Students must be invited to attend any ITP meeting. The meeting should be person-centered so that its focus is the student’s needs and desires for the future. Goals and objectives in the student’s ITP should emphasize the student’s preferences and include all life areas, such as home, work, community, social, etc. During the meeting, it may be useful to list the strengths, needs, dreams, fears, and wishes of an individual student and family.
The meeting should be conducted in a manner that enables the student to understand the planning process and to participate fully. [34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.321(b)(1).] If the student does not attend the IEP meeting, the school district must take other steps to ensure that the student’s preferences and interests are considered. [34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.321(b)(2).]