Fostering Collaboration with Families of Children with Disabilities: Online Professional Development for K–12 Teachers

Technology has reshaped conceptions of professional development by increasing access to information, enabling sustained follow-up efforts, and fostering teacher reflection and collaboration. Drawing on theoretical models of parent involvement and an ethic of caring, this study examined the perceptions and attitudes of educators toward collaborating with parents of children with disabilities. This inquiry utilized a digital documentary and online curriculum for inservice K-12 special education and general education teachers' professional development in a rural school district. Results indicate that teachers who participated in the online professional development showed increased recognition of the importance of collaborating with families. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are addressed in the article.