Case Studies of Minority Student Placement in Special Education » (1st Edition)

This book features vivid case studies that bring to life real children, school personnel, and family members from the bestselling book, Why Are So Many Minority Students in Special Education? Once again addressing the disproportionate placement of minority students in special education programs, this new book includes the voices and perspectives of all stakeholders to show the tremendous complexity of the issues and the dilemmas faced by professionals, family members, and children. Challenging questions and scenarios are offered at the end of each case study to provide thoughtful follow-up activities and topics for further study. This collection of cases can be used-on its own or as a companion to the main volume-in elementary and special education courses and professional development workshops.

Preface: The Issue, the Research, and the Setting     vii
Acknowledgments     xi
The Disproportionate Placement of Minority Students in Special Education
The Social Construction of High-Incidence Disabilities     3
The "Judgment" Categories: Dilemmas of Definition, Assessment, and Placement     8
Case Studies
Emotional/Behavior Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?: Robert: "I'm a gangsta, tha's why!"     21
Emotional/Behavior Disorder or Gifted?: Kanita: "There's nothing wrong with her, she just wants her momma"     29
Emotional/Behavior Disorder, Learning Disability, or Just Sensitive?: Germaine: "Why you looking at me?"     38
Emotional/Behavior Disorder or Learning Disability?: Matthew and Austin: "I have a dream..."     46
Emotional/Behavior Disorder, Learning Disability, or English-Language Learner?: Edith: "She's not handicap!"     61
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Emotional/Behavior Disorder, or Learning Disability?: Paul: "I don't want this case to go EBD"     71
Educable Mentally Retarded, English-Language Learner, or Ignored?: Clementina: "I don't want to do no work!"     79
Educable Mentally Retarded, English-Language Learner, or Ignored?: Bartholomew: "so?"     87
Learning Disabled or Absent?: Miles: "I can add and subtract just like them"     92
Learning Disabled or Absent?: Anita:"I'm tired of this school and all their mistakes!"     99
Learning Disabled or Low Achiever?: Marc: "He's a quiet person in class; he's just slow"     108
Between the Cracks?: Taddeus: "He can fix anything!"     113
Epilogue: The Tyranny of the Norm     117
References     119
Index     121
About the Authors     131