An Over-Representation Forum

One would always anticipate an equal distribution of pupils from different racial and ethnic backgrounds throughout the various special education schools. That is not the case, though, since pupils from varied racial and ethnic backgrounds are overrepresented in special education, a situation that has long been a source of controversy.

The misidentification of pupils who should be enrolled in special education programs is one of the reasons, in my opinion, that there are too many students of color and other ethnic minorities in special education programs. This is due to the fact that some teachers recommend pupils to special education programs from regular schools without first considering the prerequisites for such referrals (Jonak, 2013). Besides, some instructional strategies used by teachers are not well-understood by several students who are ethnically and racially diverse, a situation which leaves them only with the option of joining special education programs. Also, some students who are ethnically and racially diverse have certain beliefs about race, poverty, ethnicity, and culture, which force them to join special education programs to avoid instances of discrimination by the majority groups. As a result, the ethnically and racially diverse students end up being overrepresented in special education programs (Jonak, 2013).

Additionally, I think overrepresentation of students who are ethnically and racially diverse in special education is as a result of the existence of several students who have difficulties in learning due to various disabilities, a situation which forces such students to join special education programs (Jonak, 2013). In some cases, the general school curriculum fails to sufficiently address the needs of ethnically and racially diverse students, a situation which forces them to join special education programs. Other students from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds enter special education programs as a result of stressful home situations, language differences, or unfavorable learning conditions, all of which lead their overrepresentation in special education (Jonak, 2013).

It is, therefore, important for teachers to consider whether the challenges faced by ethnically and racially diverse students in the classrooms are as a result of their learning disabilities or other preventable causes. Teachers or instructors have a vital role to play in solving the problem of overrepresentation of the ethnically and racially diverse groups in special education. They, therefore, need to have a better understanding of what constitutes special education needs.

References

Jonak, J. (2013). Original article Perspectives regarding disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in high-incidence special education programs in the United States. Health Psychology Report, 1, 42-51. http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/hpr.2013.40468