Condition (in a goal)
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The condition in an IEP goal describes the circumstances under which the student will perform the skill, such as materials, setting or level of support.
Topic: The IEP document
In plain terms
Conditions usually start a goal with words like "given," "during" or "when." They answer: with what materials, in what setting, with how much help? "Given a visual schedule," "during recess," "with one verbal prompt," and "given a fifth-grade informational passage" are all conditions. The same skill can be easy under one condition and hard under another.
How it shows up in an IEP
Conditions must match how data is collected. If the goal says "given a calculator," the probe should include one. Changing the condition, such as removing prompts or moving to a new setting, is often how objectives build toward independence and generalization.
Example
Two goals target the same skill with different conditions: "given a picture choice board" in the classroom, and "during lunch in the cafeteria, without a choice board" for generalization.
Related terms
- Measurable annual goalA measurable annual goal is an IEP goal written so that two different people could observe the student and agree on whether it was met.
- CriterionThe criterion in an IEP goal is the level of performance that counts as success, such as 80% accuracy, 60 words per minute, or 4 of 5 opportunities.
- Prompt hierarchyA prompt hierarchy is an ordered list of support levels, from most to least help or the reverse, used to teach a skill and record independence.
- GeneralizationGeneralization is a student's use of a learned skill in new settings, with new people or materials, and without the original teaching supports.
- Operational definitionAn operational definition describes a behavior in observable, measurable terms, so different people would agree on whether it happened.
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