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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.2
How to Cite:
Alnefaie, M.M., & Alzahrani, H.M. (2024). Teachers’ perspectives on parental participation in the Individual Educational Program
for students with intellectual disabilities. Amazonia Investiga, 13(73), 14-30. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.73.01.2
Teachers’ perspectives on parental participation in the Individual
Educational Program for students with intellectual disabilities
Received: December 13, 2023 Accepted: January 28, 2024
Written by:
Mohammed M. Alnefaie1
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3537-3253
Hassan M. Alzahrani2
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6598-5088
Abstract
This study sought to investigate the factors
influencing parental participation in the IEP for
students with intellectual disabilities from
educators’ perspectives, while discerning any
statistically significant differences based on gender,
academic qualifications, experience, and training
courses. The descriptive method was used, via a
two-part questionnaire, with the first section
collecting demographic information while the
second part containing 24 items dealing with factors
contributing to the activation of parental
participation in the IEP for students with
intellectual disabilities from teachers’ perspectives.
The findings indicated factors that play a role in
activating parental participation in the IEP process
can be classified into three types: factors related to
parents, the teacher, or the educational institution.
This study highlighted the importance of teacher
awareness regarding the benefits of parental
participation in their children’s IEPs. No
differences were found between male and female
teachers regarding the factors contributing to the
activation of parental participation in the IEP.
Conversely, significant differences were found by
qualification. Teachers who had attained PhDs
proved to be more aware of the factors contributing
to the activation of parental participation in the IEP.
The findings of the study will provide educators and
parents with information regarding parental
involvement in the IEP process
Keywords: perspectives, parental participation,
Individual Educational Program (IEPs).
24
(IEP).
:
(IEPs).
1
MA, Department of Special Education, College of Education, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
2
Corresponding author: PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, College of Education, Umm Al-Qura University,
Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Alnefaie, M.M., Alzahrani, H.M. / Volume 13 - Issue 73: 14-30 / January, 2024
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Introduction
Students with special needs in public schools require customized education plans, which are a part of their
overarching Individualized Education Program (IEP). It is imperative all relevant stakeholders are involved and
present during the IEP process, including the creation of the individualized plan, as well as during the meetings,
to ensure the best plan is created and executed for individuals with disabilities (Sanderson, 2023). However,
while experts with years of experience are key participants in the development of IEPs, parents or guardians also
have an important role as they help teachers and policymakers know the target students better (Alquraini, 2019).
Notably, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) highlights the vital role of parents or legal
guardians of students with disabilities as integral members of the IEP team. Parental involvement, according to
Sanderson (2023), enables IEP programs to be more personalized and better tailored to the needs of the target
students by helping to identify the various needs and interests of their children. This illustrates the significance
of parental participation in the individual educational program (IEP) as it translates assessment procedures into
tailored annual programs based on the students’ unique needs. Parental involvement also encourages ongoing
evaluation and the selection of appropriate services, while actively engaging parents of students with intellectual
disabilities within the multidisciplinary team (Yahya, 2017).
Parents hold a central position in the IEP team, as they possess comprehensive knowledge of their child’s
strengths, weaknesses, learning strategies, preferences, interests, and motivating factors that play a key role in
improving the effectiveness of IEP initiatives (Alquraini, 2019). As noted earlier, the core objective of the
individual educational program is to enhance the social and personal competence of individuals with intellectual
disabilities, recognizing their potential to benefit from standard educational programs, albeit to a lesser extent
than typical students (Alquraini, 2019; Sanderson, 2023). Parents are often knowledgeable of their child’s critical
goals, making them a key source of information to share with other team members.
As with any educational policy, the development of individual educational programs hinges on organized
teamwork among team members, leveraging their specialized experiences to meet students’ needs
comprehensively (Sanderson, 2023). Effective collaboration is key to successful IEP implementation,
emphasizing the importance of fostering positive working relationships within the multidisciplinary team for
optimal outcomes for both the child and the family (Alquraini & Gut, 2012). Parental teamwork and collaboration
is an integral part of this process (Al-Dosari & Al-Hano, 2018).
However, despite the important role of parents in these programs, their involvement is faced with a number of
barriers and challenges that often have a negative impact on program success (Alquraini, 2019; Scanlon et al.,
2017). For example, teachers have a lot of responsibilities with a heavy work-load and their time available to
allocate to parents is limited, specifically to focus on the specific needs and strengths of each individual student
(Hornby & Blackwell, 2018). The involvement of parents can also cause unwanted division between students
with special needs and their parents, as they may have difficulty accurately expressing their thoughts regarding
students’ needs, strengths, and interests. Conversely, some parents are unaware of their student’s specific needs,
so their participation is not effective (Hornby & Blackwell, 2018). Additionally, some students are not honest
and straightforward with their parents, so students’ reflection of their day and their achievements at school may
not provide an accurate depiction of what is actually occurring (Hornby & Blackwell, 2018). Therefore, parents’
IEP participation may not be helpful in these cases. Despite the aforementioned challenges, Al-Dosari & Al-
Hano (2018) express the crucial need for parental involvement in students’ IEPs. Regardless of research affirming
the importance of parental participation, Al-Otaibi (2009) found insufficient involvement by parents in the IEP
of their student.
While collaboration between parents, teachers, and support providers is essential for crafting an educational plan
aligned with the student’s abilities, challenges also often emerge during the development of individualized
programs and plans, leading to infrequent positive experiences during IEP meetings (Scanlon et al., 2017). These
meetings are sometimes described as contentious, with parents advocating strenuously to secure services for their
children with disabilities (Blackwell & Rosetti, 2014; Burke & Hodapp, 2014). Al-Dosari & Al-Hano’s (2018)
study identified differing perspectives on the obstacles to parental participation, with teachers highlighting
parents’ lack of confidence in the effectiveness of their involvement, while parents believed that teachers
dismissed their contributions to educational program planning. Zeitlin & Curcic’s (2014) surmised the
discrepancy and varying perspectives of teachers and parents could be due to their different areas of expertise,
as educators and administrators are trained and highly educated on how to teach students with special needs,
while parents are knowledgeable of their child’s individual needs and strengths.
This study aims to investigate the factors influencing parental participation in the IEP for students with
intellectual disabilities from educators’ perspectives. It also seeks to discern any statistically significant
differences based on variables, such as gender, academic qualifications, experience, and training courses, all at a
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significance level of (α = 0.05). The findings of the study will provide educators and parents with information
regarding parental involvement in the IEP process, which could improve the IEP process for educators, parents,
and administrators. Enhancing the IEP process and ensuring students with disabilities receive a a supportive and
inclusive learning environment also has the potential to improve the learning experience for students.
Research questions
• From the perspective of teachers in Taif City, what factors play a role in stimulating parental involvement
in the individualized educational programs for students with intellectual disabilities?
• What are the key factors that promote parental engagement in individualized educational programs for
students with intellectual disabilities among teachers in Taif city?
Literature review
According to a study by Al-Qadi (2019), there are numerous challenges hindering the effective implementation
of these IEPs. Conducted among teachers working with students with learning difficulties in general education
schools in Riyadh, this study, utilizing descriptive-analytical methodology, encompassed 456 participants.
Several distinctive challenges were brought to light, including the absence of assistant teachers in classrooms, a
notable lack of competence among those involved in individual educational programs, and variations in the
preparation of individual educational plans for different students (Al-Qadi, 2019). Furthermore, a lack of well-
defined protocols for team meetings in the preparation of these programs and disparities in viewpoints among
female teachers and educational supervisors regarding individual educational programs within schools were also
revealed (Al-Qadi, 2019). The study also exposed insufficient familiarity with the regulatory guide for special
education, inadequate collaboration among teachers (particularly in language and mathematics), and teachers’
resistance to accepting input from others in the preparation of individual educational programs. This study, which
is also in Saudi Arabia similar to the current research, implies gender could be an influencing factor contributing
to the implementation of IEPs. However, the current research is needed, as it provides a unique perspective
focusing on parental involvement.
Rashid and Wong (2023) similarly found teachers were lacking in their knowledge, skill, and attitudes regarding
IEPs (Rashid & Wong, 2023). The results revealed a lack of adequate knowledge about IEPs (f = 3; 42%) as one
of the biggest barriers that affect the implementation of IEPs. This can be attributed to the fact that while teachers
generally recognize the unique needs of students with learning disabilities, they generally lack the skills needed
to meet their needs since they are often trained with a focus on the general student population. A general lack of
motivation (f = 4; 66%) among teachers was also discovered with respect to the implementation of IEPs. While
teachers generally appreciate the need to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, there is often a
general lack of commitment beyond basic recognition and support for students with learning disabilities (Rashid
& Wong, 2023). These challenges could be attributed to teachers’ extensive responsibilities, high work-load, and
limited time, as Hornby & Blackwell (2018) found teachers to have little extra time to allocate to students’
individual needs. However, these studies are only about the implementation of IEPs rather than parental
involvement, which warrants the current research.
Al-Dosari & Al-Hano’s (2018) study aimed to assess parental involvement in IEPs for individuals with
intellectual disabilities, as perceived by both teachers and parents themselves. The study also delved into the
significance of parental participation in the success of these programs and identified the barriers impeding
parental involvement. This research included a sample of 156 teachers and 30 guardians of students with
intellectual disabilities in schools across the southern governorates of the Riyadh region (Al-Dosari & Al-Hano,
2018). The study’s key findings highlighted the critical role of parental participation in achieving the intended
objectives of individual educational programs for students with intellectual disabilities (Al-Dosari & Al-Hano,
2018). Notably, when exploring the obstacles to parental involvement, teachers believed that parents were
deterred from participating, due to a belief that their contributions might not yield positive results for their
children. The study further proposed recommendations aimed at improving the impact of parental participation
in individual educational programs for children with intellectual disabilities. This implies teachers perceived
inaccurate perceptions by parents to be a contributing factor in parental participation in the IEP process.
Therefore, training and education to remove inaccurate views could be beneficial and improve parental
involvement. More research is needed to affirm these findings.
Tamzarian et al. (2012) substantiated the need for parental involvement with regards to individualized education
programs in their integrative review study, which assessed previous literature on this topic. Their findings
indicated cross-cultural communication was one of the primary challenges to effective parental participation.
Tamzarian et al. (2012) affirmed the need for cross cultural communication in the development of IEPs, as
bureaucratic procedures, communication styles, including both verbal and nonverbal, and cultural assumptions
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regarding disabilities and education can all be challenges in the creation of the IEP and the process itself, as well.
It is imperative that there is not any mis-communication in this process. In school settings, parents from minority
ethnic groups such as immigrants and native populations often face significant communication barriers owing to
the fact that cultural trends in local communities, including communication, are often influenced by the dominant
culture. It seems an empathetic approach is needed to improve communication and break down any barriers
inhibiting parental participation during the creation and implementation of students’ IEP. This provides
implications for the current research as well, suggesting effective communication could promote parental
engagement for students on IEPs for all students, but especially those who are an ethnic minority.
Lehman (2018) also called for a proactive approach after conducting a review study to examine current trends in
the efforts to raise parental involvement following the implementation of IDEA 2004. Their research
substantiated the need for parental involvement during the entire IEP. The researchers found parents utilized a
passive approach (Lehman, 2018). This substantiates the findings by Rashid & Wong (2023), which found
parents were not particularly motivated to be involved with their children’s IEP. Therefore, the authors
recommend parents take on a proactive approach to their child’s education process (Lehman, 2018). Conversely,
Barrera-Osorio et al. (2020) proposed low-cost, group-based interventions as a potential strategy for improving
parental involvement. This was a randomized controlled trial study that used data from previous interventions
conducted in Mexico. The first phase of the study involved providing financial resources to parent associations
as a source of motivation to enhance their involvement in school educational programs. The second phase of the
research project involved providing information to parents regarding potential strategies that they could use to
improve their children’s learning. Findings showed that the first intervention had varying outcomes, including
provision of financial resources and increased awareness among parents (Barrera-Osorio et al., 2020). On the
other hand, the second intervention was found to have a significant impact on parental involvement, especially
among native populations whose children were likely to face learning difficulties due to discrimination or social
exclusion (Barrera-Osorio et al., 2020). These findings provide implications for the current study, suggesting the
provision of information regarding effective strategies could lead to increased parental involvement. Additional
research is needed to affirm these findings.
Methodology
To identify the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with
intellectual disabilities from their teachers’ perspectives, the researcher used the descriptive method. Defined by
Al-Assaf (2012, p. 211), the descriptive method is “the method in which all members of the research population
or a large sample of it are surveyed with the aim of describing the target phenomenon in terms of its nature and
frequency without attempting to explore relationships or identify causes.” It is the most appropriate method for
the current study because through it, the researchers can construct a realistic and authentic description of the
phenomenon, analyze the results, and draw conclusions in light of the current reality.
Research population and sample
The population of the current study consists of all intellectual disability teachers in the city of Taif (n = 406)
based on statistics from the Special Education Department for the second semester of the year 2022.
A random sample of 140 teachers of students with intellectual disabilities in Taif City was selected to represent
the study population. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the sample in terms of gender, qualification, experience,
and training courses.
Table 1.
Distribution of the participants according to study variables.
Source: (Own authorship)
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The research instrument
The required data was collected via a questionnaire developed in the light of previous literature. It aimed to
identify the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with intellectual
disabilities from their teachers’ perspectives, while also revealing the effect the variables of gender, qualification,
experience, and training courses had on the identified factors. The literature related to the factors contributing to
the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with intellectual disabilities was reviewed and
employed in the construction of the questionnaire. In its preliminary version, the questionnaire had two parts.
The first part collected data on the demographics of the participants, namely gender (male and female), academic
qualification (bachelor, master, and PhD), experience (1-5 years, 6-10 years, and 11 years or more), and training
courses (5 courses or less, 6-10 courses, and 11 courses or more). The second part had 24 items dealing with the
factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with intellectual disabilities
from teachers’ perspectives. The 24 items comprised three main dimensions: factors related to parents (11 items),
factors related to teachers (8 items), and factors related to the educational institution (5 items).
The questionnaire’s validity
The questionnaire content was validated by six referees specialized in special education. They were invited to
judge the wording and clarity of items, their relevance to the measured construct, and their inclusion under their
respective dimensions. Based on their feedback, some items were re-worded and two items were linguistically
corrected. The content validated questionnaire was then written in Google Forms and electronically administered
to a pilot sample of teachers of students with intellectual disabilities (n = 20). The questionnaire’s internal
consistency was then established by calculating correlations among items, total scores of their respective
dimensions, correlations among dimensions and the questionnaire’s total score. The correlation results are
presented in table 2.
Table 2.
Pearson correlation coefficients among items and their respective dimensions
The Third dimension
The second dimension
The first dimension
**Significant at the 0.01 level, *Significant at the 0.05 level
Source: (Own authorship).
It is clear from table 3 that correlations among items and their dimensions are significant (p = 0.01, 0.05),
indicating that the questionnaire is internally consistent.
Table 3.
Pearson correlation coefficients among dimensions and the questionnaire’s total score
Dimension
Cor. with the total score
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of parental participation in
the IEP
0.937**
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of parental participation in
the IEP
0.902**
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the activation of
parental participation in the IEP
0.905**
**Significant at the 0.01 level, *Significant at the 0.05 level
Source: (Own authorship)
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The questionnaire’s reliability
The reliability of the questionnaire was established by using the split-half method and Cronbach’s Alpha.
Table 4 shows the reliability coefficients for each dimension of the questionnaire.
Table 4.
Reliability coefficients of the questionnaire and its dimensions.
Dimension
half-Split
Coefficient α
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of parental
participation in the IEP
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of parental
participation in the IEP
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the activation of
parental participation in the IEP
Total
It is clear from table 4 that the reliability coefficients are acceptable, indicating that the questionnaire is
reliable enough to be used for data collection in the present study. The reliability coefficients of the
questionnaire’s dimensions are high.
The final version of the questionnaire
The final version of the validated questionnaire had two parts. The first part included a description of the
questionnaire, completion instructions, and the participants’ demographic information. The second part had
24 items distributed under three dimensions, as shown in table 5.
Table 5.
The questionnaire’s dimensions and items
Dimension
Number of items
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of parental participation in the IEP
11
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of parental participation in the IEP
8
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the activation of parental
participation in the IEP
5
Total of items
24
Source: (Own authorship)
Results and discussion
Factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with intellectual disabilities
from their teachers’ perspectives.
To identify the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP for students with
intellectual disabilities from their teachers’ perspectives, frequencies, percentages, means, and standard
deviations were used. These results are shown in table 6.
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Table 6.
The descriptive statistics of the participants’ responses to the questionnaire.
No.
Item
No. & %
SD
D
N
A
SA
M
SDs
%
Rank
Factors related to the parents themselves that contribute to activating their participation in the IEP
1
I encourage parents to participate in planning IEP
No.
%
0
0
2.86
24.29
72.86
2
I explain to parents the importance of their cooperation with the school
administration and teachers regarding the IEP
No.
0
0
0
42
98
%
0
0
0
30
70
3
I encourage parents to attend courses or seminars offered at the school on IEPs
No.
0
2
6
46
86
%
0
4
I make sure to keep parents informed of the instructional strategies used
in the IEP
No.
%
0
5
I encouraging parents to monitor their children’s academic progress in
the IEP
No.
%
0
0
6
I conduct direct meetings with parents of students with IDs
No.
%
0
0
7
I set aside a specific time to contact parents to discuss their children’s
academic performance
No.
%
0
8
I allocate a specific time to contact parents to discuss points related to
their children’s’ behavior
No.
%
0
9
It is easier for parents to participate in preparing the IEP through remote
communication if they are unable to be present at school.
No.
%
0
10
It is easier for parents to follow up on any scientific or behavioral
observations about their children on an ongoing basis
No.
%
0
0
11
I ensure that parents participate in identifying their children’s strengths
and needs in the IEP
No.
%
0
Total
No.
%
0
Factors related to the teachers that contribute to the activation of parental participation in the IEP
1
I make sure to communicate with parents early to program a suitable
time to discuss the IEP
No.
%
0
0
2
I make sure to involve parents within the work team to plan their
children’s IEP
No.
%
3
No.
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I make sure to involve parents in the work team to implement their
children’s IEP
%
4
I make sure to involve parents in the work team to evaluate their
children’s IEP
No.
%
0
5
I make sure to clarify the roles required of the parent as a member of the
work team
No.
%
0
0
6
I make sure to use electronic applications to ensure parental
participation in the IEP
No.
%
1.43
0
7
I make sure to reinforce parents when they participate in the IEP
No.
%
0
8
I make sure to provide clear activities for people with intellectual
disabilities in which parents participate
No.
%
0
Total
No.
%
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the activation of parental participation in the IEP
1
The school administration provides means to introduce the importance
of parental participation in the IEP
No.
%
0
2
The school administration provides designated places for holding
parent-teacher councils
No.
%
0
3
The school administration provides all communication tools in the
places designated for parent-teacher councils
No.
%
0
4
The school administration provides courses and seminars for parents on
the IEP
No.
%
5
The school administration is keen to choose evening times that are
suitable for working parents to meet with teachers
No.
%
Total
No.
%
Note: SD = strongly disagree, D = disagree, N = neutral, A = agree, SA = strongly agree, SDs = standard deviations
Source: (Own authorship)
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Table 6 illustrates the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP. Regarding
the first factor, the results in table 6 show that the number of the “Strongly Agree” responses was 936, with
a frequency of 60.78%. The number of the “Agree” responses was 500, i.e., a frequency of 32.47%. This
means that the majority of the sample agreed on the total factor. The general mean of this factor was 4.53,
which suggests very strong agreement by the participants. The standard deviation of this factor was 0.63,
indicating homogeneity in the participants’ responses to this factor. The results of the second factor
indicated that the number of “Strongly Agree” responses was 580, which generates a frequency of 51.79%.
The number of “Agree” responses was 446, with a frequency of 39.82%. Therefore, the majority of the
sample agreed on the total factor. The general mean of this factor was 4.41, which reveals very strong
agreement on the part of the study sample. The standard deviation of the sample’s responses reached 0.71,
indicating homogeneity in the participants’ responses to this factor.
Regarding the third factor, the number of the “Strongly Agree” responses was 336, with a frequency of
48.00%, and the number of the “Agree” responses was at 262, with a frequency of 37.43%. This shows that
the majority of the sample agreed on the total factor. The general mean of the factor was 4.25, indicating
that the participants strongly agreed. The standard deviation of the sample’s responses to this factor was
0.86, revealing homogeneity in the participants’ responses. It is clear from the results that the participating
teachers strongly agreed to a number of factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the
IEP. These factors are classified into three categories: factors related to parents, factors related to teachers,
and factors related to the educational institution. These results emulate previous results. For instance,
Al-Dosari and Al-Hano (2018) affirmed the importance of parental participation in the IEP for students
with intellectual disabilities. They concluded that parental participation in the development of the IEPs for
their children achieves the desired goals of those programs. Abunayyan (2015) found that educational
supervisors are aware of the necessary aspects to activate parental participation in the IEP. Al-Ayed (2010)
concluded that the services provided to students with learning difficulties were satisfactory to parents,
which enhancing their contribution to their children’s learning.
A possible explanation for the high agreement of the participating teachers to the questionnaire’s factors is
that parents of students with intellectual disabilities have a great interest and awareness of the importance
of educating and rehabilitating their children, so they are highly motivated to participate effectively in their
children’s IEPs. Parents of students with intellectual disabilities participated effectively in parent/ teacher
meetings and, therefore, were updated on individual plans developed for their children. Teachers are also
fully aware of the importance of parental participation in developing the IEPs. Also, the increasing
cooperation between schools and families fosters effective communication between teachers and parents.
Differences in the participants’ responses to the factors contributing to the activation of parental
participation in the IEP for students with intellectual disabilities by gender, qualification, experience, and
training courses.
To identify if there were statistically significant differences in teachers’ views regarding the factors
contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP by gender, qualification, experience, and
training courses, the t-test for independent samples and the ANOVA test were used.
Differences by gender
No statistically significant gender differences were found in the teachers’ views concerning the factors
contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP. Table 7 shows these results.
Table 7.
The t-test for the gender differences in the teachers’ responses to the questionnaire.
Factor
N
M
SD
t-value
df
Sig.
Factors related to
parents that
contribute to the
activation of their
participation in
their children’s IEP
Males
-
Females
Factors related to
teachers that
contribute to the
Males
-0.197
Females
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activation of
parental
participation in the
IEP
Factors related to
the educational
institution that
contribute to the
activation of
parental
participation in the
IEP
Males
-1.417
Females
Total
Males
-0.746
Females
Source: (Own authorship)
Lack of gender differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors contributing to the activation of
parental participation in their children’s IEP reveals that both male and female teachers concur on the
factors. This finding is in line with the study of Al-Ghasawneh (2007) which found no statistically
significant (α ≥ 05.0) gender differences in the evaluation of the programs offered in special education
classes in general schools in Taif from the teachers’ perspectives. On the other hand, this finding is
inconsistent with the study by Al-Zahrani & Al-Zahrani (2020) which aimed to identify the obstacles to
implementing the individual educational plans for students with learning difficulties in the primary school
in Jeddah from their teachers’ perspectives, as well as to identify the effect of gender, qualification, and
experience on the teachers’ ratings. The results revealed statistically significant differences in teachers’
ratings of the obstacles in favor of male teachers.
Differences by qualification
One way analysis of variance was calculated to determine if there were statistically significant differences
in teachers’ views concerning the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the
students’ IEPs by qualification. These results are presented in tables 8 and 9.
Table 8.
The teachers’ responses to the questionnaire by qualification
Factor
N
M
SD
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of their
participation in their children’s IEPs
Bachelor
MA
PhD
Total
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of parental
participation in children’s IEPs
Bachelor
MA
PhD
Total
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the
activation of parental participation in children’s IEPs
Bachelor
MA
PhD
Total
The Total Questionnaire
Bachelor
MA
PhD
Total
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Table 9.
The ANOVA test for differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors contributing to the activation
of parental participation in the IEP by qualification.
Factors
Sum of squares
Df
Mean squares
f-value
Sig.
Factors related to
parents that
contribute to the
activation of their
participation in
their children’s
IEPs
Between groups
Within groups
Total
Factors related to
teachers that
contribute to the
activation of
parental
participation in
children’s IEPs
Between groups
Within groups
Total
Factors related to
the educational
institution that
contribute to the
activation of
parental
participation in the
IEPs
Between groups
Within groups
Total
The total
questionnaire
Between groups
Within groups
Total
Source: (Own authorship)
From table 9, it is clear that the means of PhD holders were higher than those of bachelor and MA holders.
It is also clear that there were statistically significant differences (p = 0.05) in the second factor, i.e., factors
related to teachers, where the f-value was 3.11 at a significance level of 0.048. Furthermore, there were
statistically significant differences in the third dimension, i.e., factors related to the educational institution
where the f-value was 3.34 at a significance level of 0.039. The results also indicated that there were no
statistically significant differences (p = 0.05) in the first dimension, i.e., factors related to the parents. Also,
no statistically significant (p = 0.05) differences were found in the questionnaire as a whole.
To determine the direction of differences in the second and third factors, the LSD test was used. These
results are shown in table 10.
Table 10.
The LSD test for differences in teachers’ views concerning the second and the third factors by
qualification.
Variables
Mean difference
Sig.
Factors related to teachers that
contribute to the activation of
parental participation in
children’s IEPs
BC
MA
PhD
MA
BC
PhD
PhD
BC
MA
Factors related to the
educational institution that
contribute to the activation of
parental participation in the
IEPs
BC
MA
PhD
MA
BC
PhD
PhD
BC
MA
Source: (Own authorship)
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As shown in table 10, differences in the second dimension (factors related to teachers) were in favor of PhD
holders. The difference between the means of the PhD and bachelor holders was 5.07692, which is
statistically significant (p = 0.020). Similarly, differences in the third dimension (factors related to the
educational institution) were in favor of PhD holders. The difference between the means of the PhD and
bachelor holders was 3.69231, which is statistically significant (p = 0.020).
This study’s finding of lack of statistically significant differences in the factors related to parents that
contribute to the activation of their participation in their children’s IEPs by qualification is in line with the
study of Al-Ayed (2010) which did not find any significant differences in the level of parents’ satisfaction
with the services provided by the resource rooms for their children with learning difficulties. However, it
conflicted with the study by Al-Zahrani and Al-Zahrani (2020), which found no statistically significant
differences in teachers’ views regarding the obstacles to applying the individual educational plan for
elementary school students with learning difficulties by qualification. Al-Otaibi (2009) found a general
satisfaction, although not high, with the services provided to students with special needs in special
education institutes and programs. Contrary to the results of the current study, satisfaction clearly varied
according to the educational level of the parents.
This study’s finding that there were statistically significant differences in the factors related to the teacher
and the educational institution that contribute to the activation of parental participation in their children’s
IEPs in favor of PhD holders did not concur with the study of Al-Ghasawneh (2007) which found no
statistically significant differences in teachers’ evaluation of the programs offered in special education
classes in general schools in Taif by qualification. Likewise, the study of Al-Rashidi and Al-Najjar (2015)
contradicted the current study in that it reported no statistically significant differences in teachers’
assessment of the efficiency and obstacles to planning and implementing the IEP by the educational status.
Differences by experience
To identify if there were statistically significant differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors
contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP by experience, the ANOVA test was used.
These results are shown in tables 11 and 12.
Table 11.
The descriptive statistics of the teachers’ responses to the questionnaire by experience.
Factor Experience
N
M
SD
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of their
participation in their children’s IEPs
1-5 years
6-10 years
≥ 11 years
Total
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of
parental participation in children’s IEPs
1-5 years
6-10 years
≥ 11 years
Total
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the
activation of parental participation in children’s IEPs
1-5 years
6-10 years
≥ 11 years
Total
The Total Questionnaire
1-5 years
6-10 years
≥ 11 years
Total
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Table 12.
The ANOVA test for differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors contributing to the
activation of parental participation in the IEP by experience.
Factors
Sum of squares
df
Mean squares
f-value
Sig.
Factors related to
parents that
contribute to the
activation of their
participation in
their children’s
IEPs
Between
groups
Within
groups
Total
Factors related to
teachers that
contribute to the
activation of
parental
participation in
children’s IEPs
Between
groups
Within
groups
Total
Factors related to
the educational
institution that
contribute to the
activation of
parental
participation in the
IEPs
Between
groups
Within
groups
Total
The total
questionnaire
Between
groups
Within
groups
Total
Source: (Own authorship)
From the data in table 11, it is clear that the mean score of the teachers with 6-10 years of experience was
higher than the mean scores of teachers with 1-5 years of experience and of 11 years or more in the third
dimension (factors related to the educational institution). The difference was statistically significant (F =
3.72, p = 0.41).
The results revealed no statistically significant differences (p = 0.05) in the first dimension (factors related
to the parents) and the second dimension (factors related to the teacher) by experience. Similarly, no
statistically significant differences were found for the questionnaire as a whole.
To determine the direction of differences for the third dimension, the LSD test was used, and the results
were as shown in the following table.
The results of the LSD test in table 13 indicate that the differences in the third dimension (factors related
to the educational institution) were in favor of teachers with 6-10 years of experience. The difference
between the means of teachers with 6-10 years of experience and those with 11 or more years of experience
was 1.55935. It was statistically significant (p = 0.022) in favor of teachers with experience from 6-10
years.
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Table 13.
The LSD test for differences in teachers’ views concerning the second and the third factors by experience.
Source: (Own authorship)
The lack of differences in the factors related to parents and teachers by experience concurred with the study
of Al-Zahrani and Al-Zahrani (2020) that aimed to identify the obstacles to implementing the individual
educational plans for students with learning difficulties in the primary school in Jeddah Governorate from
their teachers’ perspectives, as well as to identify the effect of gender, qualification, and experience on the
teachers’ ratings. The results revealed no statistically significant differences in teachers’ ratings of the
obstacles by experience. The result of the current study also concurred with the study of Al-Rashidi and
Al-Najjar (2015) where no statistically significant differences were found in the teachers’ assessment of
the efficiency and the obstacles to planning and implementing the IEP by experience.
Differences by training courses
To determine if there were statistically significant differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors
contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP by the number of training courses, the
ANOVA test was used. These results are presented in table 14 and 15.
Table 14.
The descriptive statistics of the teachers’ responses to the questionnaire by training.
Factor No. of courses
N
M
SD
Factors related to parents that contribute to the activation of their
participation in their children’s IEPs
≤ 5 courses
6-10 courses
≥ 11 courses
Total
Factors related to teachers that contribute to the activation of
parental participation in children’s IEPs
≤ 5 courses
6-10 courses
≥ 11 courses
Total
Factors related to the educational institution that contribute to the
activation of parental participation in children’s IEPs
≤ 5 courses
6-10 courses
≥ 11 courses
Total
The Total Questionnaire
≤ 5 courses
6-10 courses
≥ 11 courses
Total
Source: (Own authorship)
Variables
Mean difference
Sig.
Factors related to the
educational institution that
contribute to the activation of
parental participation in the
IEPs
1-5 years
1-5 years
-1.56
6-10 years
-0.41
≥ 11 years
6-10 years
1-5 years
≥ 11 years
≥ 11 years
1-5 years
-1.15
6-10 years
1.55935-
*
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Table 15.
The ANOVA test for differences in the teachers’ views concerning the factors contributing to the
activation of parental participation in the IEP by training
Factors
Sum of squares
df
Mean squares
f-value
Sig.
Factors related to
parents that contribute to
the activation of their
participation in their
children’s IEPs
Between
groups
Within groups
Total
Factors related to
teachers that contribute
to the activation of
parental participation in
children’s IEPs
Between
groups
Within groups
Total
Factors related to the
educational institution
that contribute to the
activation of parental
participation in the IEPs
Between
groups
Within groups
Total
The total questionnaire
Between
groups
Within groups
Total
Source: (Own authorship)
As listed in table 15, there were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.05) in the dimensions of the
questionnaire and in the questionnaire as a whole. That is, the number of training courses did not affect
teachers’ views regarding the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP.
The results could be attributed to teachers’ awareness of the importance of parental participation and the
importance of communicating with them regarding the IEP for students with intellectual disabilities.
Teachers who had attained PhDs proved to be more aware of the importance of the role of the teacher and
the educational institution in getting parents to contribute to IEPs. Those teachers with PhDs also seemed
more familiar with scientific research that emphasizes the need for the teacher to be a link between school
and families, and that educational institutions serving students with intellectual disabilities should keep
communicating with families in order to achieve the goals of IEPs for students with intellectual disabilities.
Teachers with 6-10 years of experience seemed to spend much more time and be more involved in the
education of students with intellectual disabilities compared with other teachers, They seemed to be more
aware of the importance and role of the educational institution in getting parents to contribute to the IEP.
The number of training courses teachers participated in did not affect teachers’ views on the factors
contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP. It seems that teachers’ views on the factors
are similar regardless of whether they have extra training. It is worth noting that the researchers could not
find a previous study addressing the effect of scientific courses on increasing the participation of parents in
preparing and implementing the IEP for their children.
Conclusions
The results of the study revealed factors that contribute to the activation of parental participation in the IEP.
These factors are classified into three types: factors related to parents, factors related to the teacher, and
factors related to the educational institution. This study highlighted the importance of teacher awareness
regarding the benefits of parental participation in their children’s IEPs. No differences were found between
male and female teachers regarding the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the
IEP. Conversely, significant differences were found by qualification. Teachers who had attained PhDs
proved to be more aware of the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP.
In light of the results, the researchers recommend placing considerable attention to activating the
participation of parents in the IEPs for students with intellectual disabilities. Parents should participate in
planning, implementing, and evaluating the IEPs. Educational institutions serving students with disabilities
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should strengthen their communication with families, by encouraging parents to visit schools and cooperate
with them to help achieve the goals of the IEPs. There should be continuous dialogue between the school
and parents. Institutions should inform parents of the challenges regarding the education of students with
intellectual disabilities. Parents should get involved in schools’ advisory committees. The researchers could
not find previous studies confirming or negating the effect of the number of training courses on teachers’
views on the factors contributing to the activation of parental participation in the IEP, so the researchers
suggest conducting more studies on the importance of the academic attainment of parents and teachers in
activating parental participation in implementing the IEP.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the teachers for their participation.
Funding details
This work was not supported by any association.
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