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Introduction to the Research Topic
Higher education is becoming more available to people with intellectual disabilities (ID) as different programs start to integrate special techniques to accommodate students with various backgrounds (Neubert & Moon, 2017). Such inclusion may be encouraged by different groups of people, including university professors, students, government officials, and parents of children with ID. Nevertheless, the existence of such programs does not ensure the success of these students in the academic field of higher education as it relies on many aspects of one’s environment. For example, parents’ opinions about their child’s performance can significantly affect the situation (Martinez, Conroy, & Cerreto, 2012). The topic that is explored in the literature review is concerned with parents’ attitudes towards the academic excellence of their children with ID. This research attempts to assess the extent to which parents in Saudi Arabia believe that their children with ID can achieve success in higher education.
To address this topic, some key definitions must be established and explained. First of all, this paper talks about the sphere of higher education, which includes post-secondary education programs that can be delivered by colleges, universities, or institutes (Hart, Grigal, Sax, Martinez, & Will, 2006). This type of education can be accessed by individuals who completed the previous step in learning, which usually means that they have finished high school. Second, the paper discusses people with intellectual disabilities –people with “significant cognitive and adaptive functioning deficits” who need additional help and resources to acquire knowledge and participate in the learning process (Eisenman, Farley-Ripple, Culnane, & Freedman, 2013, p. 368). In this case, people with disabilities of the autism spectrum are not represented in the paper. Finally, academic success can be characterized by one’s ability to socialize, take classes, and develop necessary skills for further use (Folk, Yamamoto, & Stodden, 2012).
Rationale
Many scholars study the participation of students with ID in school life. Various studies examine the success of programs and strategies that are developed to help individuals with ID to receive a college education. Furthermore, some examples of this research assess the attitude of students towards their peers with ID. For instance, according to Griffin, Summer, McMillan, Day, and Hodapp (2012), many students are ready to welcome individuals with ID and help them feel conformable in a classroom setting, although they have some concerns regarding the outcomes to such integrations. Similarly, another study notes the uncertainty of teachers and the faculty staff towards the performance of the students with ID (Gibbons, Cihak, Mynatt, & Wilhoit, 2015). However, these studies do not address another critical factor that can have a significant impact on the performance of young people with ID. The attitude of parents towards their children’s success can be very influential in both positive and negative ways. Therefore, the presented topic is necessary to investigate.
According to Martinez et al. (2012), parents can support their children in their studying and discourage their participation in the learning process. Here, the behavior of one’s family can affect his or her access to education, the ability to attend classes, and the process of creating a secure network of support and guidance. The extent to which parents believe in their children can contribute to their performance in most cases because parents impact their children’s lives at all stages of life. Furthermore, children with ID are even more reliant on their parents’ opinions as they often require special attention and care to complete the same programs. For example, parents can actively participate in their children’s learning process and help them access information and build connections for mentorship and guidance (Jones & Goble, 2012). In other cases, parents may limit the opportunities for their children if they do not believe in their ability to succeed.
Many works that are concerned with the relationships between students acknowledge the importance of a social network for people with ID. Hendrickson, Therrien, Weeden, Pascarella, and Hosp (2015) point out that all students, regardless of their abilities, require “academic, social, and cultural supports” to engage with the learning process (p. 205). Parents may become a part of this support system, as their bond with their children may help the latter to feel comfortable in a new setting. On the other hand, parents’ disbelief in their child’s success can lead to various adverse outcomes. The ability of parents to influence their children can also affect the state of education as a whole. If parents in Saudi Arabia become increasingly interested in the academic performance of their children with ID, they may contribute to the development of improved programs for their education. Their attitude should be assessed to evaluate the state’s future possibilities and directions in education.
Parents’ desires may play a significant role in the education of their children. Therefore, the assessment of their attitudes towards higher education for individuals with ID can contribute greatly to the sphere of educational research. This paper can provide additional information for developing programs that will help people with ID to receive an education. Moreover, it may help scholars to analyze the ways to educate parents and families about their child’s abilities and necessities. This research fits with other studies in this field as it explores the issue of students with ID trying to achieve academic success. The focus on interpersonal relationships between parents and students as well as parents’ interpretation of existing knowledge make the paper a valuable addition to the existing literature.
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
The access to higher education for individuals with ID and the attitude of their parents towards their performance can be analyzed with the help of equity theory. This theoretical framework centers on the idea that two sides of a relationship should exchange equal amounts of resources for this exchange to be considered fair. One’s contributions to something should be equivalent to the benefits that he or she can obtain. Moreover, educational equity deals with equitable opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds. In this case, students that achieve better results in education can contribute more to society as workers. Equity theory applies to this topic because parents’ opinions about the success of their children can impact their ability to participate in the learning process. One can examine the connection between parent’s attitudes and their children’s success to establish the correlation between these two factors.
According to Qiuheng and Delin (2004), the concept of equity in education is often contrasted with the notion of efficiency instead of being supported by it. The authors state that higher education should consider including both elements in one system, as educational equity can provide more people with available training, which in turn can lead to better outcomes for society as a whole. This theory can be used to guide the discussion because it explores the relations between one’s input and output. For instance, parents, whose opinion about the performance of their children is focused on their success, may contribute more to creating equity in higher education, providing students with ID with more possibilities and making the system more efficient as a result. On the other hand, parents with negative receptions about their children’s abilities may negatively affect the process of learning by discouraging participation and system development.
This theory can help one to pose questions about support that parents can give to their children to equip them with more growth opportunities. Thus, questions that assess the rate to which parents in Saudi Arabia can affect the academic performance of children with ID can be formulated in the paper. Martinez et al. (2012) find that parents’ level of insight can also impact their beliefs about their children’s success. Moreover, their willingness to raise their confidence in the performance of their children may bring positive results to their levels of participation in school life. Hart et al. (2006) also point out that students with ID do not succeed in higher education as frequently as individuals with other disabilities. The connection between their outcomes and their input can be analyzed with the use of equity theory as well. Their parents’ input also becomes a part of this correlation as to their attention to their children significantly affects the performance of the latter.
Therefore, parents who put their time and effort into giving their children more opportunities can receive equally satisfying benefits. Here, equity theory places more emphasis on the outcomes of parents’ beliefs about their children’s academic training and conceptualizes the topic with the focus on the advantages and disadvantages of one’s attitude. Thus, parents’ relationship with their children and their input into becoming more aware of existing opportunities becomes the central idea behind the research question.
References
Eisenman, L. T., Farley-Ripple, E., Culnane, M., & Freedman, B. (2013). Rethinking social network assessment for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in postsecondary education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 26(4), 367-384.
Folk, E. D., Yamamoto, K. K., & Stodden, R. A. (2012). Implementing inclusion and collaborative teaming in a model program of postsecondary education for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(4), 257-269.
Gibbons, M. M., Cihak, D. F., Mynatt, B., & Wilhoit, B. E. (2015). Faculty and student attitudes toward postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities and autism. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 28(2), 149-162.
Griffin, M. M., Summer, A. H., McMillan, E. D., Day, T. L., & Hodapp, R. M. (2012). Attitudes toward including students with intellectual disabilities at college. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(4), 234-239.
Hart, D., Grigal, M., Sax, C., Martinez, D., & Will, M. (2006). Research to practice: Postsecondary education options for students with intellectual disabilities. Web.
Hendrickson, J. M., Therrien, W. J., Weeden, D. D., Pascarella, E., & Hosp, J. L. (2015). Engagement among students with intellectual disabilities and first year students: A comparison. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 52(2), 204-219.
Jones, M. M., & Goble, Z. (2012). Creating effective mentoring partnerships for students with intellectual disabilities on campus. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(4), 270-278.
Martinez, D. C., Conroy, J. W., & Cerreto, M. C. (2012). Parent involvement in the transition process of children with intellectual disabilities: The influence of inclusion on parent desires and expectations for postsecondary education. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(4), 279-288.
Neubert, D. A., & Moon, M. S. (2017). Postsecondary settings and transition services for students with intellectual disabilities: Models and research. Focus on Exceptional Children, 39(4), 1-8.
Qiuheng, S., & Delin, W. (2004). Credit: A new perspective for solving the contradiction between equity and efficiency in higher education. Chinese Education & Society, 37(1), 72-88.
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