“At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.”

Jane D. Hull

Korean families demonstrate a very strong enthusiasm for education. However, like other parents in the United States Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD), Korean immigrant parents face obstacles that make it difficult for them to participate successfully in the U.S. special education system (Park & Turnbull, 2001). Apart from mandating States to ensure free and appropriate public education for all students with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and their subsequent reauthorizations also encourage parent involvement in the special education system by mandating institutions to see parents as equally responsible for the development of their children’s Individualized Education Program (IEPs). However, there is a gap between policy and practice: CLD parents have described the IEP process as frustrating and complicated (Lo, 2008; Salas, 2004). Prior research has also revealed specific barriers that marginalize CLD parents and limit them to passive roles in the IEP process (Cho & Gannotti, 2005; Cummings & Hardin, 2017; Garcia et al., 2000; Kummerer et al., 2007; Lo, 2008, 2009; Tellier-Robinson, 2000; Trainor, 2010). These barriers include language, cultural differences, insufficient information, and feelings of disrespect.

Given the lack of research on Korean parents’ perceptions of parental participation in the U.S. special education system, the purpose of this study was to explore and understand the experiences of Korean immigrant parents who have children with disabilities in the U.S. special education system. Each individual’s experience of participating in special education processes in the United States was examined to answer the following four research questions: 1) How do Korean parents of children with disabilities describe their experiences with the special education system in the United States? 2) What community supports do Korean parents access to help them navigate the special education system? 3) What factors facilitate the Korean parents’ participation in the U.S. special education system? and 4) What factors serve as barriers to the Korean parents’ participation in the U.S. special education system?

The data sources included a questionnaire, open-ended interviews, observations, and relevant documents. All Korean parents in this study agreed that the special education system in the United States was excellent. However, they reported that dealing with "the system" was a struggle for them and they wanted to be more familiar with and knowledgeable about how it worked. The parents reported that trust and partnership with professionals and having a knowledgeable advocate were important factors that facilitated their participation in the school system, while language barriers, cultural differences, a lack of trust with professionals, and a lack of relevant information served as barriers that hindered their participation. They expressed a consistent desire to be more actively engaged in the school system. The study suggests that qualified interpreter services and systemic and sustained state/community-level support are each needed to facilitate Korean parents’ participation in the special education system. It also suggests that teachers and associated professionals need a deeper understanding and acknowledgment of certain cultural differences to build good, working partnerships with these Korean parents.

Keywords: Korean immigrant parents, parent participation, parent involvement, children with disabilities, special education system