Effects of parent training resource specialist inservice upon parent participation during IEP development

PROBLEM: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of direct and indirect parent training and of Resource Specialist inservice upon parents\u27 participation during the IEP review meeting, parents\u27 knowledge of the IEP process and parents\u27 satisfaction with the IEP and IEP meeting. PROCEDURE: Parents of 98 children being served in Resource Specialist Programs in one school district were observed during annual IEP review meetings. Parents were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups. Six Resource Specialists volunteered to receive inservice and five others comprised the control group. Thirty-two parents participated in direct training conducted by the investigator. Data was gathered on the Parent Participation Profile during the meeting and on the Parent Knowledge Inventory and Parent Satisfaction Questionnaire following the meeting. Statistical analysis included analyses of variance and planned comparison of treatment means. FINDINGS: Findings indicate that direct parent training served to significantly increase parents\u27 participation, knowledge and satisfaction. Indirect parent training was effective in increasing parents\u27 knowledge and satisfaction but not effective in increasing parents\u27 participation. Resource Specialist inservice was only effective in increasing parents\u27 satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Direct parent training was the most effective strategy employed to increase parents\u27 participation, knowledge and satisfaction. This is attributed to advantages inherent in direct contact instruction. The ineffectiveness of Resource Specialist inservice is attributed to Resource Specialists\u27 lack of practice of newly acquired skills. Generally, parents assume a passive role during IEP development. Parents receiving direct parent training are, however, more actively involved in the writing of IEP goals and objectives. IEP meetings are typically not legally constituted because of the absence of the LEA representative. Parents receiving direct parent training attend IEP meetings more often. These parents are possibly more aware of the necessity of their involvement and feel more comfortable and knowledgeable about the IEP process. RECOMMENDATIONS: Results suggest a need to include parent training as a major special education program component. Studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of indirect parent training and Resource Specialist inservice. The parent facilitator role should be studied to determine the professional most effective in this role. Intervention strategies used in this research should be studied on other populations of varying handicapping conditions in order to determine differences in parent training needs and in parent participation during the IEP meeting