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IRB2026-443 English Questionnaire

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Participant Information and Consent Sheet

IRB 2026-443

Exploring Culturally Responsive Advocacy Programs: African American and Hispanic/Latino Parents’ Experiences Navigating Special Education for Children with Autism

Principal Investigator:
Janna Brendle, Ph.D.
Special Education, Texas Tech University
Email: janna.brendle@ttu.edu
Phone: 806-834-2763

Student Researcher:
Cory Mikel
Doctoral Student, Special Education
Texas Tech University
Email: cmikel@ttu.edu

Invitation to Participate

You are invited to participate in a research study about the experiences of African American and Hispanic/Latino parents and caregivers of children with autism who receive special education services.

This study focuses on parents and caregivers who have participated in, currently participate in, or have received direct services or support from a culturally responsive advocacy program or organization.

Please read the information below before deciding whether you would like to participate.
Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to learn how African American and Hispanic/Latino parents and caregivers of children with autism describe their experiences with culturally responsive advocacy programs.

The study will examine how participants believe these programs have shaped their communication, self-advocacy, and engagement with schools and special education processes.

The findings may help advocacy organizations and educators better understand the types of support families identify as helpful for improving communication, advocacy, and family-school partnerships.

Who May Participate?

You may participate if all of the following apply:
  • You are 18 years of age or older.
  • You identify as African American or Hispanic/Latino.
  • You are the parent or primary caregiver of a child with autism.
  • Your child receives special education services.
  • You live in Arkansas or Texas where the study is being conducted.
  • You have participated in, currently participate in, or have received direct services or support from a culturally responsive advocacy program or organization.
  • You are able to complete the questionnaire in English or Spanish.
Only adult parents and caregivers will participate. Children will not be recruited or participate in this study.
What Will I Be Asked to Do?

If you agree to participate, you will complete an online questionnaire through SurveyMonkey.

The questionnaire will ask about:
  • Your experiences with a culturally responsive advocacy program
  • Your experiences accessing and engaging with special education services
  • Your understanding of the Individualized Education Program, or IEP, process
  • Your communication with teachers and other school personnel
  • Your experiences speaking up, asking questions, and advocating for your child
  • Advocacy-program supports you found helpful
  • Suggestions for improving advocacy programs
The questionnaire is expected to take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

You may skip any question you do not wish to answer. You may stop completing the questionnaire at any time.

Optional Follow-Up Interview

After completing the questionnaire, you may choose to volunteer for an individual follow-up interview.

Participation in an interview is optional. You do not have to participate in an interview to complete the questionnaire.

At the end of the questionnaire, you will be given the student researcher’s email address. If you are interested in volunteering for an interview, you may contact the researcher separately by email.

Your name and email address will not be collected as part of your questionnaire responses.

The first three to five eligible questionnaire participants who volunteer will be invited to participate in a follow-up interview. Once all interview spaces are filled, additional volunteers will not be selected.

If you are among the first three to five eligible volunteers, you will be contacted to schedule an individual online interview using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

The interview will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Because audio recording is required for participation in the interview portion of the study, the interview can proceed only if you agree to be audio recorded. The recording will be used by the research team to transcribe your responses and check the accuracy of the transcript.

Before the interview begins, the researcher will review the study information with you and ask for your verbal consent to participate and to have the interview audio recorded.
Voluntary Participation

Participation in this study is completely voluntary.

You may:
  • Choose not to participate
  • Skip any question
  • Stop the questionnaire at any time
  • Decline to participate in an interview
  • End an interview at any time
  • Decline to answer any interview question
There is no penalty or loss of benefits if you choose not to participate or decide to stop participating.

Possible Risks or Discomforts

This study involves no more than minimal risk.

Some questions may cause mild discomfort because they ask about experiences with advocacy programs, schools, special education services, communication challenges, or IEP meetings.

You may skip any question that makes you uncomfortable or stop participating at any time.

There is also a small risk that private information could be disclosed. The researchers will use confidentiality and data-security procedures to reduce this risk.

Possible Benefits

You may not receive a direct personal benefit from participating.

Your responses may help advocacy organizations, educators, and researchers better understand the experiences of African American and Hispanic/Latino families and the supports families identify as helpful for improving communication, self-advocacy, and family-school partnerships.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The questionnaire will be completed through SurveyMonkey, a secure online survey platform.

You will not be asked to provide your name or email address as part of your questionnaire responses.

If you choose to volunteer for an interview, you will contact the student researcher separately by email. Names and email addresses used for interview scheduling will be stored separately from questionnaire responses, interview transcripts, and other research data.

Research records will be handled in the following ways:
  • Questionnaire and interview data will be labeled with participant codes, such as P1, P2, or P3.
  • Names and email addresses will be stored separately from response data.
  • Audio recordings will be stored separately from written research data.
  • Interview recordings will be used only for transcription and accuracy checking.
  • References to specific children, schools, towns, organizations, staff members, or other identifying details will be removed or described in general terms.
  • Research files will be stored on a password-protected computer.
  • Only the principal investigator and student researcher will have access to identifiable research information.
Findings will be reported in summary form. Pseudonyms or participant codes will be used. No information will be reported that is intended to identify you, your child, a school, a staff member, or an advocacy organization.

The study will also include a review of publicly available advocacy-organization materials. Advocacy organizations will not be identified, ranked, evaluated, or judged.
Storage and Retention of Research Data

Personal identifiers will be stored separately from research data.

Personal identifiers will be destroyed before the IRB study is closed, except for consent records that must be retained under university requirements.

De-identified research data and consent records will be retained for at least three years after the IRB study is closed, in accordance with Texas Tech University requirements.

Questions About the Study

For questions about the study, please contact:

Principal Investigator:
Janna Brendle, Ph.D.
Special Education, Texas Tech University
Email: janna.brendle@ttu.edu
Phone: 806-834-2763

Student Researcher:
Cory Mikel
Doctoral Student, Special Education
Texas Tech University
Email: cmikel@ttu.edu

Questions About Your Rights as a Research Participant

For questions about your rights as a research participant, concerns, complaints, or problems related to the study, please contact:

Texas Tech University Human Research Protection Program
Phone: 806-742-2064
Email: hrpp@ttu.edu
1.Consent to Participate

By selecting “I agree to participate” below, you confirm that:
· You are at least 18 years of age.
· You have read the information above.
· You understand what participation involves.
· You understand that participation is voluntary.
· You understand that you may skip questions or stop participating at any time.
· You agree to participate in the online questionnaire.

Please select one:(Required.)
2.Are you 18 years of age or older?(Required.)
3.Which of the following best describes your racial or ethnic identity?(Required.)
4.Are you the parent or primary caregiver of a child with autism?(Required.)
5.Does your child with autism currently receive special education services through a school?(Required.)
6.Do you currently live in Arkansas or Texas?(Required.)
7.Have you participated in, currently participate in, or received direct services or support from an advocacy program or parent-support program that helps families understand special education, communicate with schools, participate in IEP meetings, or advocate for their children?(Required.)
8.What is your relationship to the child with autism?
9.What is the current age of your child or student with autism?
10.Which language do you prefer to use when reading information about your child’s education?
11.Are you currently participating in the advocacy or parent-support program?
12.Approximately how long have you participated in or received services or support from the advocacy program?
13.What led you to become involved with an advocacy group or parent-support program? (Select all that apply)
14.Please describe your overall experience participating in the advocacy program or receiving services or support from it.
15.In what ways, if any, has the advocacy program influenced your ability to access special education services or supports for your child?
16.How has participation in the advocacy program affected your understanding of the IEP process?
17.In what ways, if any, has the advocacy program influenced how you participate or engage with your child’s school?
18.Since participating in the advocacy program or receiving services or support from it, how would you describe any changes in your communication with teachers, administrators, or other school personnel?
19.What strategies, information, or skills have you learned from the advocacy program that have helped you advocate for your child?
20.How has participation in the advocacy program influenced the way you speak up, ask questions, share concerns, or participate during IEP meetings?
21.Please describe an interaction with your child’s school in which something you learned from the advocacy program was helpful. (Please do not include the names of the school, child, teachers, staff members, town, or advocacy organization.)
22.What parts of the advocacy program have been most helpful in supporting your communication or advocacy with your child’s school?
23.Were there any parts of the advocacy program that were less helpful, difficult to use, or did not fit your family’s needs? Please explain.
24.What changes would you suggest to make the advocacy program more helpful for families like yours?
25.What additional supports would help parents and caregivers communicate with schools and advocate for children receiving special education services?
Optional Follow-Up Interview

Thank you for completing the questionnaire.

The research team is also conducting individual follow-up interviews with the first three to five eligible questionnaire participants who volunteer.

• Last approximately 30 to 45 minutes
• Be conducted individually through Zoom or Microsoft Teams
• Be audio-recorded with your permission
• Ask you to describe your experiences with advocacy programs, communication with schools, and special education services in greater detail

Participation in an interview is completely optional.

To protect the privacy of your questionnaire responses, please do not enter your name or email address anywhere in this questionnaire.

To volunteer for an interview, contact the student researcher separately at:

Cory Mikel
cmikel@ttu.edu

In your email, you may write:

“I completed the advocacy questionnaire and would like to volunteer for a follow-up interview.”

The first three to five eligible volunteers will be contacted. Volunteering does not guarantee that you will be selected if the interview spaces have already been filled.