Date

8-6-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Karla N. Swafford

Keywords

early intervention, early childhood special education, special education identification procedures, child find systems

Disciplines

Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

Today it is estimated that one in six children in the United States has one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. There is a large body of evidence pointing to the necessity of early intervention to improve both short and long-term life outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities from both the medical and social sciences. Despite this fact, the identification process during early childhood from a parental perspective remains under- researched. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities during the evaluation process and receipt of services for early childhood special education services. The theory that guided this study was Moustakas’ theory of transcendental phenomenology as it aimed to describe the lived, shared experience of an event to deeply understand it. The central research question examined was what are the lived experiences of parents of young children with developmental disabilities in the evaluation process and service delivery for early childhood special education? An open-ended email survey, photo-elicitation interview, and a semi-structured interview were employed to develop a rich, meaningful understanding of the participants' shared experiences. Resulting themes include: a) the role of parental advocacy, b) complex emotions felt by caregivers, c) impacts of ECSE, and d) the barriers & challenges frequently faced. The publishing of families' shared experiences allowed them to have a voice and can serve to influence the practices of professionals involved in child find systems within local educational agencies.

Download

Share

COinS