Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services 1
Journal Critique: Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services Assignment
Collaboration and Communication in Special Education
Gladys Baldwin
School of Education, Liberty University
Author Note
Gladys Baldwin
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Gladys Baldwin.
Email: [email protected]
Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services 2
Parents’ initiative in community-based support for children with intellectual and
developmental disabilities: The Ahada non-profit model
Statement of the Problem
Ganany-Dagan (2025) conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 30
participants and a thematic analysis to understand the need for community-based support for
children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Families struggled to find community-
based resources for their children with special needs, particularly those diagnosed with
intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The community's failure to meet the needs
increased the child and family's feelings of being alone and frustrated. Many families, especially
in communities with little or no community resources, had no idea where to turn or what steps to
take to find community-based resources for their children. The Ahada non-profit model was
created by parents or families of children with intellectual disabilities as an answer to the
problem of the lack of community-based resources. Ahada non-profit’s mission is to build
community-driven support and resources for the children of the (IDD) community to ensure their
children and themselves have a better quality of life.
Statement of the Research Question
The research question explored is: How does the Ahada non-profit model contribute to
the support and development of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and
their families? This question aims to understand a parent-led system, its outcomes, and its
capability to create and find effective community-based care for children with Intellectual
Developmental Disabilities (IDD) (Ganany-Dagan, 2025).
Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services 3
Methods
Ganany-Dagan (2025) used the qualitative case study design to investigate the Ahada
model. The researchers had to complete several steps before they were allowed to research
Ahada. The Kibbutz community is very private and protective. First, Ahada's Ethics Committee
had to approve the research and provided with the intentions of the study. Next, participants had
to consent to the researchers' interviews, recordings, and transcriptions. The participants were
advised that they could stop their participation at any time. Lastly, as an additional layer of
privacy, the participants' names were changed(Ganany-Dagan, 2025).
The participants were ten family members, including eight parents and two adult siblings
who were guardians. The families are Kibbutz members of a community in Israel who have
children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition to having children with
(IDD), the parents must be frequent users of the services of the Ahada non-profit organization.
The focus group also included 10 of the organization's faculty members to provide an insider's
point of view to understand the organization's inner workings. Researchers collected data using
multiple means to gain a deeper understanding of Ahada, such as interviewing the faculty and
parents about their personal experiences, delving into the challenges they faced, interviewees'
impressions of the organization, and whether outcomes were effective. Another means of data
collection used by researchers was observation. Researchers observed parent-led programs and
activities, interactive workshops, fun and learning events, and support groups offered by the
Ahada program (Ganany-Dagan, 2025).
The data was analyzed by using Thematic analysis by Thematic analysis "using a
grounded theory approach. Key themes were identified, categorized, and cross-referenced with
Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services 4
observational data to ensure reliability and validity " Interviewers read the partcioants transcripts
multiple times to determin Ahada's success (Ganany-Dagan, 2025)..
Results
The researcher discovered multiple themes during the study. The first theme is that the
families’ lives changes with the birth of children with (IDD) and how they cope with this change.
Through the coping process families may struggle locating resources and answers. The second
theme is the desire to fit in a community that understands and accepts the family and provide
valuable support and resources.The parents who participated in the Ahada program felt
empowered by the community Ahada provided. Ahada provided advocacy skills training and a
road map to access resources that were once lacking or non-existent for families of children
living with (IDD. Families also found comfort in having access to support groups and other
families in similar situations eliminated their feelings of isolation and hopeless frustrations. The
Ahada model provided families of children with (IDD) dependable friends and made it possible
for them to help each other navigate the unique struggles of their children.
The Ahada families reported that the social events that included art therapy, play areas
designed for children with (IDD), and family gatherings were effective. The families experienced
positive developments in their children's social, communication, and motor skills as a result of
their participation in Ahada's programs. Researchers found operational challenges for Ahada, a
non-profit organization. The program depends on the kindness and donations of others to
continue offering resources to the community at no cost. Ahada also finds itself at odds with the
government concerning children's education and the healthcare needs of the children it
represents(Ganany-Dagan, 2025).
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Reflection
This research did an excellent job sharing the success of parent-led initiatives, such as the Ahada
model. Ahada has created a formula that positively changed the students with (IDD) in the
Kibbutz community and their families' lives. Ahada has proven to be a worthwhile initiative for
this small group of participants. The study did not uncover if Ahada has plans to expand to other
communities or countries. The study also did not share if families had negative experiences with
the Ahada program. The research needs to expand using a larger data set of participants. Also,
are there similar parent-led programs that focus solely on children with (IDD) and their families?
It was unclear in the article if Ahada had a collaborative relationship with the education system
in the area or if Ahada is the only source of education for children with (IDD).
Journal Critique: Community-Based Supports and Services 6
References
Ganany-Dagan, O. (2025). Parents’ initiative in community-based support for children with
intellectual and developmental disabilities: The Ahada non-profit model. Journal of
Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 1–12.
https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2024.2437767
