Individualized education program (IEP) development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation: A systematic review

The purpose of this study is to analyze research conducted on individualized education programs (IEPs) in Turkey through the stages of the scientific research process, aiming to reveal their characteristics in terms of development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation processes. In line with this goal, an analysis of the introduction, methodology, results, and recommendations sections of studies conducted on IEPs in Turkey between 1997 and 2022 has been carried out, attempting to uncover the activities in the processes of developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating IEPs. A systematic compilation has been conducted in this research on the processes of developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating individualized education programs. The data set for the study comprises studies conducted on IEPs in special education in Turkey between 1997 and 2022. The PRISMA protocol was utilized in the process of selecting the data set. Forty-eight studies, including 1 doctoral thesis, 30 master's theses, and 17 articles, were included in the research based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Out of the 48 included studies, 38 were conducted between 2015 and 2022. The studies primarily aimed to determine views and experiences related to the IEP process. Qualitative research methods were used in 27 studies, quantitative methods in 16, and mixed research methods in 5. Descriptive methods were most commonly used in qualitative studies, while survey methods were used in quantitative studies. It was observed that semi-structured interview forms and scales were intensively used as data collection tools. The most frequently included study group/sample in the research consisted of classroom teachers. Upon examining the results of the research: It was concluded that necessary preparations for IEP were not made during the development process, and educational programs were not personalized adequately in the planning stage. The studies included in the research predominantly shared results related to problems and difficulties encountered in the IEP process. A common opinion was expressed that the educational environment is not conducive to IEP practices. According to the examined studies, teachers were found to not make progress or evaluations in the IEP process, assessments were inadequate, and students were not evaluated properly. It was concluded that the methods and techniques used were limited. Teacher attitudes towards IEP were mostly positive, while negative attitudes from parents and students were identified as hindering the IEP process. Teachers were found to have low self-efficacy perceptions, and their competencies were found to be low in all stages of the IEP. It was determined that IEP unit meetings were mostly not held, and when they were held, they did not function effectively for their intended purpose, often being conducted due to legal requirements. It was also found that IEPs were developed individually by teachers, not by the IEP unit, and the quality of the developed IEPs was low.