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Full-Text Articles in Education
Parents' Access To Information And Ability To Advocate For Their Young Children With Disabilities, Ellen W. Fisher
Parents' Access To Information And Ability To Advocate For Their Young Children With Disabilities, Ellen W. Fisher
Graduate Student Independent Studies
This study was motivated by the fact that there is an overrepresentation of children from minority backgrounds with disabilities in the United States school system (Artiles & Trent, 1994; Cartledge, 1999; Chinn & Hughes, 1987). In considering factors causing the inequality in the special education system, this study explored (a.) parents' access to information regarding the preschool special education system and (b.) how that access to information affects parents' ability to advocate on behalf of their young children with disabilities. Through twelve anonymous surveys and six interviews with parents, information was collected regarding who has and does not have access …
Racial Disproportionality In Special Education: Causes, Outcomes And Avenues For Change, John Gillies
Racial Disproportionality In Special Education: Causes, Outcomes And Avenues For Change, John Gillies
Graduate Student Independent Studies
In school systems across the United States, disproportionality in special education along racial and ethnic lines is not merely a problem of overrepresentation or underrepresentation, but misrepresentation. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are given incorrect diagnoses, disproportionate educational designations, and inappropriate placements. The key factors behind disproportionality include racial bias among educators and other service providers, socio-economic status, substandard early childhood environments, and family composition. Inappropriate special education placements can lead to increased rates of school dropout, poor academic achievement, lower-paying jobs, and juvenile crime. Therefore disproportionality is not a problem confined to the education system, it is of …