The importance of setting goals: The effect of instruction and training on the technical and intrinsic quality of goals

Centres for children with intellectual disabilities are required to formulate an
Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for each student. Although goals are considered the
IEP’s most essential component, little emphasis is placed on establishing standards to
guarantee their quality. This study analyses the technical and intrinsic qualities of the
goals that teachers and therapists have formulated for children with profound multiple
disabilities. It also examines the effects of an intervention, consisting of a two-day
course for the staff combined with a monthly training session on the quality of the
goals. The results demonstrated that the quality of the goals increased dramatically
after the implementation of the above-mentioned intervention.