A National Sample of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Special Education Services and Parent Satisfaction

Abstract

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) examines the preschool and early elementary school experiences of a nationally representative sample of 3,104 children ages 3-5 with disabilities from 2004 through 2009. This paper describes the special education and related services received by a subsample of 186 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in 2003-2004 and parental satisfaction with those services. Past research and patterns of litigation suggest that parents of children with ASD are not wholly satisfied with the special education and related services their children receive. In the current study, the authors found many similarities between children with ASD and children with other disabilities in the type of services received under IDEA and in parent satisfaction with these services. Still, some significant differences emerged in the number of services received, the amount of time children with ASD spent in special education settings, and parent satisfaction with the amount of time children spent with typically developing peers. Implications about the importance of parent satisfaction and social validity measures are discussed.

Strategies for Transitioning Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Kindergarten

“…In spite of efforts that schools make toward transitioning preschoolers with ASD to school settings, parents of young children with ASD and other developmental disabilities are generally not very satisfied with special education and related services that their children with disabilities receive (Bitterman et al 2008;Siklos and Kerns 2006). Etscheidt (2003) found that, though young children with ASD received more services than children with other disabilities, parents of children with ASD often requested schools to give more time and services to their children than did parents of other children with disabilities.…”

Participação e satisfação de pais de crianças autistas com a escola: estudo exploratório

“…Estes resultados corroboram com os observados nos Estados Unidos por Bitterman et al (2008) em pais de crianças com TEA, que revelaram um nível de satisfação de mais de 86%, sendo esta percentagem muito inferior comparativamente aos pais de crianças com outras deficiências de desenvolvimento. No entanto, Renty e Roeyers (2006) encontraram na Bélgica pais geralmente satisfeitos com os serviços recebidos pelos seus filhos com TEA, apesar das reclamações relativamente aos serviços de diagnóstico, particularmente quanto à idade do diagnóstico, o que atrasaria a elegibilidade destas crianças para os serviços de educação especial.…”

Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Classrooms with Minorities with Autism

“…Thomas et al [15] found that minority students with ASD are less likely to receive sensory integration care or use services from a case manager, pediatrician, or psychologist. Bitterman et al found that family income was negatively associated with receiving special transportation services [2].…”