Brooks R. Vostal

Using Active Listening to Improve Collaboration With Parents The LAFF Don’t CRY Strategy

251 Effective parent–teacher communication builds working relationships that can support strong home–school collaboration and improved educational outcomes (Gelfer & Perkins, 1987; Sheridan, Clarke, Knoche, & Edwards, 2007; Shivers, Howes, Wishard, & Ritchie, 2004; Turnbull & Turnbull, 1990). Christenson and Cleary (1990) repo rted that parents’ involvement improved students’ grades, test scores, attitudes, and behavior. These positive effects of parental involvement on students’ academic grades are apparent from the early years throughout high school (Keith et al., 1998). And, as teachers of students with disabilities know, the Individuals with Disabilities Educ ation Act (1990) emphasizes collaboration between parents and teachers, encouraging schools to recognize parents as key participants in educational decisions for their children (Turnbull & Turnbull, 1997). Bec ause many family members play important roles in providing care for a child, the term parent is used throughout this column to describe the family member or guardian who most typically communicates with teachers. Even though many teachers value the participation of parents, it can be challenging to communicate this positive intent. Pruitt, Wandry, and Hollums (1998) interviewed 78 parents and reported that many thought that both the quantity and the quality of communication bet ween parents and teachers should be improved. Several parents emphasized that teachers needed to use a “humane demeanor when discussing their children . . . interacting in an honest manner and treating them with dignity and respect” (p. 163). They found that parents wanted to know that professionals valued their contributions and suggestions about their children’s education. Martin et al. (2006) conducted observations of 109 middle and high school Individualized Education Program meetings and found that special education teachers talked 51% of the time, whereas family members talked only 15%. This lopsided ratio may be a product of the pressure teachers feel to report student progress to parents, but it does not leave much opportunity for parents to express their goals and interests. Parents may feel their concerns are not valued, eliminating any opportunities for meaningful collaboration (Valle & Aponte, 2002). Effective communication is central to authentic collaboration and relies on involving parents in the school

THE EFFECTS OF HIGH-PREFERENCE PROBLEMS ON THE COMPLETION OF NONPREFERRED MATHEMATICS PROBLEMS

Failure to initiate and remain engaged in academic tasks can have long-lasting effects for students. In this study, we investigated the effects of high-preference sequences on both digits correct per minute and latency to initiate nonpreferred mathematics problems for 3 students with emotional and behavioral disorders. We found that high-preference sequences had negligible positive effects on rate of problem completion but had larger effects on problem initiation. This study replicates and extends prior work on the effects of high-preference sequences on mathematics problem initiation and completion.

Predicting College Completion Among Students With Learning Disabilities

The authors analyzed National Longitudinal Transition Study–2 (NLTS2) data to examine the role of high school academic preparation and receipt of postsecondary academic support services (PASS) in predicting college completion among students with learning disabilities. Logistic regression analyses revealed that students who earned a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) in a college preparatory curriculum were more than twice as likely to complete college than those with a similar GPA who did not complete a college preparatory curriculum. Furthermore, among students who completed a college preparatory curriculum, earning a higher GPA and accessing PASS both dramatically increased the likelihood that they would complete college. Results underscore the importance of incorporating a college preparatory curriculum into transition planning for college-bound students with learning disabilities.