ERIC Number: EJ1139781
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-May
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4669
EISSN: N/A
Documenting the Experiences of Special Education Advocates
Burke, Meghan M.; Goldman, Samantha E.
Journal of Special Education, v51 n1 p3-13 May 2017
Many parents struggle to advocate for their children with disabilities to obtain services at school. Subsequently, parents may turn to special education advocates to help ensure that their children receive appropriate services. However, it is unclear how special education advocates support families and secure services for children with disabilities. Before determining whether special education advocacy is effective, the advocacy process used by special education advocates needs to be understood. In this study, 33 special education advocates participated in individual interviews about advocacy. Participants reported that they used an advocacy process with five main stages: developing rapport with the parent, establishing clear expectations, learning about the child and the family, educating and empowering the parent, and participating in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Details about the advocacy process are provided, and implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.
Descriptors: Special Education, Advocacy, Change Agents, Phenomenology, Interviews, Change Strategies, Family School Relationship, Expectation, Strategic Planning, Familiarity, Parent Education, Empowerment, Participation, Meetings, Activism, Disabilities, Related Services (Special Education), Qualitative Research
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Illinois; Tennessee
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A