In Kenya, the subject of parental participation has not received much attention in terms of research, and roles of parents in their children's education are not normally well defined (Njeru, 2015). Based on observations, reports and research, parental participation remains low especially in the rural areas. This paper will discuss the barriers to…

Despite a growing literature on the value of family involvement for students with disabilities, there are ongoing misunderstandings about the reasons why culturally and linguistically diverse families of students with disabilities might be less involved with their child at school than other families. This article describes a project conducted with…

The American disability service system is predicated on underlying assumptions and beliefs which are dominant in the majority culture. Consequently, minority families, such as families from India, living in America sometimes experience dissonance with respect to the services provided to their family due to their varying cultural values. As such,…

Nearly four decades have passed since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensured access to public education for students with disabilities in the United States. During the years following its introduction, there was a growing recognition that helping students, especially students with disabilities, in their transitions from…

This final report summarizes a six-year project, the Northern California Coalition, which sought to provide information and training to families within their communities and to increase the capacity of community-based parent groups. The coalition was a collaboration of three parent-directed agencies serving families of children with disabilities…

The paper presents a rationale for and evaluation of community-based rehabilitation (CBR). A CBR program implemented with 53 preschool disabled children in rural areas of Guyana found that the children's development improved significantly; the parents were willing to be involved; and parents' attitudes toward their children, themselves, and their…

Designed as an operating manual, the document is designed to strengthen the efforts between Monroe County Community Action Program (M.C.C.A.P.) Head Start and other services helping meet the needs of the handicapped child, to insure continuity of experiences for handicapped children moving from Head Start into the public school systems of Monroe…

Initiated in a large urban elementary school, a practicum was planned and executed to inform staff and parents about the provisions of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act), and to prepare them for the changes to occur as a program was indicated by: (1) the report of the visitation team (a parent advocate group), (2)…

This article addresses the need to refocus the view of the natural environment as a family-chosen placement for early intervention services. Psycho-ecological theories are used to broaden the conception of the natural environment and illuminate possibilities for early intervention that utilize community and home resources while respecting family…

These two newsletter issues focus on training strategies for developing more inclusive programs for children with disabilities and for developing collaborative programs. An interview with Dr. Barbara Wolfe addresses successful inservice teacher training strategies. Additional information in the first issue includes guidelines for empowering…

The major objectives, current and future activities, evaluation findings, and problems of the Outreach Mobile Delivery System of the New York City Public Schools are discussed in this annual report. The purpose of outreach project was to inform parents with handicapped children about ancillary services available to reduce the severity of unmet…

In October 1983 Pathfinder, an organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was awarded a federal grant to develop a community network model serving children with chronic health conditions and their families. This document describes the model, demonstrated at four sites in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The model is based on four key assumptions: (1)…

This article discusses the outcomes of a project that used a community development framework to implement change in early care and intervention services in two culturally diverse communities. It describes how community forums and parent leadership training assisted in change efforts and lessons learned from implementation and evaluating reforms.…

This reaction to an article (Bailey, 2001) that describes three potential levels of accountability for providing family support in early intervention and preschool programs, recommends helping all family members of children with disabilities, helping parents identify programs in the community, and identifying the most appropriate professionals for…

The handbook lists services for children with special needs in the Boston public schools. The first part reviews relevant laws, including Massachusetts Chapter 766 and P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Two sections review the mandates of 766 for evaulation (including referral, parental notification, assessment, and…