IEP goals for students with multiple disabilities

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

IEP goals for students with multiple disabilities name the response the student can physically make, the support given, and a criterion counted in opportunities, steps or seconds. For example: given a 2-switch choice at snack, the student will activate the switch for the item they then accept in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 sessions. The 16 examples below follow that pattern.

Multiple disabilities means two or more disabilities together, such as an intellectual disability with an orthopedic impairment, whose combined effect creates needs that no single-disability program would meet. Deaf-blindness is its own category and is not included.^[1] That definition matters for goal writing: the goals have to account for how the disabilities interact, not treat each one alone.

A student who cannot point and cannot see small pictures will not show a matching skill on a 6-picture array, however well they understand it. So every goal below starts from the response the student can make reliably, then sets a criterion that can grow. For the wider picture, see the pillar on IEP goals for severe and profound students. Full template wording lives on the multiple disabilities goal page.

How to choose the right goal

Start with the student's most reliable response and their biggest barrier to taking part in the school day. Then pick the skill and the measure.

Student profile	Sub-skill to target	Measure
Uses eye gaze, limited hand use, no symbolic communication	Choosing between 2 objects or photos	Percent of opportunities, with item accepted
Uses a single switch for cause and effect	Switch use to request or join an activity	Frequency per session, latency in seconds
Uses a speech-generating device with 8 to 20 symbols	Requesting, commenting, answering	Opportunities, count of novel uses
Needs full physical help for self-care	Active participation in steps of a routine	Task analysis, percent of steps with partial participation
Has low vision plus motor impairment	Visual or tactile attention to materials	Duration in seconds, latency
Bears weight with support	Transfers and standing for routines	Duration in seconds, level of assist
Follows a routine with picture or object cues	Transitions and schedule use	Opportunities, prompt level
Works on academic content at alternate standards	Answering about a text or matching quantities	Percent accuracy with stated array size

If you are unsure how to measure a response like eye gaze, the guide to measuring goals for nonverbal students explains how to define it so two adults score it the same.

Communication goals

Communication goals come first for most students with multiple disabilities, because every other goal depends on a way to respond. The AAC goal page and early communication goals have more wording.

Goal	Baseline	How it is measured
1. Given 2 real objects held 12 inches apart at eye level, the student will look at one for 2 seconds or more and accept it when given, in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 sessions.	4 of 10 opportunities	Opportunity data sheet; acceptance confirms the choice
2. Given a single-message switch mounted at the right hand during group, the student will activate it to request "more" within 10 seconds of a pause, in 7 of 10 pauses across 3 sessions.	2 of 10 pauses	Opportunities plus latency in seconds
3. Using a speech-generating device with 12 core words, the student will make 5 different requests or comments during a 20-minute snack routine, across 4 of 5 consecutive days.	1 to 2 per routine	Frequency count of different words
4. Given an object cue for the next activity, the student will reach toward or touch the cue within 15 seconds in 80% of transitions across 1 school week (about 30 transitions).	35% of transitions	Opportunities with latency

Weak: "The student will improve communication skills." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the device, the place it is mounted, the moment it is used, a time limit, and a count of 10 opportunities.

Motor and access goals

These goals are often shared with the OT, PT or vision teacher. Write the response in terms of what it lets the student do in class. See motor skill goals and access skill goals for more.

Goal	Baseline	How it is measured
5. With head support in the wheelchair, the student will hold head upright and oriented to a speaker or screen for 60 seconds, 3 times in a 30-minute lesson, on 4 of 5 days.	15 seconds, once per lesson	Duration recording
6. Given a lit or high-contrast object presented within 18 inches, the student will fix gaze on it within 5 seconds in 8 of 10 presentations across 3 sessions.	3 of 10 presentations	Latency and opportunities
7. During a stand-pivot transfer from wheelchair to mat, the student will bear weight through both legs for 10 seconds with 1 adult's minimal support, in 4 of 5 transfers.	3 seconds with 2 adults	Duration plus level of assist
8. Given an adapted handle on a paint brush or marker, the student will grasp and move it across paper for 5 strokes with no more than 1 physical prompt, in 4 of 5 art or writing tasks.	1 stroke with full hand-over-hand	Count of strokes and prompt level

Weak: "The student will increase head control." Measurable: Goal 5. It sets the support, the target of attention, the seconds and how often it happens in a lesson.

Daily living and self-care goals

Partial participation counts. A student who cannot complete a routine alone can still do specific steps. Use a task analysis and score each step by prompt level. The daily living goals and the guide to personal care participation goals have more.

Goal	Baseline	How it is measured
9. During lunch, the student will bring an adapted spoon from bowl to mouth with partial physical help at the elbow for 8 of 10 bites, on 4 of 5 days.	3 of 10 bites	Opportunities per meal
10. During a 10-step handwashing routine, the student will complete 4 steps (hands under water, rub, rinse, reach for towel) with a gestural prompt or less, across 3 consecutive sessions.	1 step	Task analysis data sheet
11. During diapering or toileting, the student will lift hips or shift weight when given a verbal and touch cue, in 4 of 5 routines across 2 weeks.	1 of 5 routines	Opportunities
12. During arrival, the student will push arms into coat sleeves after an adult places the coat, for both arms, in 4 of 5 days across 2 weeks.	1 arm with full help	Task analysis, 2 steps

Weak: "The student will be independent in self-care." Measurable: Goal 10. Independence is a long way off; the goal targets 4 named steps and a prompt level.

Academic and participation goals

Students with multiple disabilities learn academic content too, often measured against alternate achievement standards. Keep the array size and the response mode in the condition. The guide to IEP goals for alternate assessment students explains the standards link.

Goal	Baseline	How it is measured
13. After a shared reading of an adapted grade-level book, the student will answer 3 of 4 who or what questions by eye gaze to a 2-picture choice, across 3 consecutive weekly probes.	1 of 4 questions	Percent accuracy with 2-item array
14. Given a field of 2 sets (1 item and 3 items), the student will select "more" by touch or gaze in 8 of 10 trials across 3 sessions.	5 of 10 trials (chance level)	Trial-by-trial data
15. During morning meeting, the student will use a switch to take a turn in a group song or roll call within 10 seconds of their name, in 4 of 5 days.	1 of 5 days	Opportunities with latency
16. Given a tactile or object schedule with 4 items, the student will touch the next item within 20 seconds of an adult cue in 80% of checks across 1 week (about 20 checks).	40% of checks	Opportunities with prompt level

Weak: "The student will participate in class activities." Measurable: Goal 15. It names the activity, the response, a time window and the number of days.

Note goal 14. With 2 choices, a student guessing gets about half right. A baseline of 5 of 10 says nothing yet, and the target is set high on purpose. Move to 3 choices once the student is reliable.

How to measure progress

Most of these goals use opportunity data, task analysis or duration. Pick one data sheet per goal and keep it the same all year.

Opportunities: the opportunity data sheet has a row per chance. Record the response and whether the item was accepted. Ten opportunities per session is enough for goals 1, 2, 4 and 6.
Task analysis: the task analysis data sheet scores each step by prompt level. Use it for goals 10 and 12.
Duration: the duration data sheet works for head control and gaze. Time 3 short samples per lesson rather than watching the whole period.

Collect data at least weekly. Graph the session results and compare them to the goal line every 6 to 8 data points. Many students with multiple disabilities show slow, uneven progress, so a graph tells the team more than a single report-card number. The guide on progress reports for significant disabilities covers how to write it up.

Writing short-term objectives

Benchmarks or objectives are required for students who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards.^[2] For these goals, step the criterion, the support or the response mode. For goal 1, for example:

By the first grading period, 5 of 10 opportunities with objects 12 inches apart.
By the second grading period, 7 of 10 opportunities.
By the third grading period, 8 of 10 opportunities, then move to photos.

Adapting by age and support level

Age or level	What changes	Example shift
Preschool and K	Play-based routines, objects over pictures	Choose between 2 toys during play
Elementary	Classroom routines and shared reading	Switch turn in morning meeting
Middle school	More peers and general education settings	Device comment in an inclusive science lab
High school and 18 to 21	Community and work routines	Choose a snack at a café using a 2-photo card
Higher support level	Smaller arrays, longer response windows	2 objects, 20-second window
Lower support level	Larger arrays, symbols, faster responses	4 symbols, 5-second window

Before you finalize, paste each goal into the goal checker to flag a missing condition or criterion. For AAC goals, the speech-language pathologist should help set the vocabulary and the device features.^[3] The TIES Center has examples of including students with significant cognitive disabilities in general education routines.^[4]

Frequently asked questions

What counts as multiple disabilities for an IEP?

Two or more disabilities that occur together, such as an intellectual disability with an orthopedic impairment, whose combined effect causes educational needs that a program for one disability alone would not meet. Deaf-blindness is a separate category.

How many IEP goals should a student with multiple disabilities have?

There is no set number. Many teams write 4 to 8 goals that cover communication, access, daily living and academics, with communication first because the other goals depend on a reliable response.

Can a goal for a student with multiple disabilities use eye gaze as the response?

Yes, if eye gaze is the student's most reliable response. Define it clearly, such as looking at one item for 2 seconds or more, and confirm the choice by giving the item and noting whether the student accepts it.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), ASHA
TIES Center, TIES Center, University of Minnesota

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.