Parents' Knowledge and Perceptions Regarding Their Rights During the IEP Process

This paper aimed to examine what parents of children aged three to six understand about their rights during the IEP process. Literature from the past ten years (2002-2012) revealed that parents had some understanding of the IEP process including planning and contributing to development of IEP documents and participating in IEP meetings. Findings regarding parents being valued during the IEP process varied. In terms of the results of communication strategies utilized during the IEP process, literature showed that parents understood terminology used during IEP meetings better during the subsequent ones than the initial one. However, written documents such as the prior written notice were often difficult for parents to understand. Limitations and implications are addressed along with recommendations for future studies to assess the generalizability of the current findings.