Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Davila, Brianne A

Titel

Negotiating “Special” Identities: Latina/o Student Experiences in Special Education

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2011

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• This research study examined Latina/o student experiences in special education, specifically in the Resource Specialist Program (RSP) at Valley View High School (VVHS). One of the main goals of the RSP program is to supplement the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. It commonly serves students with mild disabilities, including but not limited to, speech and language impairments, learning disorders and emotional disturbances. To understand how Latina/o students experience the Resource Specialist Program and its effects on identity and motivation, I drew upon theories of identity development and Latina/o Critical Race Theory to frame my research. Utilizing an ethnographic approach, data was collected over three academic semesters at Valley View High School (VVHS). Observations were conducted in VVHS's learning centers and two general education classrooms. In-depth interviews were conducted with Latina/o students enrolled in the learning center, select parents of student participants, RSP teachers, and an instructional aide. I relied upon a “Grounded Theory” approach in order to analyze my data. The research findings revealed the way the roles of RSP teachers in the general education classroom was largely determined by general education teachers, which reinforced a status hierarchy between the general and special education programs. Structural barriers also existed within the learning center and larger school environment. This study presented the concept of “disability microaggressions” as a way to analyze the role of disability in the stigmatizing interactions Latina/o students with disabilities faced in the Learning Center. Students employed a range of responses in order to cope with such interactions and were “collectively impacted.” This study also explored the role of special education placement and learning center enrollment in shaping student identity and aspirations. Students described the various forms of social stigma they faced and the coping mechanisms they employed as a response. Despite the stigma of receiving special education services imposed upon them by their general education peers, special education students drew upon their peer and familial support in order to develop strong academic identities and future aspirations.