Whilst there has been a lot of research on learners with physical, hearing and visual disabilities in Kenya, not much research has focused on learners with intellectual disabilities. The research from which this paper is drawn ventured into a relatively less researched area, namely, parental involvement in the education of learners with intellectual disabilities in Kenya. This paper presents partial findings of an in-depth phenomenological investigation into the state of parental involvement in the education of learners with intellectual disabilities in Kenya. The study was guided by Jane Epstein’s parental involvement postulates. Cluster, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were utilized to select 24 parents. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analysed with the help of Atlas.ti software package. The findings revealed that parents of learners with intellectual disabilities provided a safe home environment, transported their children to school, managed their children’s behaviour and provided, albeit to a given extent, learning resources and subsistence. However, weighed against Jane Epstein’s components of Parental Involvement, the involvement fell short of expectations, and even more so, as concerns learners with intellectual disabilities. From the findings, parents did not get involved in their children’s school activities, did not expose them to educational environments, they did not volunteer at school or provide sufficient learning resources/subsistence, they did not enlist as members of school committees and associations, and they did not engage in communication with the school to enquire about their children’s academic progress and well- being.
Cite this paper
Oranga, J. , Obuba, E. , Sore, I. and Boinett, F. (2022). Parental Involvement in the Education of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in Kenya. Open Access Library Journal, 9, e8542. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1108542.
Meadan, H., Ostrosky, M.M., Zaghlawan, H.Y., et al. (2009) Promoting the Social and Communicative Behavior of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review of Parent-Implemented Intervention Studies. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 29, 90-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121409337950
Dunlap, G., Ester, T., Langhans, S. and Fox, L. (2006) Functional Communication Training with Toddlers in Home Environments. Journal of Early Intervention, 28, 81-96. https://doi.org/10.1177/105381510602800201
Meadan, H., Angell, M.E., Stoner, J.B. and Daczewitz, M. (2014) Parent-Implemented Social Pragmatic Communication Intervention: A Pilot Study. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 29, 95-110.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357613517504
Hsieh, K., Rimmer, J. and Heller, T. (2012) Prevalence of Falls and Risk Factors in Adults with Intellectual Disability. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 117, 442-454. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-117.6.442
Kurani, D., Nerurkar, A., Miranda, L., Jawadwala, F. and Prabhulkar, D. (2009) Impact of Parents’ Involvement and Engagement in a Learning Readiness Programme for Children with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability and Complex Needs in India. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 13, 269-289.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1744629509355751
Roberts, M.Y. and Kaiser, A.P. (2011) The Effectiveness of Parent-Implemented Language Interventions: A Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Speech-Language Patholo- gy, 20, 180-199. https://doi.org/10.1044/1058-0360(2011/10-0055)
Emerson, L., Fear, J., Fox, S. and Sanders, E. (2012) Parental Engagement in Learning and Schooling: Lessons from Research. Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) for the Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau, Canberra.
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disability (2010) Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports. 11th Edition, the AAIDD Ad Hoc Committee on Terminology and Classification, Washington D.C.
Ke, X. and Liu, J. (2012) Intellectual Disability. In: Rey, J.M., Ed., IACAPAP e-Textbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, Geneva.
Haworth, E.J.N., Tumbahangphe, K.M., Costello, A., et al. (2017) Prenatal and Perinatal Risk Factors for Disability in a Rural Nepali Birth Cohort. BMJ Global Health, 2, e000312. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000312
American Association on Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) (2010) Intellectual Disability: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports. AAIDD, Wash- ington D.C.
Groce, N., Kett, M., Lang, R. and Trani, J.F. (2011) Disability and Poverty: The Need for a More Understanding of Implications for Development Policy and Practice. Third World Quarterly, 32, 1493-1513. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2011.604520
Luckasson, R. and Schalock, R.L. (2013) Defining and Applying a Functionality Approach to Intellectual Disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 57, 657-668.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01575.x
Gutman, L.M. and McLoyd, V.C. (2006) Parents’ Management of Their Children’s Education within the Home, at School, and in the Community: An Examination of High-Risk African-American Families. Urban Review, 32, 1-24.
Epstein, J.L. (2005) School-Initiated Family and Community Partnerships. In: Erb, T., Ed., This We Believe in Action: Implementing Successful Middle Level Schools, National Middle School Association, Westerville, OH, 77-96.
Oranga, J., Obuba, E. and Boinett, F. (2022) Barriers to Parental Involvement in the Education of Learners with Intellectual Disabilities. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 10, 410-423. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2022.102029
El Nokali, N.E., Bachman, H.J. and Votruba-Drzal, E. (2010) Parent Involvement and Children’s Academic and Social Skills in Elementary School. Child Development, 81, 988-1005. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01447.x
Duch, H. (2005) Redefining Parent Involvement in Head Start: A Two-Generation Approach. Early Child Development and Care, 175, 23-35.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443042000206237
Sheldon, S.B. and Epstein, J.L. (2005) Involvement Counts: Family and Community Partnerships and Mathematics Achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 98, 196-207. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOER.98.4.196-207
Grech, S. (2009) Disability, Poverty and Development: Critical Reflections on the Majority World Debate. Disability & Society, 24, 771-784.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590903160266
Epstein, J. (2010) School/Family/Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share. Phi Delta Kappan, 92, 81-96.
https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009200326
Blacher, J. and Hatton, C. (2007) Families in Context. In: Odom, S., Horner, R., Snell, M. and Blacher, J., Eds., Handbook on Developmental Disabilities, Guilford Press, New York, 531-551.
Machalicek, W., Lang, R. and Raulston, T.J. (2015) Training Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities: Trends, Issues, and Future Directions. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 2, 110-118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-015-0048-4
Senechal, M. (2006) The Effect of Family Literacy Interventions on Children’s Acquisition of Reading from Kindergarten to Grade 3: A Meta-Analytic Review. National Institute for Literacy, Washington DC.
Ruskus, J. and Gerulaitis, D. (2010) Parental Involvement in Individual Education Planning for Students with Mental Disabilities: A Lithuanian Experience. Illinois Child Welfare.
Jenvey, V.B. (2013) Play and Disability. In: Tremblay, R.E., Boivin, M., Peters, R.D., and Smith, P.K., Eds., Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online].
https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/play/according-experts/play-and-disability
