Parent Education across the Atlantic Ocean in Namibia and the United States

Patty Caro

EDUC 367 Students in the Primary Grades with Disabilities and Their

Families

Required Parent Education Project about Content, Social Emotional, Behavior, and Health

Students Worked in Pairs

In small groups, students devised three-week parent education programs using "Camtasia Relay."

Community Partner was National Institute for Special Education, Center for the

Visually Impaired

Partner chosen due minimal in-service education for teachers and very traditional methods of teaching content area subjects.

Teacher training- all focus on visual impairment and not on content area subjects

Specific expectation that wording was parent friendly (no jargon or words

explained0, handouts, and references.

Behaviors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmoKTGJZdA&list=PLcjT1f3WIaDnApZ1WTX7OZV7782QAKpY2

Other Subject Areas Videos

• academics: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcjT1f3WIaDl0Vk_DuyiN2LzJRfFYlgbJ

• healthy living (nutrition, creativity, physical activity) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcjT1f3WIaDkTVIYzKBOPvHcwRJAbChPs

• special skills (sensory processing, lifelong learning skills) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcjT1f3WIaDkhhmJZ8McuLQxZXmv3N9JT

Feedback Positive Responses

Principal: "Excellent, our parents are indeed in need to get support. The involvement of parents are pathetic. It is time they become part in educating own child. I know if they can see it will work better than reading for themselves."

Teacher: "The links are perfect. I love the homework guide for parents and many more. I see there are learning games for an early child too, that it for pre-grades and forth. I specifically found videos onreading as good and I will surely guide my learners thatare struggling to read in grade 5."

Future

• Do a needs assessment this summer for specific content desired by the teachers, principal, and staff

• Devising videos for students to help them with academic content, homework, self-monitoring and self-advocacy skills.