The McGill Action Planning System (MAPS): A Strategy for Building the Vision

The McGill Action Planning System (MAPS) is a planning process that places primary emphasis on the integral involvement of learners with disabilities in the school community (i.e., regular classes and other typical school environments and activities). The seven key questions that comprise the MAPS process provide a structure that assists teams of adults and children to creatively dream, scheme, plan, and produce results that will further the inclusion of individual children with labels into the activities, routines, and environments of their same-age peers in their school community. This article provides a detailed description of the MAPS process, including the structure used, content covered, and the underlying assumptions of the process. An example of MAPS planning for an elementary age child with severe disabilities is provided, along with suggested modifications that have been used for secondary age students. The final discussion addresses practical considerations for using MAPS, including how it complements an ecological approach to curriculum development and areas requiring further development and evaluation.