TY - JOUR
T1 - The Efficacy and Impact of a Special Education Legislative Advocacy Program Among Parents of Children with Disabilities
AU - Burke, Meghan
AU - Rossetti, Zachary
AU - Li, Chak
N1 - Support for this study was provided by a research grant from the Spencer Foundation.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - With the looming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it is important for parent input to inform legislative changes. Unfortunately, parent input has been limited in past IDEA reauthorizations. Thus, it is critical to develop and test interventions to improve parent legislative advocacy. With 37 parents of children with disabilities, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy and impact of an advocacy program. Results indicate significant increases in special education knowledge and special education legislative advocacy activities for the intervention (versus waitlist-control) group. However, there were no significant changes in civic engagement. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
AB - With the looming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it is important for parent input to inform legislative changes. Unfortunately, parent input has been limited in past IDEA reauthorizations. Thus, it is critical to develop and test interventions to improve parent legislative advocacy. With 37 parents of children with disabilities, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy and impact of an advocacy program. Results indicate significant increases in special education knowledge and special education legislative advocacy activities for the intervention (versus waitlist-control) group. However, there were no significant changes in civic engagement. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
KW - Civic engagement
KW - Legislative advocacy training
KW - Parents of children with disabilities
KW - Special education knowledge
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113765175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85113765175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10803-021-05258-4
DO - 10.1007/s10803-021-05258-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 34453669
AN - SCOPUS:85113765175
SN - 0162-3257
VL - 52
SP - 3271
EP - 3279
JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
IS - 7
ER -