Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Hopes and Hurdles: Parents’ Perceptions and Experiences with Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

  • Jason Robinson, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Author) University of Northern Colorado image/svg+xml
    Jason Robinson is an assistant professor in the School of Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado. His research interests include effective teacher preparation, applied behavior analysis, and inclusion.
  • Tracy Gershwin Mueller, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Author) University of Northern Colorado
    Tracy Gershwin Mueller is a professor in the School of Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado. Her research interests are in the area of family-professional partnerships, conflict prevention and alternative dispute resolution, teacher preparation and professional development, and positive behavior interventions and supports for students with challenging behaviors.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.417
Abstract
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates parents’ participation as a necessary component of providing an appropriate education to students with disabilities. Despite these guidelines, parents report challenges with joining and contributing to the individualized education program (IEP) team as equal and valuable educational partners. We used purposeful sampling techniques to interview ten parents about their perceptions, satisfaction, and experiences related to the postsecondary transition planning process for their child. Findings indicated the parents identified hopes and hurdles when planning for their child’s postsecondary life. The parents had hopes for individualized transition plans, high expectations, and collaborative practices characterized by mutual respect and open-mindedness during the planning process. Meanwhile, parents also reported hurdles that included experiencing conflict with professionals when advocating for their child, as well as uncertainty and apprehension for their child’s future. Each construct is discussed in detail, along with implications for practice and future research.
Keywords
Educational Legislation, Employment, Equal Education, Expectation, Federal Legislation, Individualized Education Programs
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How to Cite
Robinson, J., & Mueller, T. G. (2020). Hopes and Hurdles: Parents’ Perceptions and Experiences with Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 15(1), 86-104. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.417

Winter 2020

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted January 5, 2020
  • Published February 15, 2020
  • Issue Winter 2020
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