The Importance of Communication Between School, Student, and Home

David Mouri

Introduction

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) mandated that transition services should be included in every Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and should include functional daily living skills, employment goals, and objectives of study.  These mandates made teachers think about post high school goals in areas of independent living objectives, vocational training, community experiences, competitive employment skills, daily living skills, and in some cases post-secondary schooling. Parents found themselves in partnership with the school when it concerned their student’s life after high school and through the age of 21, and they no longer felt alone. This literature review discussed the need for open communication, understanding of cultural backgrounds, flexibility, and creativity with transition instructional methods could lead to a smooth transition to adult life with a disability.

Student Needs as the Transition into Adulthood

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandated instruction in secondary outcomes, including integrated employment, independent living, and community participation.  Caldwell (2007) noted that many families found themselves waiting for adult service. Waiting for services meant waiting until their child was 22 years of age. The classroom teacher or case manager often were the ones who explained funding sources on the state and federal levels to parents. In many cases, parents were faced with a long wait, and teachers had communicated this information through the Individual Educational Plan Process. Parent involvement in the Individual educational transition process turned out to be something significant in the success of students with disabilities to be successful as an adult with a disability. Kraemer, Mclntyre, & Blacher (2003) found that parent knowledge of adult services and parent involvement in transition planning was significantly correlated to students’ overall quality of life.

Test, Mazzotti, Mustian, Fowler, Kortering, & Köhler (2009) found that family involvement was a serious predictor or post school success in employment.  Wehman & Revell (2005) stated that in 1999 the Ticket To Work program was created in hopes of giving more financial resources to families. State funding was always an issue that affected this list of services, and the long-term prognosis of this list shorting had been grim. Caldwell (2007) noted that this program allowed for families to gain some financial help as well as respite care for the entire family until the state cut funds in 2007.

Teaching and Communication Methods

The Multiple Intelligences theory by Gardner gave the teacher ways to present material to students utilizing the differed areas of intelligence.  Carothers & Taylor (2004) introduced three methods of teaching daily living skills to students with Autism for home and classroom work. The first method was videotape modeling (Bodily-Kinesthetic) which demonstrated a task to students without having to actually go to a location to perform the task. This saved time and transportation issues. The second method was photographic or pictorial scheduling (Visual-Spatial). This technique used picture’s, which depicted the stages of tasks and helped the student perform the task independently. The third method was peer modeling (Interpersonal) of a task so a student could watch one of his peers demonstrate a task. Carothers & Taylor (2004) stated that these methods when duplicated in the home environment were used to reinforce the daily skills presented at school. Families modified the techniques by using family members and peers in the neighborhood to make the material more true to life. Ramirez (2010) spoke of improving communication between home and school through the use of a school newsletter, memos, conferences, school tours, summer and fall orientations for students and parents, back to school nights, and the use of phone and mail communications.

Dyal, Carpenter & Wright, (2009) stated that the 1998 Assistive Technology Act changed how administrators needed to look at the need for assistive technologies in the schools. The focus was how to bring the general curriculum to the student with a disability using technology.  ActKellems & Morningstar (2010) suggested the use of assistive technologies text to speech software Naturally Speaking, used video modeling to teach social skills, work related skills, picture technology such as Pix-writer with nonreaders, and the use of a word processor.

Family Involvement

Family involvement has been recognized as a key component to successful transition planning. Many parents have put themselves in a passive mode of participation in the IEP transition goal setting process. Kyeong-Hwa & Morningstar (2007) noted that families with limited types of backgrounds often were less involved with their student’s transition plans. Families that were culturally and linguistically diverse faced barriers put up by teachers, professionals and the community. Mainstream culture maintained that transition into adulthood meant independent living, autonomy, and physical separation from their parents. In some cultures, remaining with family was expected and was a normal part of the family culture. According to the author African American, Hispanic, and Asian Pacific cultures showed that each had different cultural expectations and norms when it came to the transition into adulthood. Kyeong-Hwa & Morningstar (2007) listed ways professionals could include the Culture and Linguistic Diverse families into the transition process. Professionals showed cultural competence in their ability to say, to think, to feel, to act, to acknowledge, to respect, and to build upon both cultural and linguistic diversity. Persons who knew their own world view, acknowledged and respected cultural differences, learned about the families in the communities, reached mutual goals between families and professionals, encouraged involvement of extended family, provided parent support programs, and sought out local community groups empowered families and professionals to lead their students to a more successful independent life. Chih-Lun Hung (2007) stated that children’s academic achievements were tied to their family’s social status and how they viewed their learning environments at school and at home. The students’ self-concepts were tied to their parents’ aspirations and the amount of parental help in the home. Berthelsen & Walker (2008) found that frequency of family to school contact fostered relationships and formed strong bonds between parents and home. These strong contacts were solicited often and parent responses were addressed often and with speed. They related that strong motivated parents fostered strong students.

The adult world of students with disabilities offered a world of eligibility not a world of entitlement, a world that finds parents sharing their joys and frustrations. Student and family participation remained one of the five major challenges facing secondary education and transition services (Ankeny, Wilkins, & Spain, 2009). Four mothers were chosen to share their experiences as mothers of children with disabilities. Three important findings resulted from these interviews. First, it was important to develop goals that prevented barriers to independence in adulthood. Secondly, communication and support from teachers was vital.  Finally, it was important to remember that transition was an ongoing process. Ankeny, Wilkins, & Spain (2009) stated case managers played a key role with the communication and collaboration between school, parents, and transition services. Case managers had to maintain honest, respectful communication with parents while they supported the family’s vision for their child.

Conclusion

When raising a special needs student, parents found challenges were an everyday part of life. When their child reached the age of transition parents found themselves worrying about what services their student would be eligible for. Teachers in the classroom found themselves’ using different types of teaching methods and in many cases used different brain based theories to get the information across in the classroom. Information to parents was just as important, and researchers were able to prove that important communication between school and home was another vital tool for a teacher to use. Family involvement was the key to a smooth transition plan for the family with a special needs student. Understanding the funding and services available to a family was the job of the teacher, and communication between parent and school made all of that possible.

References

Ankeny, E., Wilkins, J., & Spain, J. (2009). Mothers’ experiences of transition planning for their children with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(6), 28-36. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Armstrong, T. (2009). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD . Retrieved from Academic Research Complete database.

Berthelsen, D., & Walker, S. (2008). Parents’ involvement in their child’s education. FamilyMatters, (79), 34-41. Retrieved from Australian Institute of Family Studies database.

Caldwell, J. (2007). Experiences of families with relatives with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a consumer-directed support program. Disability & Society, 22(6), 549-562. doi: 10.1080/09687590701560139

Carothers, D. E., & Taylor, R. L. (2004). How teachers and parents can work together to teach daily living skills to children with autism. Focus on Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities, 19(2), 102-104. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Dyal, A., Carpenter, L., & Wright, J. (2009). Assistive technology: What every school leader should know. Educational Administration Abstracts, 29(3), 556-560. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Gillan, D & Coughlan, B. (2010). Transition from special education into post-school services for young adults with intellectual disability: Irish parents’ experience. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 7(3), 196-203. doi:ht10.1111/j.1741-1130.2010.00265.x

Hung Lun-Chiih, (2007). Families, schools and Taiwanese children’s outcomes. Educational Research, 49(2), 115-125. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Kellems, R., & Morningstar, M. (2010). Tips for transition. Teaching Exceptional Children,, 43(2), 60-68. Retrieved from Council for Exceptional Children database.

Kraemer, B. R., Mclntyre, L. L., & Blacher, J. (2003). Ouality of life for young adults with mental retardation during transition. Mental Retardation, 41, 250-262. Retrieved from ERIC

Kyeong-Hwa, K., & Morningstar, M. E. (2007). Enhancing secondary special education teachers’ knowledge and competencies in working with culturally and linguistically diverse families through online training. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 30(2), 116-128. Retrieved from SAGE Journals Online.

Illinois department of human services. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=32444

Ramirez F.  (2001). Technology and parental involvement. Clearing House, 75(1), doi: 00098655

Test, D. W., Mazzotti, V. L., Mustian, A. L., Fowler, C. H.,Kortering, L., & Köhler, P. D. (2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32, 160-181. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Wehman, P., & Revell, G. (2005). Lessons learned from the provision and funding of employment services for the MR/DD population. Journal of disability policy studies, 16(2), 84-101. Retrieved from Academic Research Complete.