Parental involvement in the education of children with autism spectrum disorder : a phenomenogical study

Abstract

Limited research has been conducted about the involvement of parents in the education of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in South Africa. The main aim of this study was to explore how involved parents and teachers are in the education of learners with ASD in a special educational needs school in Emalahleni. The research investigation was rooted in Epstein’s model for parental involvement. Situated in the interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis and observations with four parents and four teachers in a special educational needs school in Emalahleni, accommodating learners with ASD. Only parents of learners with ASD and teachers working with children with ASD were included in the study. The findings of the study highlight the importance of parental involvement, benefits and barriers that are associated with parental involvement in the education of children with ASD. The researcher also reported on ways in which parental involvement in the education of children with ASD can be enhanced. The recommendations concluded that in order to promote academic success, the teachers and the parents need to work together. Lastly, the data obtained in this study can be used as a baseline for future research on the parental involvement in South Africa. Future research is needed in order to determine the barriers and benefits of parental involvement in the education of learners with ASD in South Africa.