This searchable database contains bibliographic information for literature (research-based and policy/practice) relating to dispute resolution in special education.
CADRE is interested in identifying additional articles and publications to include in this database. If you are aware of other such resources, please send an email to cadre@directionservice.org with as much information as possible about the resource (e.g., title, author, source, date), and include a copy of the publication or a URL link, if available. Interested in emerging research and knowledge gaps in IDEA dispute resolution?
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Applying systems‐based thinking to build better IEP relationships: a case for relational coordination
This paper explores methods by which the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development process can be improved through the use of systems‐based thinking, specifically through the use of Gittell’s (2016) Relational Coordination Model. IEP development meetings have been described as meaningless...Learn more
Beyond Involvement and Engagement: The Role of the Family in School–Community Partnerships
Research indicates that partnerships between schools and neighborhood communities support student learning, improve schools, and strengthen families and neighborhoods. These partnerships expand the traditional educational mission of the school to include health and social services for children and...Learn more
Can We Talk? Using Community–Based Participatory Action Research to Build Family and School Partnerships with Families of Color
Research has demonstrated persistent, disproportionally negative educational outcomes for students of color, causing national concern in this area. School personnel increasingly understand the need to engage with parents as educational partners, but parents of color may feel marginalized in these...Learn more
COVID-19 and Students with Disabilities: A Snapshot of Legal Activity to Date
The COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the closure of public schools in March 2020 and the return from remote to inperson instruction for varying periods depending on the state and locality, would appear to be a fertile field for legal activity under the Individuals with Disabilities Education...Learn more
Culture in Inclusive Schools: Parental Perspectives on Trusting Family-Professional Partnerships
This qualitative study improves understanding of parent perspectives about the factors that facilitate family-professional partnerships in schools recognized for inclusive practices. Five themes emerged from 11 focus groups consisting of parents of students with and without disabilities and with...Learn more
Engaging Students and Parents in Transition-Focused Individualized Education Programs
*/ [Abstract] The reauthorizations of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act emphasize that students and parents are to be considered equal partners in the individualized education program (IEP) process. This article addresses how to move from compliance with the law to facilitating...Learn more
Failure to Implement the IEP: The Third Dimension of FAPE Under the IDEA
After distinguishing the development of “failure to implement” (FTI) the individualized education program (IEP) as a third dimension beyond the procedural and substantive dimensions of FAPE (free appropriate public education) first established in Board of Education v. Rowley , this article provides...Learn more
Father Involvement in Early Intervention: Exploring the Gap Between Service Providers’ Perceptions and Practices
The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine early intervention (EI) service providers’ perceptions of the roles played by fathers in services, as well as their perceptions of the barriers that limit fathers from being engaged in the services provided for families of children with...Learn more
Fathers’ Experiences With the Special Education System: The Overlooked Voice
Research about parent experiences with the special education system is largely dominated from mothers’ perspectives. This article will present a qualitative interview study of the overlooked voice: fathers of children with disabilities. Twenty fathers were interviewed about their experiences...Learn more
Learning From Parents of Children With Disabilities
*/ [Abstract] The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to examine the impact that interactions with parents of children with disabilities might have on 10 graduate students (6 men and 4 women) between the ages of 22 and 32 years (M = 26.7 years, SD = 3.5) enrolled in a 3-week intensive music...Learn more
Measuring Accessibility of Written Communication for Parents of Students With Disabilities: Reviewing 30 Years of Readability Research
Effective communication is essential for successful school–family partnerships. Written communication is most common due to the efficiency of written documents, but challenges include assuring the information disseminated to parents is accessible based on readability, clarity, complexity, and...Learn more
Parent–Teacher Conflict Related to Student Abilities: The Impact on Students and the Family–School Partnership
[Abstract] Family–school partnerships have a positive impact on both students and schools, yet they remain challenging to establish and maintain, particularly in the presence of parent–teacher conflict. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of parents, teachers, and...Learn more
Parent–Teacher Conflict Related to Student Abilities: The Impact on Students and the Family–School Partnership
Family–school partnerships have a positive impact on both students and schools, yet they remain challenging to establish and maintain, particularly in the presence of parent–teacher conflict. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of parents, teachers, and students...Learn more
Preparing Special Education Teachers to Collaborate With Families
Positive family–school–community relationships are associated with student success. Creating successful relationships with parents is an important but difficult task for teachers to master. Therefore, teacher candidates need opportunities to learn how to develop collaborative relationships with...Learn more
Punishing the Vulnerable: Exploring Suspension Rates for Students With Learning Disabilities
*/ [Abstract] Students with learning disabilities are suspended at disproportionate rates in schools. Although research has shown the ineffectiveness of suspension as a disciplinary tool, school administrators continue to use it to combat behavior infractions. This column presents a review of the...Learn more
Which Procedural Parts of the IEP Process Are the Most Judicially Vulnerable?
*/ [Abstract] To provide a missing piece to the legal foundation of professional development and practice for the individualized education program (IEP) process, the authors report the results of a comprehensive systematic analysis of court decisions specific to IEP-related procedural violations...Learn more