What Parents Tell Us About Paraeducators

Abstract

This study examined parent perceptions of the paraeducator's role. Observations of paraeducators and students with disabilities were conducted in inclusive classrooms. Some paraeducators worked as general classroom assistants, while others worked one-on-one with students with special needs. Each parent of a child with special needs was shown graphs reflecting the percentage of time their child's paraeducator was observed in various roles and interacting with students and adults. Parents were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions of the paraeducator working in their child's classroom. Results indicated parents were pleased with their children's paraeducators. However, parents offered several recommendations for improving the use of paraeducators, including the need for more training and better communication between parents and school personnel. Responses of parents suggest paraeducators are perceived as “teachers” and should be professionally valued and present at Individualized Education Program meetings and parent conferences. Implications are discussed.