| This qualitative analysis research was designed to explore how urban educators and parents of students with disabilities described facilitating factors and barriers related to development of a unified service delivery system. This major research question was guided by two sub-questions: (1) What are the similarities and differences in facilitating factors and barriers related to the development of a unified service delivery systems perceived by urban education and parents of students with disabilities? (2) How do collaborative activities and increased knowledge influence the perceptions of the barriers related to the development of a unified service delivery system?;The ex post facto research design used in this study had two phases. Phase I provided preliminary data from semi-structured focus groups. Data were reviewed using thematic analysis and were used in the second phase to develop and implement a professional development program and a family education program. Participants included current and potential leaders of general and special education and parents of students with disabilities.;Overall, parents and educators expressed similarities and differences in their perceptions of facilitating factors and barriers. In some cases, both groups identified a category, but their descriptions and examples of these categories varied. Many of the perceived facilitating factors were ambiguous, lacked richness, and referred to many issues that were discussed more elaborately later as barriers. Identified facilitating factors included leadership, legislation, professional development, diminishing funds and currently provided services and policies. Identified barriers were identified as legislation, lack of knowledge, lack of mutuality, insufficient accountability, and monetary concerns. Seven themes emerged from this study. |
