Parental Perceptions of Early Childhood Education Programming for Children with and Without Disabilities

Parental Perceptions of Early Childhood Education Programming for Children with and Without Disabilities PDF Author: Brittany Greer Herrington
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Children with disabilities
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Parental Perceptions of Early Childhood Education Programming for Children with and Without Disabilities

Parental Perceptions of Early Childhood Education Programming for Children with and Without Disabilities PDF Author: Brittany Greer Herrington
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Children with disabilities
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Parent Perceptions of Inclusion

Parent Perceptions of Inclusion PDF Author: Elizabeth Ann Blythe
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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This research compares the perceptions that parents of children with and without disabilities have of inclusion as it relates to the developmental gains for all children as measured by Creative Curriculum within the inclusive setting. The 4 areas of development that Creative Curriculum uses to measure achievement are social, language, physical, and cognitive developmental gains. Participants included 23 parents of children with and without disabilities who attend a preschool center in a suburb of a large metropolitan area in North Carolina. The preschool program includes children who are diagnosed with disabilities and receive services under the Public Preschool Program (Part B, Section 619) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) as well as children who are typically developing and receive services through the Head Start program of North Carolina which serves families with limited incomes. A survey was distributed to participants and data results were analyzed to determine parent perceptions of children's developmental gains within the 4 areas of development as measured by Creative Curriculum. The data from these surveys indicated overall positive parent perceptions of the inclusive classroom as it related to their child's developmental gains from both parents of children with disabilities and children without disabilities.

Equity in Quality of Special Education Programming

Equity in Quality of Special Education Programming PDF Author: Eileen Harmon Council
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
With over 6 million children receiving some form of special education in the United States, and federal legislation mandating that all disabled students be provided with a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE), school districts are facing the daunting task of providing individualized services for a growing percentage of special education students. Unfortunately, it is well established in the research literature that special needs students who "belong" to racial and ethnic minority groups and/or are from low Socioeconomic Status classes have traditionally been over-represented in special education. Disturbingly, not only are minorities over-represented in special education classification, they are also under-funded. While research contends that the actual level and quality of service received by members of the above groups tend to be sub-standard to those of their white and/or higher income counterparts, parent perceptions regarding this may or may not align with this fact. This leaves the potential for a gap to exist between what objective measurements and observations uncover and what the parent holds to be true. This also raises the question of ethics in equity of information access for those with limited cultural or social capital. This qualitative study examines the perceptions parents from various demographic groups have regarding the special education services their children receive. Interviews with parents of special needs children who are from the Philadelphia and surrounding areas serve as the primary data source. Additionally, information gathered while assuming the role of observer participant in a local support group serve as a support source of data for my study. A variety of sources were used to gather data on parent perceptions for this study. The parents of twelve special needs children were interviewed for this study. Each parent was asked a series of questions regarding their experiences with their child(ren)'s special education including, but not limited to, identification of the disability; ease/difficulty of obtaining services; design of education program offering; initiation of services; IEP implementation; and goal attainment. Several characteristics of the participants were focused on to identify commonalities among participants that determine likenesses in perceptions of various aspects of interest relating to special education services. Participation/observation in a support group for parents of special needs children, in addition to the literature distributed at that session also served as data sources for this study and that led to the study findings. Survey quantitative data, and information from limited IEP review, were also contributors to the pool of data that ultimately led to the study findings and recommendations. The conduction of a focus group was planned and attempted on more than one occasion during the study period, however, the recruitment of an acceptable number of willing participants proved to be an insurmountable challenge. One major area of interest in the study included determining if the participants believed there were differences in the special education services received by different students and if so, why. Interestingly, all of the respondents answered yes and identified eleven "major contributors" to the differences. The four considered most significant by a majority of the participants include Parental Persistence, Time Availability of the parents, the Connectedness/Access to Information maintained by the parents, and belonging to a high SES. After studying the content of all of the interviews, noticeable likenesses in the characterizations of the mindset of the participants regarding special education emerged. This commonality was so strong that it led me to give this phenomenon or theoretical concept a name - Framing Mindset. Each participant, as a result of her experiences over an extended period of time with the "universe of special education" develops a certain "casting point" where the parent's attitude becomes "set" and future decisions regarding special education programming for that child follow similar thought patterns. Thus, the parent has adopted one of three "mindsets" that serve as the "framework" from which all of their educational choices are built. Finally the study looked at the question: "How does a special needs parent's current stage of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance) relating to having a son or daughter with a long term, often lifelong disability, influence the perception of the variables (quality, appropriateness, timeliness, comprehensiveness) comprising his or her child's educational programming?" According to the responses given by the study participants, the majority of the respondents had a connection between the stage on the Kubler-Ross' Grief Cycle and their satisfaction level with special education services; a small number of respondents did not have a connection between the stage on the Kubler-Ross' Grief Cycle and their satisfaction level with special education services; and for less than one quarter of the respondents it was not possible to determine if there was a connection between the stage on the Kubler-Ross' Grief Cycle and their satisfaction level with special education services. The results of this study have implications for advocacy/parent education, professional support group/facilitator training, and education policy. First, the results of this study, tell us that a large majority of the participants believe that access to information is key to determining the composition of the special education program received by their child. Knowing this, the role of the advocate can become much more critical to both newly diagnosed parents and parents who are not well connected. Second, the literature, interview participants, and support group participants affirm that seeking out and attending support groups is often one of the first things the parent of a newly diagnosed disabled child does to both obtain information and relieve stress. Unfortunately, the participants also indicated their frustrations with the formats and content of the groups - enough so that most did not return. Therefore, it is recommended to be the most helpful to parents of special needs children through the support group venue, training for the potential facilitator and a quick survey to potential attendees to assess their interest, preferred format, and needs should occur first. Finally, the implications of information from the study for education policy relate to the both the implementation of special education law and the oversight of the implementation of special education law. All of the interviewees asserted that there are differences in special education services among special needs. As a result of this remarkable finding, I recommend that changes to education policy include a provision for local oversight or "watchdogging" of the process of special education service provision; tougher sanctions be developed for districts and private schools who fail to provide appropriate services to a disabled child or are found guilty of providing inequitable services; and that parent surveys about their home district be distributed annually with the district and private school's scorecard partially based on the survey scores.

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project

The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project PDF Author: Greg Parks
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Children with social disabilities
Languages : en
Pages : 8

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Parent Perceptions of Occupational Therapy in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Following Transition from Early Intervention Programs

Parent Perceptions of Occupational Therapy in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Following Transition from Early Intervention Programs PDF Author: Anita M. Wyrick
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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A qualitative approach was used to explore the perspectives of seven parents of preschool age children with disabilities in Virginia regarding occupational therapy and the transition from early intervention (EI) to early childhood special education (ECSE). Open-ended interviews were used to collect data from each family participant and were presented as individual case reports. A cross-case analysis revealed six common categories and four overarching themes. Results indicated that the transition was viewed positively when parents saw benefits of the change and when they were oriented toward the future. Parents viewed the EI and ECSE systems as not sharing their same perspective on the transition. The role of the occupational therapist was viewed as dynamic and shifting in response to the needs of the child, the family and the system. Lastly, communication, involvement and relationships with the occupational therapist were intimately related. Implications for the field of occupational therapy are given.

Parenting Matters

Parenting Matters PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309388570
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 525

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Book Description
Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Early Intervention Services for Children with Intellectual Disability in Saudi Arabia

Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Early Intervention Services for Children with Intellectual Disability in Saudi Arabia PDF Author: Faris Algahtani
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346118452
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description
Academic Paper from the year 2020 in the subject Pedagogy - Orthopaedagogy and Special Education, grade: 1, , language: English, abstract: One of the serious goals of the ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to have an all-inclusive system that takes care of the needs of disabled children. The reason behind this is that the disability is one of the most-potent educational marginalization factors yet can come out as the least evident to the view of the stakeholders. It is tricky to handle because the stigmatization effect tends to lower the self-esteem of the disabled children. Disability does not only relate to impairment physically but also encompasses shortage of capability mentally; cognitive, emotional and psychologically such that society finds it hard to incorporate such individuals in the normal operation routines.

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309324882
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 587

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Book Description
Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Attitudes and Perceptions of Early Childcare Professionals in Community-based Programs in Regard to Inclusion of Children with Disabilities

Attitudes and Perceptions of Early Childcare Professionals in Community-based Programs in Regard to Inclusion of Children with Disabilities PDF Author: Catherine Parker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Children with disabilities
Languages : en
Pages : 38

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Book Description
The purpose of the study was to determine why early care and education facilities are not identified as inclusive. This study compared the differences in attitude toward inclusive programming among directors, preschool teachers, and infant/toddler teachers in early care and education facilities. This study addressed two questions in regard to the attitudes and perceptions of early childhood professionals. First, what are the attitudes of early childhood professionals toward advantages and disadvantages of inclusive classrooms and how their attitudes may differ depending on staff position? Second, what are the major obstacles identified by early childhood professionals to inclusive programming and how they correlate with the child's degree of disability? It was predicted that infant and toddler teachers would demonstrate more positive attitudes toward the advantages of inclusive classrooms than directors or preschool teachers. It was also predicted that the major obstacles to inclusive programming identified by early childhood professionals would correlate with the child's degree of disability. The limitations foreseen were that the study collected data only during a specified time from a sample group in a specific geographical area that was selected for convenience.--P. 2.

Parental Perceptions of Nondisabled Preschoolers in Inclusive Classroom Settings

Parental Perceptions of Nondisabled Preschoolers in Inclusive Classroom Settings PDF Author: Erica Maine
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Inclusive education
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
The current study investigates perceptions, thoughts, and concerns of parents of nondisabled children enrolled in inclusive preschool classrooms. Utilizing a phenomenological approach and Ecological Systems theory, parents (N = 7) of nondisabled children, enrolled in an inclusive preschool classroom, were interviewed to collect the data. Results indicate that parental perspectives, thoughts, and experiences vary. While parents are supportive of inclusion in child care centers, they felt less than confident in explaining limitations of special needs to their children. Future research and development of educational programs for parents may be beneficial in increasing parental support and involvement within inclusive preschool classrooms.