A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions Used to Increase Adolescent IEP Meeting Participation

This study examined the effectiveness of interventions used to increase the participation of adolescents with disabilities during individualized education program (IEP) meetings. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were conducted to identify and synthesize the group-design experimental literature on this topic, as well as evaluate intervention effects. Six studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the analyses. Adolescents who participated in self-advocacy curriculum interventions made significantly more contributions during IEP meetings compared with students in control groups. Given this information, school districts should consider implementing such curricula and making student attendance and participation at IEP meetings a top priority. However, additional high-quality research is needed to expand the evidence base for this practice for students with more severe disabilities.