Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of the Transportation Experiences of Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Enhancing transportation skills is crucial in promoting quality of life for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). To learn about transportation skill development and improve the transportation experiences of youth with IDD in China, we conducted in-depth interviews with special education teachers and parents of transition-age youth with IDD (i.e., 23 teachers and 19 parents) from five major cities in China. The purpose of this study was to explore the transportation experiences of youth with IDD through parents’ and teachers’ perspectives. Adopting the constructivist grounded theory method, three main themes were identified: (1) the need to develop transportation skills, (2) the practices for supporting transportation, and (3) the challenges of transportation for youth with IDD in China. The findings ascertain the importance of travel training to promote community inclusion of transition-age youth with IDD and disclose the helpful practices and existing barriers for improving youth’s transportation skills. Limitations and implications for research, policy, and practice are also described.