Advocacy for Parents of the Handicapped: A Professional Responsibility and Challenge

Abstract
PL 94–142 and research on parent involvement encourage new parent roles in programs for their handicapped children. A high level of parental participation requires that professionals become active advocates for parents. In addition to a specific set of behaviors, such advocacy also encompasses cognitive awareness and moral commitment. This article describes behaviorally an advocacy approach. There are two dimensions to parent advocacy, internal and external. The external type involves strategies for individuals outside the institution or system, e.g., demonstrations. The internal kind of advocacy accounts for the special educator working within a school system or agency. In this article a distinction will be made between external and internal parent advocacy, as well as illustrations of how internal advocacy is appropriate for special educators. Specific suggestions for parent advocacy are included.

This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit: