Assessment of preschoolers with handicaps presents a challenge to assessment personnel due to the children's unwillingness to separate from their parents, non-compliant behaviors, short attention spans, limited expressive language, and other problems. Planning and scheduling considerations include scheduling assessments when the child is…

The paper reviews the effects of a handicapped child upon parents and families in terms of adjustment responses, stress, behavior and role change, divorce, economic functions, and general coping and support systems. Professionals desiring to enhance parent involvement must first be sensitive to the parent's emotional well-being and must be able to…

Sixteen teachers of preschool handicapped children were assigned to a microcounseling group and 16 to a didactic lecture control group. Microcounseling training included viewing of a parent-teacher videotape model and discussion of appropriate communication skills such as clarification, reflective listening, and dealing with parental resistance to…

Two groups of early childhood special educators (N=325) were surveyed with regard to perceived levels of stress in relation to 25 selected environmental characteristics and events. Highest stress levels were associated with salary and benefits, time management, family support, multiple responsibilities, interagency support, and attitudes toward…

Parents can prepare themselves to participate more effectively in the special education planning process. Guidelines for parents presented in the form of questions to be asked prior to and at the annual review address the need for eliciting clarification, descriptive information, and program implications, and understanding procedures, goals, and…

Black parents of children with disabilities come from a variety of cultural and economic groups; they can make important contributions to the educational process if given the proper respect and opportunity. Black parents' effectiveness depends on skillful professional guidance and on ensuring that they receive appropriate information on accessing…

This booklet for Wisconsin parents of children with disabilities discusses the processes and functions of special education. It describes steps in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team process, including: referring a child for special education; evaluating the child; deciding what services are needed and writing the IEP; deciding where…

Skills for creating an atmosphere that enhances communication in the individualized education program (IEP) conference are discussed. Among suggestions are expressing major points in a clear and nonthreatening manner, beginning and ending the conference on a positive note, and using the parent's and child's names. (PHR)

Describes the action research process and provides practical guidelines for using the process to improve the education of children with disabilities and increase parental involvement. Laying the groundwork for action research, recruiting parents to participate in the research, and involving parents in each step are discussed. (CR)

This article explores the responsibility of early childhood educators to advocate for young children as both individuals and family members, reviewing legal and administrative guidance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and exploring possible conflicts between family and professional opinions of the child's best interests. The…

This article first reviews the literature on parent professional collaboration under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and then applies Mikhail Bakhtin's notions of discourse and dialogism to accounts of parent-professional interactions as reflected in the literature. The differing perspectives of the professional educator and a…

Discusses how teachers can be sensitive to the needs of adopted children with disabilities and avoid overreacting to learning and behavioral difficulties by understanding the family, helping children learn that families are formed in many ways, using positive adoption language, being creative with class assignments, and utilizing resources. (CR)

A mother discusses her family's experience in transitioning her daughter from early intervention services to an early childhood program. Helpful strategies that the early childhood staff used are identified and include introducing families to teachers during the transition process and allowing parents to visit the program before sending their…

This article discusses the barriers that limit school participation by immigrant parents of students with disabilities, including language differences, lack of information, negative educational experiences, unfamiliarity with the U.S. educational practices, cultural differences, and differing views regarding involvement in schools. Strategies are…

Views of parents of children, ages 3-37, with disabilities were investigated. Interviews with 51 families addressed a number of questions, including the following: how they learned of their child's disabilities; the best times for the family; reactions of others to their child; what they think their child might not be able to do; and the hardest…