Moving the Needle: Resources for Families of Neurodivergent Learners
by Adam R. Lalor and Michelle Deal
[Q]uality parenting is one of the best predictors of one’s developmental trajectory across the lifespan.
—Morris et al., 2020
Family members often get a bad rap in education—being called “overbearing” and “helicopter parents.” The reality is that many neurodivergent learners would go unserved in education if not for their families fighting for access, equity, and inclusion (Burke, 2015). Unfortunately, many families report limited familiarity with the rights of their neurodivergent child, their own rights as parents, and the services and programs to which they may be entitled (e.g., residential, vocational, education; Gilson et al., 2017). Knowledge of these rights and resources vary considerably across age, income level, race and other factors, but, overall, families perceive their knowledge to be minimal (Gilson et al., 2017).
Despite the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 requiring that parents and guardians be (a) informed of their rights, (b) provided the opportunity and encouraged to participate in the creation of the individualized education plan (IEP) and associated meetings, (c) permitted to review educational records, (d) consenting to services, and (e) afforded the opportunity to disagree with decisions rendered in the IEP process; it is unfortunate that so many families feel as if they lack knowledge related to their rights and the services and programs to which their children are entitled.
Despite being given the ability to ask questions, the fact is that many families feel unqualified or too intimidated to actively participate in the process, or are unable to participate in the process for a variety of reasons, including not fully understanding the technical/legal documents sent to them for review (Quintero et al., 2023; Sanderson, 2023).
Information about neurodiversity, transition, academics, and the law is plentiful, but much of it is dense, passive, and dispersed across the internet, requiring the family member to try to identify how it can be used “in the real world.”
With all of this in mind, Landmark College’s Learning Technologies Research and Development (LTR&D) department has developed the Landmark College Family Resource Hub to support family education around neurodivergence and transition. With content support from the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT) and countless faculty and staff, along with iterative feedback and guidance from Landmark College students and families, the Hub is an online platform of curated content and activities for families of neurodivergent learners who are in high school and looking to pursue college.
The curated content is organized into self-contained modules, each with a single objective designed to reduce family-member fatigue while maximizing learning. Modules are designed to take less than 15 minutes each. Essentially, bite-sized, power-packed learning! Current topics include:
- Learning technologies
- The invisible curriculum
- Choosing the right college
- Executive function
Additional modules will be added to the Family Resource Hub throughout the year. Check it out at https://familyhub.landmark.edu/.
Landmark College prides itself on supporting neurodivergent people, families, educators, and allies through the translation of theory and research into knowledge and skills that can be used. We hope that the Family Resource Hub continues the tradition of supporting a more accessible, equitable, and inclusive learning experience for children and young adults.
References
Burke, M. M. (2015). Parent advocacy for inclusive education in the United States. Inclusive education for students with intellectual disabilities. In R. G. Craven, A. J. S. Morin, D. Tracey, P D. Parker, & H. F. Zhong (Eds.), Inclusive Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (pp. 231-248). Information Age Publishing.
Gilson, C. B., Bethune, L. K., Carter, E. W., & McMillan, E. D. (2017). Informing and equipping parents of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 55(5), 347-360.
Morris, A. S., Jespersen, J. E., Cosgrove, K. T., Ratliff, E. L., & Kerr, K. L. (2020). Parent education: What we know and moving forward for greatest impact. Family Relations, 69(3), 520-542.
Quintero, S., Zraick, R. I., Rosa-Lugo, L. I., & La Scala, J. D. (2023). Readability of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B Procedural Safeguards Notices Written in Spanish. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(1), 355-363.
Sanderson, K. A. (2023). “Be prepared to fight like Hell”: Parent advice for IEP meetings. Exceptionality, 1-18.