Grammar Usage

Dissertation Prospectus

Introduction

In the recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). When parents receive an educational determination of autism for their child; both parents have the potential to be asymmetrically influenced. Current research indicates that while islands of excellent mainstream inclusive practice do exist the educational experience for many students on the autism spectrum can often be one of hostility, inconsistency and unreliability (Cologon, 2013). Without appropriate training in best practice educational methods, these students can present an inordinate educational challenge to both parents and educators alike. To begin with, each student on the autism spectrum has their own unique, idiosyncratic profile with distinctive difficulties found in the common areas of communication, socialization, restricted and repetitive behavior.

Teacher preparation and parental involvement are needed to be able to manage these students effectively. According to Todd, Beamer, and Goodreau, (2014), personnel preparation has been highlighted as one of the weakest elements of effective programming for children with ASD’s and their families. Managing these students will include heightening expectations, sharing ownership, improving collaboration and providing professional development for teachers (Todd, Beamer, & Goodreau, J. (2014).

This qualitative study will employ the use of a set of in-depth case studies, conceptualized within the social theory of symbolic interaction, to generate a solid narrative around familial factors related to educating a child on the Autism Spectrum.

Background of the Problem

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a combination of multiple neurodevelopmental disorders that is comprised of autism, Asperger disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise defined (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Infants who have ASD exhibit moderate to rigorous impairments in social synergy and communication along with limited, repetitive behaviors, and defined peculiar kind of behaviors, activities, and interests typically unfolding before a child reaches three years old (Boyle, Boulet, Schieve, Cohen, Blumberg, &Yeargin-Allsopp, 2011; Dingfelder, & Mandell, 2011; Delmolino, & Harris, 2012).

Children and youth with disabilities have historically received unequal treatment in the public education system. In the early 20th century, the enactment of compulsory attendance laws in the states began to change the educational opportunities for these students. Opportunities for admittance to public schools were greater, but many students nevertheless did not receive an effective or appropriate education. Beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, parents and advocates for students with disabilities began to use the courts in an attempt to force states to provide an equal educational opportunity for these students. These efforts were very successful and eventually led to the passage of federal legislation to ensure these rights (Conway, 2014).

Most current reports from the CDC estimates that 1 in 68 children were identified with an ASD. This data comes from the ADDM Network, which estimated the number of 8-year-old children with ASD living in 11 communities throughout the United States in 2010 (Centers for Disease Control, 2012).

Theoretical Foundations and Review of the Literature/Themes

Autism spectrum describes a range of conditions classified as neurodevelopmental disorders in the fifth revision of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5, 2013). Features of these disorders include social deficits and communication difficulties, stereotyped or repetitive behaviors and interests, sensory issues, and in some cases, cognitive delays. Children with Asperger’s disorder or high functioning autism may not be identified until late preschool or early school age, when school personnel or others notice difficulties with peer interactions, abstract language demands, and/or behavior (Vissersa, Cohena, & Geurts, 2012). These discrepancies highlight the need for more effective early identification of young children with ASD.

The primary focus of this study is establishing how parents manage the education of their children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. An in-depth case study, conceptualized within the idiographic approach will be used. Case study is an in-depth investigation of a single person, group, event or community. Typically, data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews). The process involves simply observing what happens to, or reconstructing ‘the case history’ of a single participant or group of individuals (such as how parents manage the education of their child with ASD over time. The case study approach is useful to this research because there is a need to obtain an in-depth appreciation of the issue, event or phenomenon of interest, in its natural real-life context (Yin, 2013).

This research will be based on case study methodology, which refers to the use of a descriptive research approach to obtain an in-depth analysis of a person, group, or phenomenon. A variety of techniques would be employed including personal interviews, direct-observation, psychometric tests, and archival records (Hyett, Kenny, & Dickson-Swift, 2014).

Problem Statement

It is not known how parents manage the education of their children with an autism spectrum disorder. Children with ASD have extraordinary demanding task in socialization and interaction with others (Alquraini, & Gut, 2012) due to gross neurological dysfunction which impairs the functioning of their brains. Corresponding to American Psychiatric Association (2013), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is described as uncompromising and pervasive impairment in manifold domains of development: communication skills, reciprocal social interaction skills, or the habitual stereotyped way of life, activities and interests. The case study approach is useful to this research because there is a need to obtain an in-depth appreciation of the issue, event or phenomenon of interest, in its natural real-life context of this study (Yin, 2013).

The population will be selected from south east region of Texas comprising of thirteen parents of children with ASD. The study will offer an in-depth explanation and understanding on how parents deal with the education of their children with ASD overtime. The study will consist of an autoethnographic element which will seek to collect data and perceptions of the insiders. The study will focus in providing insight into educational policies which could be practiced so as to minimize stress and mental illness. These policies will also improve the educational results in families that have children with ASD.

Research Question(s) and Phenomenon or Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Variables

The purpose of this case study is to understand, describe, develop, and discover the central phenomenon of the study for the participants at ProjectAutism.org in Houston Texas. The researcher will ask two central questions as stated below R1 and R2 followed by no more than ten sub questions. A few sub questions succeed each general central question; the sub questions narrow the focal point of the research but leave open the questioning. This method is well within the limits set by Miles, Huberman and Saldana (2014), who recommended that investigators write no more than a dozen qualitative research questions in all (central and sub questions).

In order to achieve the intended purpose of this research, the researcher will be guided by the following questions:

Phenomenon. Curricula decisions made by parents

R1: How do parents mange the education of their child with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

R2: How does parental participation support the education of their child with Autism Spectrum?

The research will study how parents manage the education of their child with autism spectrum disorder. In the human sphere this normally translates into gathering ‘deep’ information and perceptions through inductive interviews, discussions and participant observation, and representing it from the perspective of the research participant(s).

Alignment is an important issue in this research project because how parents manage the education of their child with autism spectrum disorder questions are derived from the research purpose. R1: How do parents mange the education of their child with Autism Spectrum Disorder further distill the purpose by more clearly focusing the research purpose and the purpose provides clues to the type of research design (Miles, Huberman & Saldana 2014). The research questions will be further narrowed as the project moves forward, to be clearly related to the research design. R1 and R2, are clearly aligned to sustain the research.

Significance of the Study

The lack of existing research that addresses the perceived gaps in intervention services and current practices in the school districts makes this research even more crucial, especially regarding the implications of education. Several expert groups and reports have considered these particular issues in detail (Jain, Marshall, Buikema, Bancroft, Kelly, & Craig, 2015). While they acknowledge that there are interesting findings, they have found no persuasive evidence for such links. (American Psychiatric Association 2013).

The research will contribute to the conceptual framework in the context of the strengths, concerns, values, and preferences of the child with an ASD and his or her support network. This network includes the family, the professional team, and available community resources. The project will play an important role in summarizing and synthesizing the knowledge base on ASD interventions providing parents with the most current evidence to guide intervention planning and implementation. As Kasari, and Smith, (2013) suggests, every child is going to be different and parents have to be able to adjust with every one of them. The outcome of this research will be very relevant to the advancement of policies concerning parents trying to educate their child with ASD in United States of America.

Rationale for Methodology

The central goal of the qualitative methodology for this research is to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. Qualitative methods examine the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when, or "who" (Saladana, 2012). A popular method for this qualitative research is the case study (Yin, 2013) which examines in-depth purposive samples to better understand the phenomenon (e.g., family well-being and children with intellectual disability; Glidden, (2012). It gathers information that is not in numerical form. For example, diary accounts, open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews and unstructured observations. Qualitative research is useful for studies at the individual level, and to find out, in depth, the ways in which people think or feel (e.g. case studies Yin, 2013). Typically, data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews).

Nature of the Research Design for the Study

This qualitative study will use a case study research design. This ensures that the issue is not explored through one lens, but rather a variety of lenses which allows for multiple facets of the phenomenon to be revealed and understood. When the approach is applied correctly, it becomes a valuable method for health science research to develop theory, evaluate programs, and develop interventions (Hancock, &Algozzine, 2015).

Case study research empowers the researcher to investigate relevant topics not readily covered by other designs. Denzin and Lincoln, (2011) argue that human learning is best researched by using qualitative data. In selecting a case study research methodology, (Yin, 2013) suggests that it is proper to select that paradigm whose assumptions are best met by phenomenon being investigated. When the understanding of an event is a function of personal interaction and perception of those in that event, and the description of the processes that characterize the event, qualitative approaches are more appropriate than quantitative designs to provide the insight necessary to understand the participants’ role in the event, and their perceptions of the experience.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore and define how parents manage the education of their children with an autism spectrum disorder in South East Region of United States. It is not known how parents manage the education of their children with an autism spectrum disorder. Children with ASD have extraordinary demanding task in socialization and interaction with others (Alquraini, & Gut, 2012) due to gross neurological dysfunction which impairs the functioning of their brains. It is not known how parents manage the education of their children with an autism spectrum disorder. Due to the in-depth nature of the interviews, a range of 10 parents will be selected to participate or until phenomenon under study saturation is reached.

The case study approach is useful to this research because there is a need to obtain an in-depth appreciation of the issue, event or phenomenon of interest, in its natural real-life context in “how parents manage the education of their child with ASD” over time (Yin, 2013). In order to achieve the intended purpose of this research, the researcher will be guided by the following questions: Phenomenon. In the early days equity and partnership was difficult to achieve as schools started out in the dominant position as a result, parents individually or collectively are rarely involved in curriculum decisions and when involved serve in an advisory capacity only when developing Individual Education Plan for the child (IDEA, 2012).

Instrumentation or Sources of Data

A case study is an in-depth empirical investigation of the situation to understand and answer the how and why questions pertaining to the phenomenon of how parents manage the education of their child with ASD in order to gain a holistic view, observe the situation and gather valuable insights from parents to explore the phenomena. The research design in the study includes the collection of data and analyzing it to meet the research objectives through concerned data collection methods and techniques which takes the following aspects in consideration: to devise the relevant questions upon which the study proceeds, to identify what data is relevant, to have a clear idea of what data is to be collected and finally to analyze the given data according the research problem (Andres, 2012). The source of data will include semi-structured interviews, informal group meetings, particular observation (called ethnographic studies) and document (dairies) study.

Instrumentation or Sources of Data

Data Analysis Procedures

Recording will be done concurrent with data collection if possible, or soon afterwards, so that nothing gets lost and memory doesn’t fade. The investigator should collect by gathering together information from all sources and observations. Make photocopies of all recording forms, records, audio or video recordings, and any other collected materials, to guard against loss, accidental erasure, or other problems. Data will be organized in ways that make them easier to work with.

The final advance preparation step is to select a pilot site and conduct a pilot test using each data gathering method so that problematic areas can be uncovered and corrected. Researcher need to anticipate key problems and events, identify key care givers, prepare letters of introduction, establish rules for confidentiality, and actively seek opportunities to revisit and revise the research design in order to address and add to the original set of research questions curricula decisions made by parents. R1: How do parents mange the education of their child with Autism Spectrum Disorder? R2: How does parental participation support the education of their child with Autism Spectrum?

Ethical Considerations

Researchers must recognize and appreciate the ethical dimensions of research with human by their very nature. Surveys and structured interviews have to be designed before the research process starts. These two types of research method typically use closed questions where parents must choose from pre-defined options, most of the potential answers to questions are known in advance. From an ethical perspective, this makes it easier to get informed consent from parents because most aspects of the survey and structured interview process are fairly certain (NIH, 2012).

When writing the report, remove embarrassing identifying information of the parents of the study. Recruitment of parents with an autistic child will be recruited through Project Autism. Recruitment notice will be posted on the notice board of Project Autism, and e-mails sent out to parents. The letter will explain the purpose of the research, and provide a brief description of the nature and extent of involvement, e.g., duration of participation and study procedures.

Researcher must submit a Site Authorization Application which abides by all the rules and regulations of the application. Researcher need to anticipate key problems and events, revisit and revise the research design in order to address and add to the original set of research questions curricula decisions made by parents. R1: How do parents mange the education of their child with Autism Spectrum Disorder? R2: How does