Special Education Influence of Parental Awareness on Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

In the period preceding 1975, the students with disabilities did not have sufficient access to education and often received education that was inappropriate for them, Huang (2013). However, hope began to rise in the 70s when advocacy organizations and parents with children with disabilities went round pressurizing governments and even taking them to court over what they referred to as neglect of children with disabilities and provision of inappropriate education and violation of the rights provided to such children by the U.S. constitution. There was a name change of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act also referred to as IDEA.

IDEA is responsible for providing children with disabilities appropriate education and other services that are in line with their specific needs, including facilitating their education in public schools. IDEA recognized the role of parents in their children's education. IDEA's support spans through the ages from infants to children aged 21.

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP); defined by the National Council for Special Education (2006) is a document that points out the goals of learning to be attained by children over a specified period. It also highlights the teaching approaches that can be applied to attain these goals within that time frame. (IEP) is developed from a collaborative effort that involves parents, schools and students alike. Other agencies that take part in educational activities and development are also consulted. The program refers to the adjusted aspects of the educational program and takes special interest in the learning needs of children with disabilities, making it a priority. It is possible that the learner may also have other learning needs that are not necessarily dealt with by the IEP program. It should be noted that aspects of school life and curriculum do not need any modification for children with disability and special needs. Only the areas identified from an assessment process should be dealt with. The level of support and adaptation depends on a range of factors, including the specific learning needs of each learner. Learners with complex needs automatically attract a higher level of educational modifications. IEP is a useful tool that provides teachers and parents with a chance to engage in realistic and practical dialogue about the needs of learners and consequently inventing ways to develop strategies that can meet their special learning needs (National Council for Special Education, 2006).

According to the National Council for Special Education (2006), IEP is remarkably important because it allows each learner to progress along the learning curve at their own comfortable pace that is in line with their ability and potential. It is a tool that facilitates collaboration between all the parties and ensures that records are kept.

Research Question; how do parents describe the quality of engagement in their children's IEP?

Any special education program must recognize the important role of parents, Myers (2014). The existing law requires that special education providers involve parents in each educational step that leads to the development of placement in an educational set up and IEP. This is a fact that has been emphasized severally by court rulings dealing with cases of special education. Moreover, learners that receive special education are entitled to procedural and significant rights that are substantive under IDEA. These rights guarantee children to receive Free Appropriate Public Education and more significantly, the legal requirement that all parents of children with disabilities be involved in the process of dispensing special education. There are safeguards in the procedures of the program to ensure that the parents are involved in making the decisions that affect the identification and evaluation of the IEP program and the placement of these children (p. 19).

According to Underwood (2010), engaging parents and involving parents are different aspects of the process. He points out that involvement has to do with communicating, volunteering, and parenting, decision making, collaborating with the community and learning at home. Some critics have pointed out that these activities do not always result in engagement. Engagement of parents is classified as different in nature and approach since it entails building relationships, listening to and understanding the experiences that surround the parents of the children with disabilities and the teachers. It also has to do with the chances that such parents have to voice their concerns with regard to the learning and teaching activities at the schools that host their children. Engagement is often looked at as being characteristically different from involvement. Engagement largely happens within the home while involvement happens at school.

For purposes of this study, involvement of parents refers...

Parent engagement in this respect refers to the participation of parents in activities that are meaningful to the learning objectives and goals of their children with special needs. Such involvement includes the opportunity to participate in making important decisions that affect the educational needs of their children and the instructional activities needed to meet such needs.
In this research study, the parents reported at the elementary school that handles children in grades K-5 as equals with the professional teams in the important process of planning for the special education program for their children. The parents of children in elementary school expressed belief that they were sufficiently involved in the development and provision of education services for children with special needs. They reported that teachers involved in special education teaching services asked the parents questions regarding the special programs for the education of the children with special needs.

On the other hand, parents of children with special needs in middle school and those of children in high school expressed less satisfaction in the involvement process. The general feeling of less engagement and involvement may indeed be a result of poor involvement of such parents in the process of decision making and development of programs for children with special needs (Myers, 2014, p. 81).

According to Myers 2014, the study reflects a much higher involvement of parents in the early school levels; compared to those in middle and high school grades. The reason for this trend is that generally, parents tend to disengage with their children in many respects as they grow older. The cited reasons include larger and advanced curriculum, bigger schools and involvement of a higher number of teachers. These factors, including the fact that many parents are employed, and the growing sense of separation by the students, contribute to the declining levels of involvement by parents.

There are reports of parent being unable to partner with school staff in IEP meetings. The parents further pointed out that there was hardly partnership, and that there was poor communication and, that feelings of intimidation shrouded the sessions then and still do in current meetings. In the comparison of qualitative and quantitative findings, some of the parents of children in middle and high school do not view themselves as equal stakeholders in the development of special education programs (p. 82).

Conclusion and Results of the Research

According to Myers (2014), teachers and parents of children with special needs can collaborate for the sake of improving the strategies for the development of special education programs and their implementation to the benefit of children with disabilities. Literature review with regard to the perceptions that parents have about engagement in IEP meetings suggested cross purpose views among scholars and practitioners with respect to the reason why parents should be involved in the IEP meetings (p. 100)..

Practices and Policies That Are Not Well Addressed and Questions for Further Research

There is need to understand, at a deeper level, why it is critical to involve parents in the development of special education programs. School jurisdictions should refine their methods and strategies of identifying the educational needs of priority by seeking the input of parents and other family members without necessarily restricting such involvement to the parents of the children with special needs (Myers, 2014, p. 100).

Myers (2014) has a proposition that a similar body should be constituted in a school district in the neighborhood with comparative demographic picture. There is need for promoting awareness with regard to the perception of parents on the matter of their involvement in the process of developing programs for their children's education in general education environments for comparative purposes. There is need for evaluation of the perception of parents and satisfaction on engagement in the delivery of special education with regard to the earlier process of evaluation and eligibility of their children via the process that exists; not receiving FAPE is desirable (p. 144).

REFERENCES

Huang, L.-J. (2013, June). Parents' Knowledge and Perceptions Regarding Their Rights During the IEP Process. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from Southern Illinois University: http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/

Myers, S. A. (2014, May). Parent's Perception of Engagement During the Individual Education Planning Meeting. (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved from UMI Dissertation Publishing. ProQuest LLC. (UMI Number: 3622989)

National Council for Special Education. (2006, May). Guidelines on the Individual Education Plan Process. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from National Council for Special Education: www.ncse.ie

Underwood, K.…