IEP Manager 3.0 User’s Guide

Overview

IEP Manager is set up in a data entry format.  Data is entered in layouts that are designed for speed and ease of use.  This data is then placed into the appropriate places on the IEP forms.

TOOLBAR AND BUTTONS:

IEP Manager utilizes a tool bar that is available in most of the layouts except Procedures and Criteria.

This tool bar allows you to choose between Data Entry, Forms View or List View.  When selected, these buttons appear depressed and the wording under them is grayed out to help show what has been selected and what mode you are in.  Buttons are also included that allow you to go to the Objectives Bank or this help file, create a new record, delete a record, or find a record.  Two buttons are often included for printing, giving you the choice of printing the whole IEP or, depending on which layout is being used, certain pages of the IEP.

New Feature:  In the upper right corner of many layouts, to the right of the Print buttons, you can now see what student’s record is being displayed, the school year, how many total records are in the database, and how many records are in the found set.  This replaces the status area on the left side and its Rolodex type icon in previous versions.  The arrow buttons let you move from one record to another in Browse mode.

Other buttons in the data entry layout allow you to quickly access each page of the IEP.  These buttons resemble the tabs on a file folder and are used only in the data entry layouts of IEP Manager.  The tab representing the layout that is currently in use is highlighted in a lighter color.

FORMS VIEW:

As is the case for most of the data entry layouts, you can select the Forms View button at any time to see how the data entered appears on the form itself.

LIST VIEW:

List View is a quick way to find a particular student’s record, or view certain data (Review Dates, MFE Dates, etc.) about all the student’s in IEP Manager.  For more information, go to Records.

DATA ENTRY TECHNIQUES:

You can input all information without leaving the keyboard to use the mouse.  To select an item in a pop-up list, you simply type the first letter.  With radio buttons and check boxes, this is accomplished by typing the first letter of the selection and hitting the return key.  When two words in a list start with the same first letter, you can type the first few letters of the desired word, continue to type the first letter (selects each word starting with that letter in turn) or use the arrow keys.  In such cases, however, it is often quicker to use the mouse.

If desired, you can format text that is entered.  Once the text to be formatted is highlighted, you may select Font, Size or Style in the Format menu.

Please Note:  Using the Tab key normally takes you from textbox to textbox.  If you are using Windows and desire to tab within a textbox, use Ctrl+Tab keys.  If you are using a Macintosh, use the Shift-Tab key combination.

If you desire to set your tabs, select Text Ruler in the Format menu.  Select text you want to be affected by the tabs, and set tabs by clicking with the mouse on the ruler, just as you would in a word processing program.  Only the selected (highlighted) lines will be effected.

Many of the layouts in IEP Manager contain customizable checkbox lists.  By selecting the Edit button, you can edit the choices in these lists.

Important Dos & Don’ts!

DON’T:

Do Not print using the Print command in the File menu.  You will not print the proper layout.

Do Not use the Save a Copy as... command in the File menu.  IEP Manager saves each record automatically.  In fact, it is likely you will have problems if you try to open files that have been saved using this method.  If you desire to save files to a floppy disk, use the Export command in the Script menu.  See Importing and Exporting data for more info.

Do Not rename any of the files included in the IEP Manager folder.  IEP Manager only recognizes the original names.

Do Not use the Enter or Return key at the end of any line while registering IEP Manager.  This will enter an invisible character, changing the registration code.  Use the tab key or the mouse to move the cursor to the next field.

DO:

Back up your files frequently using the Export command button located at the bottom of the First/Last Page layout.  Export to a media other than the drive IEP Manager is installed on, i.e. a floppy disk, a zip drive, a separate hard drive etc.

Enter goals and objectives according to the Substitution Key.

Select the appropriate dictionary, if Spelling features don’t appear to work, or the dictionary can’t be found.  Go to the Edit menu and select Spelling.  Go to Select Dictionaries.  Locate and select the appropriate dictionary (ies).  If you wish to save words to the dictionary, you need to select the User dictionary

Select the Find All command in the Script menu, if you appear to have lost some of your records.

Data Entry Pages First/Last Page

On this layout, you type in the basic student information, such as first and last name, address, city, etc.  By default, the database automatically enters the same last name and address in the parent information.  However, students may have a different last name and/or may not live with the parent, so this can be over-ridden.  Because this IEP is specifically for the state of Ohio, “OH” is automatically entered for the state.  For grade level, there is a drop down menu with all grade levels, including Pre-K.  This list may be edited as needed.  Radio buttons are used to indicate the gender of the student as well as if this is an initial placement or an annual review.

When the meeting date and the effective dates are entered, they are placed in the appropriate places throughout the IEP.  However, these dates may be altered if needed (example - the dates for each objective on Procedures/Criteria layouts).  For effective dates you have the option of having IEP Manager automatically calculate the dates to be one year, or you may elect to enter your own To date.  If you change this option, it will not take effect until you create a new record.  This option is available by going to the Auto-entry button at the bottom of the layout.

Please Note:  When entering dates in the 0/00/00 format, if you want a date to contain a year from the 1900s, you must enter the full 4 digit year.  Otherwise IEP Manager will assume it is a year in the 2000s, and any calculations based on that date, will be off.  For example, if you enter a birthdate as 2/17/91, IEP Manager will accept the date as 2/17/2091.

Buttons for accessing the Proficiency Test form, Transition Services, the EMIS forms, invitation letters and progress reports are included in this layout.  See Letters, Forms & Progress Reports for more information.

If you also have MFE Manager, data can be transferred to the Present Level of Performance section on the IEP, using the appropriate button.  A matching ID number must be entered in both IEP Manager and MFE Manager for this feature to work.

Data can also be transferred from the EMIS forms (CI-214) to the Summary of Special Education Services by selecting the Transfer button.

Please Note:  For both Present Level of Performance and Summary of Special Education Services, data can be entered in a narrative form and/or transferred from the other forms.  Data that has been transferred can be edited, added to, etc.

Pop-up lists are included to indicate both the student’s district of residence and the student’s district of service.  Again, you have the ability to edit these lists.  You are asked to input the date of the student’s last Multifactored Evaluation.  A date exactly 3 years later is then calculated and placed as the date for the “Next MFE”.  The date of the next review is calculated based on the meeting date.  Again this can be over-ridden as needed 

A button labeled Auto-Enter Settings is at the bottom of this layout, near the Import and Export buttons.  Auto-Enter Settings allows you to make choices and enter data that will automatically enter data of your choice each time a new record is created, saving you even more time when completing an IEP.

 

Data Entry Goals and Objectives

GOALS & OBJECTIVES:

You have two choices for entering goals and objectives.  You may either place the cursor in the goal or objective field and enter the data manually, or place the cursor in the code field, enter the code for the desired goal or objective from the Objectives Bank, and hit the tab key.  The goal or objective is then placed in the appropriate field.  When goals and objectives are imported in this manner, the student’s first name is automatically placed.  Pronouns (i.e., he/she, him/her, his/hers) are also automatically selected based on whether you selected the Male or Female radio button on page 1.  For this substitution to take place, you must have entered goals and objectives according to the substitution key.  See the Objectives Bank for further details.

The number field for numbering objectives is a pop-up menu containing numbers 1 through 8. This list is editable.

A new feature of IEP Manager 3.0 allows you to see and scroll through the goals and objectives stored in the Objectives Bank without leaving the Goals and Objectives layout.

Please Note:  You may edit objectives after importing them.  This will not change the original objectives in the Objectives Bank.

IMPORTANT:  If a goal or objective that has been input using a code, needs to be completely changed, you must do the following in order:

1.  Select the code and hit delete.

2.  Select the entire objective and hit the delete key.

3.  Type in the new code and hit tab.

 

PROCEDURES & CRITERIA:

Above each goal, is a button labeled Go to Procedures & Criteria that will take you to the corresponding procedures and criteria page.  In the Procedures & Criteria data entry layout, each objective that was previously chosen, is shown beside choices that show how each objective is to be accomplished.  Both check boxes and pop-up menus are used.  A narrative textbox is included for the Services and LRE columns for any additional information that may be desired.

Check boxes can be edited by selecting the edit button in this and various layouts throughout IEP Manager.

Please Note:  If you desire to access the Review of Progress column, you can do so by going to Forms View for the desired page and clicking the mouse in that column.

Procedures and Criteria is one of the few layouts that does not have the tool bar.  Instead, a single button is included, that allows you to return to the appropriate goals and objectives layout of the IEP.

Preview & Printing

PRINT/PAGE SETUP:

You may need to select Print Setup (Page Setup on Macintosh) the first time you open IEP Manager, or anytime you change printers. In IEP Manager, this can be found in the Script menu.  Orientation should be set for landscape (sideways) in IEP Manager and in the standard portrait mode in the Objectives Bank.

To preview data on the IEP forms:

• Select Forms View on the tool bar.

Please Note:  In IEP Manager, the Preview Mode in the Mode Menu is generally not used.

To print records:

Do NOT choose Print from the File menu.  You will not print the desired pages.  Choose one of the Print buttons on the tool bar.  You generally have the choice of either printing certain pages of the IEP or all pages of the IEP on which data has been entered.  When the Print All button is selected, you will be given a choice of which, if any, addendums you want to print, in addition to the IEP.

WHEN THE PRINT DIALOG BOX COMES UP:

• To print the current record only (one complete IEP for one student), select Current Record.

• To print all records in the found set, select Records Being Browsed (for printing more than one IEP).

• To set the number of copies you want to print, type a number in the Number of Copies box.

Once you've selected your print options, click OK to begin printing.  After the IEP pages have spooled to the printer, a window will come up allowing you to choose which, if any, addendums you would like printed.  If you have not yet entered data to these forms, you may select the Cancel button, go to Addendums, enter the desired data and print the addendums individually.

IMPORTANT:  If for some reason, you need to cancel during any part of the printing process, a dialog box will come up stating, “Print has been canceled.  Do you wish to continue with this script?”.  You are given the choice to either cancel or continue.  The cancel button should be selected.  You will then need to select Cancel again in the layout you are taken to.

Saving

There is no need to Save records.  IEP Manager saves each record that you create or change automatically.

Do Not use the Save a Copy as... command in the File menu.  It is likely you will have problems if you try to open files that have been saved using this method.

If you desire to save data to a floppy disk for back up or to transfer records to another computer, use the Export button on First/Last Page data entry.  See Importing and Exporting data for more info.

Records

TO MOVE TO A RECORD:

Generally the easiest way to find a particular student, is to use the List View button on the tool bar.  Then select the desired student’s record by clicking on the record button, but you may also:

  Click on the left arrow button located to the right of the Print button to go to previous records.  The name

    of the student will also be displayed.

  Click on the right arrow button located to the right of the Print button to go to later records.    The name of

    the student will also be displayed.

TO ADD & DELETE RECORDS:

  To add a new record, choose New Record from the tool bar.

  To delete the current record, choose Delete Record from the tool bar.

  To duplicate a record, go to the record you want to duplicate and choose Duplicate Record from the

    Script menu.

TO CREATE A DUPLICATE RECORD FOR A PERIODIC REVIEW:

Select the Create New IEP for this Student button on the First/Last Page data entry layout.

SPELL CHECKING:

IEP Manager automatically checks your spelling as you input data.  A tone will sound on questionable spellings.  You may also select Check Spelling in the Script menu to check the entire IEP, or use the Check Record command under Spelling in the Edit menu to check the entire layout you are currently in.

Importing & Exporting Data

TO EXPORT RECORDS FROM IEP MANAGER:

1.  Choose the Export button on the First/Last Page Layout.

2.  When the dialog box opens, type a name for the export file and specify where you want it saved.

3.  Click OK.

TO IMPORT RECORDS:

1.  Choose the Import button on the First/Last Page Layout.

2.  When the dialog box opens, locate the file to be imported and click OK.

TO EXPORT RECORDS FROM THE OBJECTIVES BANK:

1.  Open the file you want to export.

2.  Choose Export from the Script menu.

3.  When the dialog box opens, type a name for the export file and specify where you want it saved.

4.  Click OK.

TO IMPORT RECORDS FROM THE OBJECTIVES BANK:

1.  Open the file (destination) that will receive the imported records.

2.  Choose Import in the Script menu.

3.  When the dialog box opens, locate the file to be imported and click OK.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

To save records to a floppy disk or to keep a backup copy, use the Export button.  If you desire to export a single student’s record or a particular group of students’ records (for example - only third graders), use the Find command first to find only that/those desired student(s).

Finding and Sorting

TO FIND RECORDS:

1.  Go to the layout you want to use to find records.

2.  Choose Find Record from the Tool Bar. You see a blank find request that looks like a record without

      data.

3.  Type values in the appropriate fields.

4.  Hit the Return or Enter key.

 

MISSING SOME OF YOUR RECORDS?

  Select the Find All command in the Script menu.

 

TO SORT RECORDS IN IEP MANAGER:

1.  Find the records you want to sort, or to sort all records, choose Find All from the Script menu.

2.  Choose Sort from the Script menu.

3.  In the Field List, select the name of the field you want to sort by and click Move to put the field name in

      the Sort Order list.

4.  Add any additional sort fields in the same way.

5.  Click Sort.

 

The sort order instructs IEP Manager to arrange records in ascending, descending, or custom order. IEP Manager sorts by the first field in the sort order, then by the second, and so on.

 

TO SORT & RENUMBER OBJECTIVES IN THE OBJECTIVES BANK:

Don’t use Sort from the Mode menu.  Simply select the Sort & Renumber button on the tool bar, and objectives will automatically be sorted according to type (Goal or Objective), category, sub-category and alphabetical order and will then be renumbered in order.  This can also be done now in the Goals and Objectives layouts from within IEP Manager.

More Than One Goal on a Page?

IEP Manager can put multiple goals on one page, however you are limited to a total of 6 objectives per page.  For example, you could have 1 goal with 2 objectives and a second goal on the same page with up to 4 objectives.

In order for your goals to line up with their objectives do the following:

1.  Enter your Student’s Needs.  If you will have another Student’s Needs for your second goal, hit the

       Enter or Return key several times and enter the second one.

2.  Enter your first goal, hit the Enter or Return key several times and enter your second goal.

3.  Enter your objectives.

4.  Go to Forms View and place the cursor between the first and second goal.  Hit Enter (Return) or

       Backspace (Delete) as necessary until the second goal lines up with its first objective.  If you have 2

       Student’s Needs, repeat this process with them.

 

WARNING:  If you plan to use the Progress Chart or the IEP - Quick View, do not put more than one goal on a page.  The second goal will not show up and/or line up properly.

 

Need More Goals or Objectives?

 

IEP Manager is set up for 8 goals with up to 6 objectives each.  If you should need more goals or objectives, do the following:

 

MORE THAN 8 GOALS:

1.  Create a new record.

2.  Enter student name and effective dates.

3.  Continue entering goals and objectives.

 

Please note:  You will need to print these goals and objectives pages separately.

 

MORE THAN 6 OBJECTIVES:

1.  Edit your objective number list to include the necessary numbers (or letters, if used).  For example, add

       the numbers 7, 8, 9,  etc.

2.  Enter your goal and its first 6 objectives.

3.  Go to the next goal.

4.  Leave the Student’s Needs and Goal boxes empty, and enter your objective(s).

5.  Begin numbering with “7”.

Objectives Bank

With the Objectives Bank, you can create and store goals and objectives that are commonly used.  The goals and objectives can be organized into different categories and sub-categories.  It contains two basic layouts:  a data entry layout and a list view layout.

 

The data entry layout is the easiest way to input new objectives.  The list view layout is a good way to search for the appropriate objective to use.

 

Please Note:  A Print Master List button is included in the tool bar, for printing a “hard copy” of your objectives.

Data entry of new objectives:

1.  Go to Data Entry in the Objectives Bank.

2.  Select New Record from the tool bar.

3.  Type in your goal or objective.

 

Please Note:  You MUST enter goals and objectives according to the Substitution Key.  You have the choice of typing either “<student>” or the ~ symbol (above the tab key) any place that you want the student’s first name to be substituted.  When typing subjects, objects or possessives,  always use the masculine form: he instead of she, him instead of  her, his instead of hers.  When the student is a female, IEP Manager will automatically make the proper substitutions.

 

4.  Select a Goal or Objective from the drop-down menu.  Then select the appropriate category and sub

       category (if desired) for your new objective.

5.  You may desire to select the Sort and Renumber button on the tool bar to reorder your objectives.

 

A sample set of objectives is included in the Objectives Bank, and is meant only to show different examples of how to use the Substitution Key.

 

Please Note:  As each new goal or objective is entered, it is automatically assigned a code.  However, as you create and delete goals and objectives, gaps in the code are bound to develop and goals and objectives won’t be in order according to category.  The Sort & Renumber button sorts the goals and objectives according to “type”, “category” and then “sub-category”, and then renumbers them starting with “1”.

 

New Feature:  You can now save goals and objectives from within IEP Manager’s Goals and Objectives pages.  If you manually enter a goal or objective that you would like to save to the Objectives Bank for future use, simply select the Save to Bank button.  The corresponding goal or objective will be saved to the Objectives Bank and the student’s first name and gender related pronouns will be appropriately entered, to follow the Substitution Keys guidelines.

 

You can now even create a new objective, edit objectives, sort, renumber and select the appropriate categories and sub-categories without going to the Objectives Bank.

 

Addendums, Letters & Progress Reports

On the First/Last page layout, there are buttons for various forms, letters and progress reports.  If you plan to print the Proficiency Test or the Transition Services pages, you will likely want to input information first.  You may then print any of these forms individually or select to print them after the Print All button has been selected.

 

If you click the Letters & Forms button, you will have access to the various state formatted invitation letters and the EMIS forms.  Unlike the pages mentioned above, letters are not included when the Print All button is selected.  They can be printed individually from the tool bar, while in that layout.

 

In the Progress Reports layouts, goals and objectives are automatically transferred to the Progress Report.  Evaluation data may be entered before printing, or you may wish to print off the forms and enter evaluation data by hand, saving the need to print the Progress Report each time objectives are evaluated.

 

On the Progress Chart, you can customize the Charting Codes and Comments with your own codes and comments.  Unlike the Progress Report, criteria is also included.

 

On the IEP - Quick View, data entry is not needed or even possible.  Student name, school year, grade, goals and objectives are automatically transferred and placed.  This form can be printed off and given to those who may need just the student’s goals and objectives, and not the other information on the full IEP.  

Recovering Damaged Files

Power failures, hardware problems, or other factors can damage an IEP Manager file.  If IEP Manager discovers a damaged file, a message appears to let you know.

 

To recover a damaged file on Windows, double-click IEP Manager and press Ctrl+Shift while the file is opening.  Hold the keys down until you see the Recover File dialog box.

 

To recover a damaged file on Macintosh, double-click IEP Manager and press Option-Command while the file is opening.

 

In the recovery process IEP Manager does the following:

  Creates a new file

  Renames the damaged file.  It adds “old” to the end of the damaged filename.  For example, the file Iep

    would be renamed Iep old.

  Gives the repaired file the original name

 

VERY IMPORTANT!

You should regularly make a backup copy of IEP Manager, by either making an exact copy on a separate drive (i.e. - separate hard drive, or a Zip drive), or using the Export button and saving it to a floppy disk or a separate drive.

 

If your hard drive should “crash” or your IEP Manager program become unrecoverable, you will either have an exact copy or if saved by exporting, be able to reinstall and import your data without loss

 

 

Any questions or concerns please contact:  #tech@pv.noacsc.org 
Last Modified: 12/10/2003