Historic Roles Web Lecture

Historical and Current Roles of Families and Parents : 

Historical and Current Roles of Families and Parents Families of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Hollie Gabler Filce, Ph.D. NOTE: Press the space bar to begin this lecture AND to advance from slide to slide.

Before Viewing this Lecture : 

Before Viewing this Lecture Make sure you have read Chapter 1 Print the handouts on “Historical and Current Roles of Families” if you want.

Parents as… : 

Parents as… The source of their child’s disability. Organization members. Service developers. Recipients of professionals’ decisions. Teachers. Political advocates. Educational decision makers. Collaborators.

Families as the Cause of Disability : 

Families as the Cause of Disability Family studies (in eugenics in the late 1800’s) claimed to prove that a single feeble-minded ancestor could (and did) result in generations of poverty-stricken and degenerate offspring. Eugenicists believed that poverty was no more than a manifestation of inner degeneracy. "It is impossible to calculate what even one feeble-minded woman may cost the public, when her vast possibilities for evil as a producer of paupers and criminals, through an endless line of descendants is considered.“ http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45/034.html

Nature vs. Nurture : 

Nature vs. Nurture Nature… Eugenics movement advocates restricting marriages, forced sterilization, and sometimes infanticide. Nurture… Parental behavior was at one time thought to cause mental retardation, autism, and other intellectual disabilities.

“Cause” vs. “Source” : 

“Cause” vs. “Source” Genetic disabilities can sometimes be traced to the DNA of parents (i.e., cystic fibrosis) Drug and alcohol use when pregnant can cause certain disabilities (i.e., fetal alcohol syndrome)

Parents as Organization Members : 

Parents as Organization Members Formed to advocate and/or provide services. Typically consist of white, middle class parents. Some are federally funded… Parent Training and Information Centers Community Parent Resource Centers

Parents as Organization Members : 

Parents as Organization Members Some parent-founded organizations include: United Cerebral Palsy Association The Arc Federation of Families

Parents as Service Developers : 

Parents as Service Developers Parents have been the driving force for getting services and programs for their children through Creating public awareness Raising money Operating services Advocacy

Parents as Recipients ofProfessionals’ Decisions : 

Parents as Recipients ofProfessionals’ Decisions Professionals who assume they know what is best create barriers to successful interactions. It is especially critical to be aware of the views of various cultural groups regarding professional advice and interaction.

What’s Really Going On? : 

What’s Really Going On? Parents report that their experiences with school-family partnerships consist of their being informed of educational decisions rather than included in them (Giangreco et al., 1991).

Parents as Teachers : 

Parents as Teachers Influenced by evidence that family environment influences child intelligence. Most traditionally mothers have been the recipients of ‘training’ to teach their children. Early childhood education emphasizes parents as teachers.

Parents as Political Advocates : 

Parents as Political Advocates PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1972) Education of all Handicapped Children Act (1974) (This act is now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) New York ARC v. Rockefeller (Willowbrook Case) 1972

Parents as Decision Makers : 

Parents as Decision Makers Parental involvement mandated by IDEA Required involvement vs. REAL involvement

Are Parents Decision Makers? : 

Are Parents Decision Makers? Studies show that less than 50 percent of parents attend IEP meetings, the cornerstone of parent-school collaboration for students with disabilities (Lytle, 1992; Singer & Butler, 1992; Sontag & Schacht, 1994).

Families as Collaborators : 

Families as Collaborators Family participation in education is more important to student success than family income or education. This is true whether the family is rich or poor, whether the parents finished high school or not, or whether the child is in preschool or in the upper grades.

Barriers to Collaboration : 

Barriers to Collaboration Attitudes of service providers Unequal relationships and power Failure to recognize the strengths and needs of families

Ways to Facilitate Collaboration : 

Ways to Facilitate Collaboration View parents as equal partners and collaborators in needs assessment, planning, and evaluation. Expect and support active roles for families. Recognize all family members.

End of Lecture : 

End of Lecture Remember that you should have also viewed the lectures on People First and Definitions. Please also remember to begin participating in the discussion area (under “Communication”).