With funding from the Spencer Foundation, Drs. Rossetti (Boston University) and Burke (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) conductedcivic engagement trainings with parents of individuals with disabilities in four states. Specifically, in collaboration with Parent Training and Information Centers, civic engagement trainings were conducted in: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, andTennessee. At the end of the civic engagement training, parents completed short (i.e., 3 minute) videotaped testimonials. The testimonials share their concerns and suggestions for changes in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, the federal special education law).
About the videos
Dr Burke: We traveled to four states (Illinois, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire) to videotape the testimonials of parents of children with disabilities.All parents participated in a six hour training about civic engagement in special education legislation. At the end of the training, participants learned how to speak to legislators using the “hook, line, and sinker”approach (Walsh & Kuriansky, 2009). We provided sample statements for speaking to legislators. With eachsample statement, the participants identified the: (a) the hook (i.e., introduction of the person providing thestatement), (b) line (i.e., presentation of a problem), and (c) sinker (i.e.,suggestion for how to resolve theproblem). Then, the participants were given a worksheet to write their testimonies. The worksheet was primarily blank except for the followingheadings: hook, line, and sinker. Participants individually wrote their own testimonies.On indicating they were done writing, we videotaped their testimonies. All testimonies are less than 3 minutes long.| "Mercedes Soto has a son of 9 years old and he was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. She believes that it took too long to provide the right intervention to his son and she's asking for amendments for IDEA to encourage screening and approximate intervention as early as possible" | Scofield, who works for an independent non-profit organization that provides support for individuals who learn differently, requests that the federal government increase funds for IDEA so that it can help more students succeed in school. | Terri Taylor has a son with down syndrome and she wants the language in IDEA to be strengthened to support the inclusion of all children with disabilities. | Salima Slimane has a son of three years old who has high functioning autism, ADHD, and social Anxiety. Her main concerns are around full inclusion with proper support, educational placement based on disability, generalization of skills. | Jazmin Perez, whose son has autism and ADHD, request there be another law so that ADHD counts as a disability and that children with learning disabilities be taken more seriously. | Sharon Cerda, parent of two, one with severe learning disabilities and one deaf and with Brown's Syndrome, requests the fund be used to close the relationship gap between parents and educators so that the two groups can work together with children with special needs and/or disabilities. | Rodriguez's 10-year-old son, Daniel, has autism. Concerned about her son's future and knowing that the disability is life-long, she requests that the IDEA services be extended to up to age of 26. | Northern's 16-year old son is non-verbal and has autism. Concerned about his future, she requests that IDEA's services be extended to the age of 26. |