Parent Perceptions of Online School Support for Children with Disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Students with disabilities and their parents face additional challenges in any educational environment, but little previous research maps these challenges in a online schools. The purpose of this study was to understand parent perceptions of IDEA implementation for children with disabilities during the transition to fully online schooling. Specifically, the study focused on special education services and the preparation parents received for their new roles as on-site mentors. Multiple research strategies were used, including a survey of 58 parents and individual interviews with 15 respondents of those surveys. Findings of this study suggest that a generally welcoming demeanor of online school staff is integral to parent perceptions of the quality of the transition. However, two issues from the findings of this study raise concerns about state policies and local providers. First, students are losing many special education services without replacements appropriate to the online setting and, second, parents lack understandings about their changing roles when they enroll their children in online schools.