Date of Graduation

Spring 2017

Degree

Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Committee Chair

Karen Engler

Abstract

Parental involvement has been related to higher student achievement. While the professional literature provides exemplars of effective communication strategies between home and school, the impact of factors such as cultural and economic diversity and the efficacy of specific approaches remains an important area of inquiry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the various communication strategies used within a community driven development (CDD) project in an economically depressed zone in a metropolitan city in the Midwest. Focus groups, interviews, and a project report were the data points. An a priori coding system of two present themes, opportunities and barriers, were used to develop common sub themes. While the emerged data showed many overlapping opportunities and barriers identified by both staff and CDD participants, the staff identified twice as many barriers as compared to the participants. Educators should try and enable strategies to promote opportunities, as well as provide support strategies for the identified barriers paying close attention to individuals who represent various forms of economic, cultural, ethnic, racial, and disability differences.

Keywords

communication strategies, community driven development project, economically depressed zone, education, parent teacher communication

Subject Categories

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Copyright

© Miranda Kay Wickam

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Open Access

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