Student and Parent IEP Collaboration: A Comparison across School Settings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed across rural, urban, and suburban environments when special education teachers reported perceived levels of student and parent involvement and participation during IEP meetings. The investigators surveyed special education teachers (N = 159) across a Southwest state and applied log linear analyses to show possible differences in groups. Special education teachers in rural environments reported significantly higher rates of parent and student involvement and participation in IEP meetings than their counterparts in urban and suburban environments. Results are discussed and suggestions and implications for practitioners are provided.