Moving beyond Numbers: Using DisCrit to Examine Policy

Decades of research about students of color with dis/abilities has left but one fact clear: these students are not treated equitably within our school systems. The purpose of this qualitative document analysis was to identify how Disability Critical Race Studies is represented within federal inclusion policies. The research question was "How are the seven tenets of Disability Critical Race Studies represented within federal inclusion policies?" Disability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit) is a theory that highlights the intersection of race and dis/ability. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act were analyzed for this study. The two policies were examined for keywords derived from the seven tenets of DisCrit. Data were then coded using a priori and process codes. Several themes emerged upon analysis of the data. Results show that several tenets of DisCrit are present within federal inclusion policies. However, their presence is largely accounted for from language and concepts DisCrit identifies as harmful to students of color with dis/abilities. Four major themes emerged from this study: Helping means viewing students as having deficits, Helping means assimilating, Gains for students of color coincide with gains for White students, and Affirmation accompanies positive movement. This study has implications for educators, policy makers, and students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]