Minority students in special and gifted education / Committee on Minority Representation in Special Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council ; M. Suzanne Donovan and Christopher T. Cross, editors.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 386-462) and index.
Form
Also issued online.
Contents
1. The context of special and gifted education -- 2. Representation of minority students in special and gifted education -- 3. Influences on cognitive and behavioral development -- 4. Early intervention programs -- 5. The general education context -- 6. The legal context and the referral process -- 7. Assessment practices, definitions and classification criteria -- 8. Alternative approaches to assessment -- 9. Weighing the benefits of placement -- 10. Recommendations.
Summary
Special education and gifted and talented programs were designed for children whose educational needs are not well met in regular classrooms. From their inceptions, these programs have had disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic minority students. What causes this disproportion? Is it a problem? This book considers possible contributors to that disparity, including early biological and environmental influences and inequities in opportunities for preschool and K-12 education, as well as the possibilities of bias in the referral and assessment system that leads to placement in special programs. It examines the data on early childhood experience, on differences in educational opportunity, and on referral and placement.