Overrepresentation of minorities in special education placement

SmithCDIS9404E Overrepresentation of Minorities in Special Education

Overrepresentation of minorities in special education

Gaps in Prior Research

The theoretical framework which will define this study is that of multiculturalism, which stresses the need to treat children in a manner which is sensitive to their individualized needs. It also emphasizes how cultural misinterpretations can create different perceptions of students' relative abilities and disabilities (Beauchamp 1968). Multicultural theories of educational research note how more so than actual student abilities, sociocultural and socioeconomic factors affect teacher perceptions of students. Although this concept is relatively well-established, NCLB has changed the dynamic of how multicultural understandings have been integrated into special education and the quantification of school success. The emotional impact and how this can be assessed in a qualitative fashion, based upon the narrative input of children and other affected parties, will be the focus of the study.

2) Disabilities

a. Classification and Placement

Classification and placement is not an objective science. According to the principles of IDEA, students should receive a comparable education with their peers in the least restrictive environment possible. Although classification is based upon predetermined standards, there is always a filtering bias in terms of the persons doing the evaluation.

b. Cultural Differences

Cultural differences are one potential subjective barrier that can affect perceptions. For example, a student's lack of fluency in English might cause him or her to be perceived as less intelligent. Students from a culture with a higher power differential between children and adults may seem more diffident and less talkative than students from homes with more conventional Western assumptions about child-adult relationships. This can also create barriers to understanding.

Counselor/Teacher/Parent Professional Development

Through this qualitative research, the intention is to raise awareness about the multicultural aspects of screening students for disabilities and providing assistance. The work hopes to theoretically problematize special education as an objective discipline, specifically in regards to historically discriminated-against groups. "School leaders may need to scrutinize the curriculum for areas that exclude or fail to resonate with particular subgroups of students" (Rebora 2011).