Organization and management of the ways in which teachers and parents with children with ASD communicate and collaborate with each other

Abstract

Objectives: This study empirically investigates critical issues relating to prevailing views and perceptions of teachers and parents with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) towards the organization and management of approaches to their efficient collaboration and communication.

Methods: A total sample of 171 teachers and 50 parents with children with ASD attending primary mainstream or special school units in Greece were randomly selected and were subsequently invited to answer a structured questionnaire.

Results: The key empirical results indicate 50.9% of teachers believe teacher–parent meetings for communication and information purposes should be arranged by the schools once a month; 49.1% of teachers once a week; and, the majority of parents (98%) every month. The majority of teachers (90.6%) are seen to contain the view that meetings with children’s parents are critical; 90.1% of them feel respect for their students’ parents; and, 69.6% of them take parents’ views on their children’s performance and behavior very seriously. All parents consider it very important to get to know children’s teachers; the majority (82%) feel respect for their children’s teachers; 76% of them take teachers’ views on their children’s performance and behavior into serious consideration; 39.2% of teachers and 88.0% of parents recognize their children’s special educational needs.

Conclusion: The critical factors found to play a fundamental role in teachers’ views include: the work unit; previous experience of ASD; and, relevant postgraduate studies.

Keywords:

• teachers
• parents
• management
• collaboration
• school
• children with ASD