Parental Involvement in The Assessment Process of Their Children with Special Needs at the Educational Assessment and Resource Centers in Kenya
Abstract/ Overview
Educational assessment of children with special needs involves identification, diagnosis, and
intervention (referral and placement). Parental involvement in this process is important since
parents do the initial identification, provide information during test administration, and decide on
referral and placement options. In Kenya, assessment of children with special needs is conducted
at Educational Assessment and Resource Centers (EARCs). Educational assessment provides
children with most appropriate intervention activities to help them learn like their peers.
However, a preliminary survey of 120 parents in ten EARCs indicated that only 51 (43%) had
information on parental involvement in the assessment process. It is unclear why parents were
not better involved yet policy wise they have key roles in each step of the assessment process.
The purpose of this study was therefore to establish the extent of involvement of parents in the
assessment process in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to; establish the extent of parental
involvement in the identification of special needs in children: establish the extent of parental
involvement in the administration of the test, establish the extent of parental involvement in the
referral and placement of assessed children and establish parental involvement in intervention
activities. A conceptual framework showing the interaction of independent variables parental
involvement in identification, test administration, and intervention and its output on early
training, pro[per placement, and relevant intervention placement was used. The study employed
descriptive survey research design. Target population comprised of 94 parents with assessed
children, 52 parents with children booked for assessment and 52 assessors. Questionnaires,
interview guides, observation schedules, and document analysis guides were used to collect data.
Experts from the department of Special Needs Education Maseno University ascertained the
validity of the instruments, while reliability was calculated using test-retest method through a
pilot study on 10% of the population. The acceptable reliability was accepted at r = 0.70.
Frequency counts, percentages, and mean' scores used to analyze quantitative. Qualitative data
was organized and reported based on study objectives. The study established that parents had a
low ability to identify children with disabilities with a mean of 2.31; Parents were involved in the
administration of the test to a small extent with a mean rate of 2.60; parents were poorly involved
in the referral and placement at a mean rate of 2.09; parents were involved in the intervention
activities to small extent at a mean rate of 2.84. The study recommended that the EARCs manual
and assessor training guidelines be reviewed to guide the assessors on parental involvement at all
levels of the assessment process. The research findings may help to improve policies and
guidelines on parental involvement in the assessment process at the EARCs and, subsequently,
the educational outcomes for children with special needs in Kenya.
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