Author(s): Robyn S. Hess, Amy M. Molina, Elizabeth B. Kozleski
Published: 2006 in British Journal of Special Education
URL to article
Research Focus Area: Asset-based best practices for serving students with disabilities/students in special ed
Abstract:
When a family finds out their child has a disability, they enter the world of special education which has its own terminology, rules, settings and personnel. In addition to grappling with the meaning of their child’s special needs, families are also thrown into the role of principle advocate for their child. The research study reported here presents the findings from focus groups conducted in the United States of America with 27 diverse families on their efforts to obtain the best educational outcomes for their children. In this article, Robyn Hess, Amy Molina and Elizabeth Kozleski bring their collective past experiences, as a school psychologist, bilingual counsellor and special education teacher respectively to bear on this topic and frame the issue from a systemic perspective. They argue that engaging in conversation with families around their needs, as well as assisting them in their efforts to advocate for their child, is the first step in creating more equal partnerships between parents of children with special needs and educational professionals.
Research Question(s):
How can professionals use critical conversations and a systems approach to build equal partnerships between guardians and educational professionals?
Methods:
Interview
Setting:
Urban school district in the American Southwest with a high population of students of color and Spanish speaking guardians
Key Findings:
The interviews and analysis from the focus groups produced three overarching themes relating to guardians, teachers and schools. First, for guardians there was a division between passive compliance with educational decisions and learning to become an advocate for one’s child. The second theme related to teachers and their dual role as an expert and as the family’s source of support. The third theme reflected the organization and climate of the school in relation to addressing the needs of families. Across the analysis, it was clear that guardians desired more support on how to advocate for their child. This includes more information about the polices, system and terms that affect their family as well as guidance on how to create positive change for their child.
Implications:
These findings suggest a systems level approach to psychoeducation and relationship building between educators and caregivers. Rather than solely providing clinical information about a child’s disability, this paper suggests that parents may desire support in becoming advocates for their child. Additionally, this paper has implications for how that can be done in a modality that has both educational and emotional supportive elements (e.g. a group for guardians that is a support group as well as educational group).
Limitations:
The focus groups illuminated the need for educators to support guardians navigate the complex web of federal, state and school-level polices that affect their child and assist guardians in becoming advocates for their child. While the paper reflected this in relation to families of color and Spanish speaking families, no specific strategies were explored.