Parents' perspectives: A factor for establishing a more responsive special education program

• Main Author: Ho, Hsin-yi
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2001
• Subjects: Special education > Parent participation; Parents; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/2537
• Institution: De La Salle University

This paper is based on the premise that parents' perspectives could serve as factor for establishing a more responsive special education program. A descriptive-survey method was employed using a sample of 140 parents who come from 4 national schools and 4 institutions connected with 2 of these special schools. They were given the researcher-made questionnaire which dealt with parents' perspectives on special education. This research proceeded in the following phases: (1) Development of Research Instruments (2) Validation of Research Intrument (3) Data Gathering and (4) Analysis and Interpretation of Data. Profile of parents showed that they belong to early adult to middle age stage of human development. Most of them are women and fall within the low socio-economic status. A big number of the respondents resides in Metro Manila, who showed awareness of the nature of child's exceptionality and existence of special school catering to specific types of exceptionality. It was likewise found that medical/health personnel, as well as, school personnel contributed much in providing such information to the parents. Interestingly, it was noted that there is a big number of adult-aged children and those that belong to low-incidence disabilities, with regards to exceptional children. Parents consider the relevance of the child's school in meeting the latter's needs, and adequacy of materials, equipment and facilities in the educational placement of their child. Specific needs of the child, expectations of the school and teachers, components of special education program and consideration of school goals, location and achievement of students were likewise identified as factors for establishing a more responsive special education program.