come to a group consensus for the manifestation determination case you have discussed. In determining whether a child’s behavior was a manifestation of his or her disability, the following questions must be answered:
Was the conduct in question caused by, or did it have a direct and substantial relationship to, the child’s disability?
_________ Yes __________ No
Was the conduct in question the direct result of the local education agency’s (LEA) failure to implement the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?
_________ Yes __________ No
If the answer to both questions is NO, the student’s conduct is not a manifestation of his or her disability. If the answer to either question is YES, the student’s conduct is a manifestation of his or her disability.
After making your decision, please select one:
The student’s behavior is related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
The student’s behavior is not related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
Rank your certainty, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the least and 10 is the most, of the above determination.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Very Very
Uncertain Certain
Part 3: Post-Discussion Individual Questionnaire
Independent of the team decision, what is your decision for the manifestation determination:
The student’s behavior was related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
The student’s behavior was not related to, caused by, or a manifestation of the student’s disability.
Rank your certainty, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the least and 10 is the most, of the above determination.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Very Very
Uncertain Certain
Rank your personal agreement with the group’s determination, on a scale of 1 to 10.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Disagree Agree
Please explain as thoroughly and clearly as possible what evidence brought you to this determination.
Discussion Questions
- What are the benefits of a MDR? Who, if anyone, is being protected?
- What are the drawbacks of a MDR? Who, if anyone, is being harmed?
- What biases may exist with the MDR process?
- Given the goal of a MDR, do you believe this is accomplished with this process? Why or why not? What could be changed?
- Did your initial manifestation determination (MD) change as a result of the discussion in your MD meeting?
- What pieces of information most influenced you to change your manifestation determination?
- How did the people in your meeting influence the overall MD decision-making?
- What is your overall impression of the MD meeting process?
- Impact on general education students/ teachers?
- Fairness? Equity?
- What will this mean for you as a teacher? What are the take-aways?
- How can teachers proactively prepare for a potential MDR? What are the roles of the special education teacher? General education teacher?
Family and Guardian Communication
- Imagine you have received the following email from a parent: Dear teacher, I cannot come to the MDR. Can you hold it without me? What do you do? What aspects of IDEA influence your decision?
- A student has been suspended for eight days already this school year. What should or could you share with the parent and/ or guardians about the manifestation determination process? What are the important aspects for them to know?
- A parent or guardian wants to know if their child will still be able to receive services (e.g. speech, occupational therapy, etc.) during their suspension. How do you respond to this question? What information from IDEA or other legal sources support your decision?
Collaboration
- Imagine you have received the following email from your collaborating general or special education teacher who is provides services to the student: Dear teacher, I cannot come to the MDR. Can you hold it without me? What do you do? What aspects of IDEA influence your decision?
- You are currently working with other teachers supporting a student with a disability. The student has just been suspended for five days after pushing another student. This is the seventh suspension this year. What information should you share with your team? Why is this information important?
- You are currently working with other teachers supporting a student with a disability. There have been some recent conversations about the student’s Individualized Education Plan and the current behavioral goals. The student does not seem to be making progress with learning new self-regulation skills and you are not sure if all teachers are following the IEP plan as written. The student has just been suspended for five days after pushing another student. This is the seventh suspension this year. What information should you share with your team? Why is this information important?
Instructor Notes
- Students can engage in a MDR simulation to include assuming roles and acting in the best interests of each individual (e.g. parent, special educator, etc.). Each case study includes a case scenario, two prong question information, definitions of disabilities, individual decision-making document, group decision making document, and a final individual reflection. Students should complete the readings and individual discussion before entering into a discussion about the case. Once a group decision is made, students can reflect on their individual decisions and discuss ways their final decisions were influenced by others and the case study.
- Students should take a deep dive into the law, to include the 1985 court case involving the School Board of Prince William County, Virginia vs. Malone (762 F.2nd at 1217). The least restrictive environment and free and appropriate education components of IDEA should also be reviewed to better understand how MDRs are covered under the law.
- Functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans are a natural transition to or from the topic of MDRs. In addition, behavioral goals can be written and reviewed for measurable data collection.
- A complete training model for team decision-making can be created by students to include behavioral goals in IEPs, FBA/ BIP development, and MDR discussions (see Walker & Hott, 2015).