The individualized education program (IEP) process can be difficult for many parents of children with disabilities to navigate. Analyzing qualitative data from a national, web-based survey, this study examined parent experiences during IEP meetings, as well as advice parents have for other families participating in the IEP process. Participants…

Individuals with complex communication needs cannot articulate what they want to communicate through intelligible speech. Consequently, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods can be taught to these individuals so they can communicate in a way that is understood by others. As part of the training on how to use AAC methods,…

In order to effectively engage and be an advocate during the special education process, parents must be equipped with knowledge of the special education process as well as their rights. This article reports the results of a synthesis of published studies that explored, reported, or estimated parents' knowledge and understanding of the special…

The present document reports a qualitative study that examined the perceptions of parents and guardians of students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities (EBD) regarding (a) obtaining special education services for their child, (b) the IEP process and implementation, and (c) home-school collaboration and partnerships. Ten participants from…

As key members of the Individualised Education Program (IEP) team and strong child advocates, parents play a critical role in special education. In this study, we sought to understand a crucial, yet underexamined, aspect of special education -- parent perceptions regarding student participation in IEP development. Specifically, we asked parents…

Beginning on July 1, 2022, in the state of Connecticut, all new Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for special education began to be written in the new Connecticut Special Education Data System commonly known as CT-SEDS. This investigation sought to understand to what extent Connecticut's implementation of CT-SEDS had impacted parents'…

The world is full of parents of special education students who do not know how to support their children through the individualized educational program (IEP) process. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was designed to create a shared decision-making process whereas parental involvement is at the forefront of the IEP process. This…

American public schools must allow parents the ability to be involved in the collaboration and planning aspects of their child's individualized education program (IEP). However, many parents have reported feeling like an outsider in IEP meetings. Historically, families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds have reported…

This study addressed the experiences of primary school teachers in Türkiye regarding inclusion/integration and Individualized Education Programs (IEP). The study also addressed how mainstreaming/integration and IEPs might impact students without special needs and their parents. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological research design. The…

Previous research has shown that parents of children receiving special education services often have negative feelings associated with Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings, such as feeling confused, overwhelmed, intimidated, powerless, frustrated, and undervalued (Stoner et al., 2005; Ilik & Er, 2019; Mueller & Vick, 2019). Currently…

Parents play a vital role in supporting children with learning disabilities, but little is known about their understanding of this diagnosis. The experiences of parents with the diagnostic process and the services their children receive post-diagnosis vary widely. Parents who participated in this study reported that they understand learning…

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the central vehicle for school teams and families to develop an individualized program of instruction for students with disabilities. When school teams and families disagree, it can lead to negative results, including due process and mediation (Blackwell & Blackwell, 2015; Mueller & Piantoni,…

Early intervention (EI) plays a crucial role in supporting infants and toddlers with developmental needs and helping families understand how to meet their child's needs. However, once a child reaches the age of three, these services come to an end and families must transition to school services. Surprisingly, there is a lack of research focusing…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasizes that students and parents are equal partners in the individualized education program (IEP) process, including planning for transition to postsecondary education, employment, and community living. This is especially important for English learners (ELs) with disabilities, yet little is known…

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the perspectives of Mexican American fathers with children diagnosed within the context of the public school's special education system and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The study focused on understanding the experiences of ten Mexican American fathers to shed light on…