VB-MAPP Training Handout

How to Interpret the Assessment & Select IEP Goals

Purpose
This handout is designed to be a reference sheet for you when interpreting a VB-MAPP profile. It
contains helpful tips for what to look for on each scoring form, as well as advice on how to select IEP
goals based on the information in each scoring form. Additionally, this handout also contains suggestions
on making placement decisions based on the information included in the VB-MAPP scoring forms.

The numbered bubbles on the example scoring forms indicate the area that each point under the “What to
look for” section is referring to

General Information

- After the VB-MAPP has been completed for a student, most of the important information will be
located on the three scoring forms: the Milestones, Barriers, and Transition

- Remember that the Task Analyses Charts aren’t to be used necessarily for determining goals, but are
to be used to support the achievement of selected goals

o The Task Analyses charts provide suggestions for learning objectives that can be used to
support the learning of VB-MAPP based IEP goals

- Remember that there are other sources of information that can help in developing and IEP and that the
VB-MAPP should not be the only source of goals

o OT’s, SLP’s, PT’s, parents and others familiar with the student’s abilities should also have
input into what goals are selected for an IEP

If you like this, then please see my other VB-MAPP training materials at www.stevencelmer.com

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 Milestones Scoring Form

What to look for

- On this form, there are four main things to make a note of:

1. The general Level of the student, 3. The student’s relative weaknesses,

2. Any gaps within each skill, 4. The student’s relative strengths

Using the Milestones for an IEP

- The main goal in using the VB-MAPP to guide IEPs is to make sure that you have a student with a
balanced skill set

- Students’ relative weaknesses and any gaps that exist in a their profile should be focused on more
heavily

o For those skills where the student is weaker, you will want to choose 2 or 3 goals to help get
that skill in balance with the others

o For those skills where the student is stronger, you still want to make progress on them. But
depending on the intensity of the IEP, maybe only 1 or 2 goals may be necessary for the
current year

o Remember that when selecting goals, you don’t have to select the next immediate Milestone,
but move 3 or 4 Milestones up to obtain an appropriate annual IEP goal

- When choosing goals, goals should also be based on the student’s current Level

o Choose those that will help to fill out and complete a Level if the student is just beginning
that Level

o Choose those within the beginning of the next Level if the student is near completion of a
Level

- It is important to remember that Milestones don’t have to be used verbatim, but added to in order to
ensure that the student is making as much progress within the year as possible.

o The Milestones are just the minimum of what normally developing children do and
children with disabilities need much more than that to be successful in the world

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 Barriers Scoring Form

What to look for

- On this form, there are mainly two things to look for:

1. Any barrier that is given a score of 3 or 4 is considered a persistent or severe problem

2. Any barrier that is given a score of 2 or 1 is considered a moderate or occasional problem

Using the Barriers for an IEP

- Because significant Barriers can present a problem for multiple academic objectives, it is important to
set IEP goals to reduce those that are persistent and severe

o Making these a priority will pave the way for the achievement of the student’s Milestones

- Barriers that are identified as moderate or occasional may not necessarily need an IEP goal assigned
to them,

o But they are important to know and pay attention to so that you can prevent them from
getting worse

- Knowing the moderate and occasional barriers will help in:

o Differentiating instruction for the student’s specific needs

 It lets you know where the students weak points are and therefore where extra
accommodations may need to be made

o Prioritizing academic goals for the student

 If there is a barrier and a lower corresponding Milestone score (like a low tact
milestone score when there is a defective tact barrier), then you can make sure to
make that goal a priority for the year

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 Transition Scoring Form

What to look for

- There are essentially three sections to the form:

1. The 1st row contains information regarding language, social, & academic levels

2. The 2nd row contains information regarding learning patterns

3. The 3rd row contains information regarding self-help skills, adaptability, & self-direction

Using the Transition form for an IEP and Placement Decisions

- The Transition form mainly provides information regarding appropriate program placement

- The large range of information on the form can help point the IEP team to a general type of program
-

o Completely self-contained o Inclusive with pull-out

o Self-contained with some inclusion o Inclusive with specific accommodations

- It also provides information on individual accommodations that may be needed for specific settings
o Such as a student that may be able to succeed in a more inclusive setting, but will need
accommodations for toileting because of a low score

- While the Transition form does inform placement decisions, remember that IEP goals can be
selected from it too – (such as for self-help deficits or transition issues)

- The 1st section of the form is the most important because it will tell us if the student’s skill level is
high enough to keep up with the material that is presented in various settings
o If the student’s skills aren’t strong enough for a proposed setting, then a different setting that
would better meet the student at his level should be considered

- The 2nd section of the form provides the most information on how successful the student might be at
different levels of inclusion
o If scores are higher across these categories, the student may be more successful in more
inclusive settings

o If they are lower, then a more supportive setting with individualized instruction will
necessary for academic success

- This 3rd section also plays a role in determining how restrictive a setting is needed for a student’s
success, but to a lesser extent
o It focuses more on behaviors that aren’t directly taught in school, but may cause a problem if
they aren’t in the student’s skill set

o The information here may not completely rule out a proposed setting, but may indicate that
accommodations need to be made to allow the child to fully access that less restrictive setting

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