The individualized education program (IEP) is often referred to as the most important plan designed to provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education that requires families and professionals to collaborate for student success. Using qualitative methodology, we examined four focus groups of 43 parents of students with…

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…

Legislative mandates dictate that students with disabilities are provided instruction, services, and supports needed to progress in school (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] Part B, 2004) which can be in the form of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for children three and under, and…

In this interview study, we utilize a theoretical framework that combines Bell's theory of choice sets with DisCrit to explore how parents of students with IEPs (SIEPs) experienced a forced school choice embedded with the 2013 mass school closures in Chicago. We find that a child's disability was a primary factor in parent's choices. Further, all…

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,…

In 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States redefined Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities (SWD) in "Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District." The Court's new standard for FAPE was more demanding than previous rulings. Parents of SWD are expected to participate in the special education…

This study aimed to shed light on the attributes of parents who advocate fiercely for inclusion and how these attributes impact education placement. Questions guiding this study were: What are the distinctive attributes of parents of children with multiple support needs that equip them to advocate for inclusive education settings? How do parents…

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted school-based delivery of special educational supports and therapeutic services. This study describes student receipt of school-based supports/services and parent satisfaction by instruction modalities during the 2020-2021 academic year in the United States. Data were collected through the COVID Experiences Survey…

This study aimed to understand the experiences of parents who have young children with disabilities in Türkiye during COVID-19. We conducted a qualitative analysis of semistructured virtual interviews with eight parents. We used a collective within-case and across-case approach to analyze and interpret the interviews. Parents noted difficulties…

This paper investigates the educational experiences of children and adolescents diagnosed with RYR1-related diseases, a spectrum of congenital myopathies affecting muscle function. Despite these conditions typically sparing cognitive abilities, they profoundly impact physical capabilities, presenting challenges in school environments such as…

The purpose of this study was to research strategies parents used for a successful Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting. The researcher explored the perspective of parents understanding regarding their IEP meeting. The researcher utilized a qualitative exploratory research design to study parent perceptions about effective strategies that…

Parents of children with moderate to severe disabilities face greater obstacles and challenges in life compared to parents of typically developing children. Life-course transitions for students with disabilities, such as the imminent transition from public school systems to adult life, often elicits stress-induced emotions and perceptions in…

The purpose of this study was to examine how communication between Latino parents and special education teachers influenced collaboration and involvement in the development of the Individualized Education Program in Southern California. The study used Ogbu's (1992) cultural ecological theory and Epstein's (1995) six steps types of parental…

Parent-to-Parent individualized mentoring is an understudied strategy that has potential for supporting parents of children with disabilities as they learn to navigate the special educational planning process. Preliminary findings from a formative evaluation of individualized, intensive parent-to-parent mentoring services are shared. Data were…

This document is part of a set of resources to support the marginalized caregivers of children with disabilities with inclusive education, which also includes guides for caregivers, teachers and schools, as well as templates for directories of resources and organizations to be adapted for specific systems. This workbook contains tools to be used…