Parent involvement in the education of students with special needs

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to review literature containing information related to parent involvement in the education of students with special needs. Many researchers in the area of special education have recognized the importance of studying parent involvement since the conception of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997. The law made it very clear that parent involvement in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process was critical to a successful educational career for students with disabilities. This paper includes a review of three important areas of parent involvement: creating parent partnerships, barriers to parent involvement, and positive outcomes of parent involvement. This research showed the importance of meeting the unique needs of a child's family. An educator not only has to work with children with different needs, but also needs to be able to meet the special needs of their families. This is a difficult feet for educators, as they have not prepared to work with families during their teacher training course work. It has been proven that their many barriers to parent involvement, which educators need to recognize and understand in order to promote parent involvement. These barriers are related to race, socioeconomic status, family structure, and the culture of special education. Parental involvement is important in all aspects of the education of students with special needs, as research has shown, there are positive students outcomes in academic achievement and attitude toward school and homework. The implications of this study include limited sources specifical related to parental involvement in special education. Most of the research containing parent involvement in education has been conducted in the area of general education. There is more research to be found concerning parent involvement beyond the three areas this paper has reviewed.