Collaborative Character-Building Strategies of Parents and Teachers for Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Character building is a fundamental goal of education; however, fostering character development among children with intellectual disabilities remains challenging because it requires consistent support from both families and schools amid developmental limitations and persistent social stigma. The objective of this qualitative research using by case study design at Cileunyi State Special Education School, Bandung, Indonesia, is to understand the strategies implemented by teachers and parents to develop the character of children who have intellectual disabilities, as well as the forms of collaboration that exist between them. With the data collection using in-depth interviews with teachers, parents, and students, supported by observations and documentation, all of data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model. The findings show that collaboration between teachers and parents plays an essential role in the character development of children who have intellectual disabilities. Teachers and parents consistently prioritize the development of their independence character and religious character through four main strategies: habituation, modeling, repetition, and continuous monitoring. According to this study, the success of these strategies depends on how consistently they are applied in both home and school settings. The important thing to ensuring consistency in character education and bolstering character development for children who have intellectual disabilities is tight collaboration and sustained communication between parents and educators.