ERIC Number: EJ1220067
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0936-2835
EISSN: N/A
Reaching out to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families: Strategies and Challenges Reported by Parent Training and Information Center Staff
Rossetti, Zach; Burke, Meghan M.
Exceptionality, v27 n3 p215-231 2019
Within special education policy and practice, parents are expected to advocate for their children to receive appropriate special education and related services. However, the majority of parents report feeling disempowered to advocate; families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds may feel especially disempowered. Federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) exist in each state to empower historically underserved (including CLD) parents of children with disabilities. In this study, we examined how PTIs educate and empower CLD families through semi-structured interviews with 13 PTI staff members who work with CLD families across five states. The participants emphasized the importance of strategies such as conducting outreach in local communities and developing parent leaders among the CLD families they support. The findings also indicated that PTIs struggle with addressing external, systemic barriers which influence CLD families. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.
Descriptors: Parent Participation, Advocacy, Cultural Differences, Language Usage, Empowerment, Parents, Students with Disabilities, Parent Education, Program Effectiveness, Outreach Programs, Leadership Training, Barriers, Training, Cultural Awareness, Family Needs
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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; Massachusetts; New Jersey; Rhode Island; Tennessee
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A