My Voice Matters: Native American Families Advocating for Children With Disabilities

Abstract

Ms. Lewis, a Native American parent has a son named Ashkii who receives special education services in a rural elementary school located on a reservation. She has not received support from the individual education program team regarding Ashkii’s academic progress due to COVID-19. The challenges in accessing special education services for Ms. Lewis and her child raise issues about equity for students with disabilities during the pandemic. This case unpacks the intersections of race, disability, and the cultural and community wealth of Native American families in rural areas with limited resources.

Keywords

Native American race disability exceptionality culture equity and cultural wealth

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