The views of parents and teachers about the parent-teacher partnership in an inclusive education context

Introduction: Successful inclusive education relies on the quality of parent-teacher partnerships. This is especially so for students with intellectual impairment who may have difficulty voicing their interests and strengths. Understanding the dynamics of this partnership is made more critical by consistent reports that the relationship is more problematic in an inclusive education context.
Methods: Sixteen teachers and 18 parents of students with disabilities
were interviewed about their experiences in two primary and two
secondary Queensland schools. Transcripts were analysed for insights
into the dynamics of parent-teacher relationships, with a particular focus
on identifying barriers to a positive relationship and to understanding the
extent to which each party was sensitive to the other’s perspectives.
Results: The barriers to a positive partnership were different for parents and teachers. Parents spoke about communication difficulties and being left out of decision-making, while teachers spoke of systemic issues which interfered with their relationship with parents. Neither indicated a strong sensitivity to the other’s perspectives or an understanding of the systems within each operated.
Implications: For parents and teachers to work together productively, each must have an understanding of the other’s perspectives of the partnership. An understanding of the barriers for each can assist the other to address those barriers. The deeper understanding that these findings can facilitate has the potential to establish a stronger connection between the partners.