ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of parents of students with disabilities and the importance of establishing and maintaining a collaborative relationship between the school and parents. Children with disabilities result in a major impact on all members of families. Parents and family members react in many ways to having a child with a disability. The goal for families with children with disabilities is to accept the child and understand the nature of the disability and its impact on the child. Schools and parents have long collaborated to provide successful educational programs for students. Much of the information related to students with disabilities is confidential and must be safeguarded by the school. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 provide parents of children with disabilities with a range of legal rights. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
