The practice of inclusion, and even the term itself, have been the subject of controversy over the last several decades and it appears that "inclusion" may look very different depending upon the student, educator, and setting (Fuchs & Fuchs, 1994). Recently, placement in general education settings has become a dominant service delivery model for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), (Simpson & Myles, 1998), yet Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for students with ASD tend to be the most often disputed and often contain procedural errors, including failure to consider the Least Restrictive Mandate (Yell et al., 2003). This study represents a qualitative case study of a school district in West Central Florida working to build capacity for inclusive education. Qualitative case study methodology was used to explore (a) educators' definitions, attitudes, beliefs, and emotions regarding inclusion of students with ASD, (b) how the understandings and attitudes regarding inclusion impact the way educators make decisions about inclusion and educational programs for students with ASD, and (c) educators' and parents' criteria for determining "successful" inclusion and their perceptions about the success of current inclusion efforts. A team of educators (general education, special education, specialists, and administrators) who were involved in inclusion efforts were purposively selected for recruitment in this study. Two focus groups were conducted to engage them in discussion and decision-making regarding educational plans for students with ASD. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with each member of the team as a follow-up to the focus group. Additionally, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of included students with ASD. Results indicated that educators understood inclusive education to be a highly individualized enterprise which is developed on a "case-by-case basis" but were generally positive about inclusion for students with ASD. Educator participants articulated the characteristics of students they believed to be "ideal inclusion candidates;" students' behavioral functioning and potential for disrupting typical peers was a major consideration. Parents and educators shared very similar goals for students with ASD, but shared stories suggesting their interactions often involve conflict and ill will. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are offered.

Conventional wisdom suggests effective and timely school communications increase parental involvement. Guided by this wisdom and contemporary parental involvement theory, effective educational institutions have established systems that foster communication and collaboration between school representatives and the local community. Despite such efforts, research has revealed persistent declines in parental involvement within schools. This phenomenological study documented 16 parents' perceptions of communication between teachers and parents at 2 K-8 schools in the American southwest. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore parents' perceptions of the effectiveness of various school-based communication systems and the specific impact these systems had on parental involvement. NVivo software was used to facilitate identification of common themes. Emergent themes addressed (a) communications that elicit parent involvement, (b) effective communications, (c) regular and timely communications, (d) preferred communication mode, and (e) parent communication center. Findings revealed that both schools lacked effective communication tools, inhibiting the ability to reach students' families and negatively impacting participation. Proposed for future consideration was development of a strong foundation for parents' participation in their child's education and enhancement of unrestricted, bidirectional communications. The anticipated social impact of this study is that effective practices could be brought to the forefront, leading to ideas to increase timely communication between home and school and parental involvement.

Research has shown that parental involvement plays a crucial role in the academic achievement of students. A parent's involvement in a child's literacy development, especially in the Black Caribbean American community, is important because it helps the child become a life-long reader. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to investigate the at-home literacy involvement of Black Caribbean American parents with their K-2 children in a small private religious school. Based upon Epstein's work on parental involvement, as well as Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's role construction theory, the current study explored these parents' at-home literacy activities with their children, their perceived barriers to further involvement, and their receptivity to school support to overcome those barriers. Eight parents were interviewed. Inductive analyses, including repeated reading, color coding, and generating themes, were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed positive parental support in at-home literacy activities. Parents read to and played literacy games with their children, assisted with homework, and used a variety of materials including books and technology. Parents indicated a lack of communication between them and the school regarding what literacy instruction was being provided at school. Social change can come about by providing this information to the school staff and having them take action that assists all parents to become more effectively involved in their children's at-home literacy activities. This involvement may, in turn, result in improved reading skills and overall academic performance.

Educators and researchers have long considered parental involvement to be an integral factor in the success of students. However, parental involvement is low in many U.S. schools. Guided by Epstein's parental model, the purpose of this case study was to examine teachers' perceptions and experiences of parental involvement at an inner-city K-8 center in the United States which has had low parental involvement over the last 5 years. The overarching research question concerned teacher perceptions and experiences regarding communicating with parents, encouraging learning at home, and parents volunteering. Data sources consisted of interviews, questionnaires, and unobtrusive data. Purposeful sampling was used to identify the 11 teacher participants. Data were transcribed, coded and analyzed for various themes. The findings indicated that teachers perceive parental involvement to be important when they communicate with parents, when parents encourage learning at home, and when parents volunteer. The themes that emerged from the data were (a) the importance of parental involvement, (b) reinforcing learning at home, (c) communication, (d) encouraging parental involvement at school, and (e) increasing parental involvement. Based on the findings, a policy recommendation was developed to enhance the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) currently in place at the study site. This project could lead to positive social change by assisting the staff at the K-8 center in developing a PTSA program that may encourage parents to become more involved. Their efforts may provide a model for other schools struggling with a lack of parental involvement.

Diverse populations of students in public schools have led to differences in how the phrase parental involvement is understood. The problem at one local elementary preparatory school in urban Southern California was this varied understanding on what parental involvement entailed, specifically in school activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents, teachers, and administrators regarding parental involvement and the influence of parental involvement on student academic progress. Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and Lee and Bowen's theory of social and cultural capital provided lenses into parental involvement and students' academic progress. A qualitative case study design was used with a purposeful sample of 5 parents, 8 teachers, and 3 administrators of 4th and 5th grade students at this preparatory elementary school. Individual interviews were transcribed and then subjected to constant comparative analysis until theoretical saturation occurred. Interpretations were then member-checked to ensure their credibility. Findings indicated all participants believed parental involvement was essential for students' academic progress, but differed in their views of the term itself. Parents believed involvement was ensuring homework completion, teachers believed parental involvement should be parent's engagement in every aspect of their child's life, and administrators believed parents were involved when they participated in school-wide committees. This project study is significant because the findings can be used by the local site leadership team to create workshops for parents, teachers, and administrators to help develop a common understanding of parental involvement and the influence parental involvement can have on student academic progress.

Abstract Immigrant parents face unique challenges in getting involved in their children's education. Research is limited about how immigrant parents cope with these challenges in supporting their children's education. The purpose of this qualitative study, as reflected in the central research question, was to describe the lived experiences of Ghanaian and Nigerian immigrant parents in relation to their involvement in their children's education. The conceptual framework was based on Epstein's theory of parental involvement concerning how the school, family, and community relate to each other. A phenomenological design was used, and participants included 11 Ghanaian and Nigerian immigrant parents living in an urban city in the eastern region of the United States whose children were enrolled in public schools. Data were collected from participant responses to individual interviews that included 10 open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using the modified van Kaam method of analysis. Findings indicated that immigrant parents believed frequent communication with teachers was the most important component of Epstein's parental involvement model and that they should also support teachers in resolving disciplinary issues at school. This study contributes to positive social change by helping educators design and implement strategies that encourage immigrant parents to become actively involved in their children's education, which may lead to improved student achievement and socioeconomic mobility for students.

A school district in rural Alabama has encountered a lack of parental involvement, which research shows could have a deleterious effect on student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore parents' perceptions about their involvement and the impact of that involvement on students' academic achievement. The conceptual framework that informed this study was Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism. The research questions addressed the parents' perceptions of their role in the education process as well as the effectiveness of the district's 2 parental involvement programs. A purposeful sample of 6 parents of students at an elementary school in Grades 3 through 5 participated in open-ended interviews. Data were transcribed, member checked, and then inductively coded for emergent themes. The findings suggested that parents believed their involvement was important, as was a strong home and school relationship. These themes were used to develop 3 days of parental involvement workshops, designed to help improve participation in the district's parental involvement programs and improve family and community relations. This study may help students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community agencies identify strategies to reduce the lack of parental involvement and increase student academic success.

A pattern of low parental involvement exists at in an inner-city school in the northeast region of the United States, where 90% of the students are students of color and fewer than 10% of parents attend school-based activities. Low parental involvement at the local school may lead to decreased student achievement and limited access to needed resources and information. A qualitative case study design was used to explore the problem. Epstein's typology, which includes the traditional definition of parental involvement and acknowledges the parents' role in the home, provided the conceptual framework for the study. Research questions focused on perceived challenges that prevent parent participation, specific types of parental involvement strategies that are most effective when working with inner-city families, and potential solutions to the problems. Data collection included reviewing reports and conducting individual interviews with 5 elementary school parents, 5 teachers, and the principal at the research site. Inductive data analysis included organizing and categorizing data to develop themes related to the problem and perceived solutions. Findings revealed ineffective home-school communication, language differences, and a lack of shared meaning regarding parental involvement between parents and teachers. Identification of these challenges led to development of a 3-day professional learning series for parents, teachers, and administrators that focused on benefits of parental involvement. Implementation of the program may help to facilitate building of school-family community partnerships to empower parents to support their children's learning at home and at school.

This study examined the effects of a parent-implemented intervention on preschool children's development of letter-naming and phonological awareness skills. Six parent-child dyads with children enrolled in a Head Start Program in West Central Florida were selected to participate in the study. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the impact of an intervention package that included activities focusing on: (1) using mnemonics to learn letter names and (2) developing phonological awareness of the onsets of words through parent questioning and feedback. Phonological awareness development was measured using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills First Sound Fluency (DIBELS-FSF) and letter-naming ability was measured using the DIBELS Letter Knowledge (DIBELS-LK) probes. Results showed that five of the six students responded favorably to the intervention, increasing their growth rate on at least one of the two measures. The final child showed little change in trends across the phases. Additionally, data was collected regarding intervention integrity of intervention implementation as well as social validity, or the acceptance and usefulness, of the intervention. Intervention integrity data revealed that the majority of parents completed the intervention with high levels of fidelity, although variability across parents was noted. Social validity data indicated that the parents found the program helpful and effective. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

<p>ÖREBRO UNIVERSITET</p><p>Institutionen för beteende-, social- och rättsvetenskap</p><p>Socialt arbete</p><p>C-uppsats 41-60 p</p><p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Titel: Föräldraarbete vid ungdomsvård – En kvalitativ studie angående OTgruppens</p><p>arbete med föräldrar</p><p>Författare: Sarvin Jamei, Therese Johansson och Camilla Ragnhult</p><p>Handledare: Per-Åke Nylander</p><p>Det framkommer i forskning att det är mycket viktigt att i behandlingsarbete med en ungdom</p><p>inkludera föräldrar för att en bestående förändring hos ungdomen skall vara möjlig. OTgruppen</p><p>är en kommunal behandlingsverksamhet med inriktning mot miljöterapi för</p><p>ungdomar mellan 16-19 år. I verksamhetens behandlingsmodell framhålls vikten av att</p><p>föräldern är delaktig i ungdomens behandling. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka</p><p>föräldraarbetet vid OT-gruppen utifrån föräldrars och personals erfarenheter. Syftet tydliggörs</p><p>med följande frågeställningar: (1) Vilken betydelse har föräldraarbetet i behandlingsarbetet,</p><p>(2) vilken betydelse har föräldraarbetet för föräldrarollen, (3) hur utförs föräldraarbetet under</p><p>ungdomens behandling samt (4) vilka svårigheter kan uppstå i arbetet med föräldrarna?</p><p>Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ ansats där sex intervjuer har genomförts. Resultatet av dessa</p><p>intervjuer har tolkats utifrån systemteori och nätverksarbete samt begreppen makt och</p><p>autonomi. Resultatet har även tolkats utifrån relevant tidigare bedriven forskning i ämnet för</p><p>studien. Resultaten visar att föräldraarbete är av stor vikt, både för behandlingsarbetet samt</p><p>för föräldrarollen. Föräldraarbetet vid OT-gruppen genomförs i dagsläget via täta kontakter</p><p>samt fortlöpande information. Svårigheter som kan uppstå i arbetet har visat sig vara att</p><p>föräldraarbetet kan bli ett ensamarbete, personalens svårighet att vara neutral i sitt arbete,</p><p>förälderns egen problematik, meningsskiljaktigheter gällande uppfostran samt bristande</p><p>kunskap gällande andra kulturer. Analysen visar att förälderns delaktighet är mycket viktig för</p><p>att bibehålla förälderns autonomi samt för att jämna ut maktfördelningen. Ur ett</p><p>systemteoretiskt perspektiv framkommer att en del av nätverket inte kan behandlas utan att</p><p>övrigt nätverk påverkas samt att nätverket kan inneha resurser som är nödvändiga för</p><p>individens möjlighet till ett fullgott liv.</p><p>Nyckelord: föräldraarbete, ungdom, delaktighet, behandlingsarbete</p> / <p>ÖREBRO UNIVERSITY</p><p>Department of behavior, social and legal sciences</p><p>Social science</p><p>C-paper 41-60 p</p><p>Abstract</p><p>Title: Parental involvement in treatment of youth – A qualitative study regarding</p><p>the work with parents at OT-gruppen</p><p>Author: Sarvin Jamei, Therese Johansson and Camilla Ragnhult</p><p>Supervisor: Per-Åke Nylander</p><p>Research has shown the importance of parental involvement in the treatment of youth to make</p><p>a sustained change possible. OT-gruppen is a municipal treatment centre for youth between</p><p>16 and 19 with a milieu therapy approach. The importance of parental involvement in the</p><p>treatment of youth has been emphasised in the model of work at the centre. The purpose of</p><p>this study is to examine parents’ and staff members’ experience of parental involvement at</p><p>OT-gruppen. The purpose is further clarified by following questions: (1) What importance</p><p>does the parental involvement have for the treatment, (2) what importance does the parental</p><p>involvement have for the parents regarding the role as a parent, (3) how are parents integrated</p><p>into the treatment of youth and (4) what difficulties may arise when involving parents? This</p><p>paper has a qualitative approach and six interviews have been carried out. The result of those</p><p>interviews has been interpreted from a system theory and network theory perspective, in</p><p>addition to the concepts of power and autonomy. The result of the study has furthermore been</p><p>interpreted in the light of previous research within the topic. The results show that parental</p><p>involvement is of great importance regarding both the treatment and the role as a parent.</p><p>Parental involvement at OT-gruppen consists of frequent contacts and continuous</p><p>information. Difficulties that may arise are that work with parents is dependent upon one</p><p>member of staff, the ability of staff members to remain neutral towards their work, the</p><p>parents’ own problems and conflicts of opinion regarding different methods of upbringing and</p><p>lack of knowledge about other cultures. The analysis shows that the parental involvement is</p><p>very important to maintain the autonomy of the parents in addition to even out the balance of</p><p>power. From a system theoretical perspective it is impossible to treat one part of the system</p><p>without the whole system being influenced. The network can also possess resources that are</p><p>necessary for the individuals’ possibility to create a good life.</p><p>Keywords: parental involvement, youth, participation, treatment</p>