Improving Parental Involvement

Abstract

Given that most parents of students with disabilities have difficulty navigating the special education system, advocacy training offers one way to aid parents in securing appropriate educational services for their children with disabilities. Two distinct models of advocacy trainings are as follows: the Special Education Advocacy Training and the Volunteer Advocacy Project. This article notes how parents may need advocates to assert their special education rights and how advocates may be trained in special education law and advocacy. Furthermore, this article discusses the consequences of special education advocacy trainings for the disability field—universities and service providers alike. The conclusion of this article describes the need for additional research about family–school collaboration.