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Intervention Versus Affirmation

Proposed Solutions to the Problem of Disproportionate Minority Representation in Special Education

University of New Mexico

Steven R. Forness

University of California, Los Angeles Neuropsychiatric Hospital

M. Elizabeth Nielsen

University of New Mexico

In 1968, Exceptional Children published Lloyd Dunn's historic article concerning the disproportionate number of minority students receiving special education services in the area of mental retardation. Thirty years later this discussion continues, with few of the author's recommendations having been implemented. In our response to the articles, in this special section, we question why these recommendations have not been implemented. We propose that experimentally validated interventions that have been found to be effective across cultures can begin to address the issue of disproportionate representation. These interventions include (a) early detection, primary interventions, and prereferral procedures and (b) academic as well as social competence, resiliency, and self-determination strategy teaching. We suggest a pragmatic approach to addressing the disproportionate number of minority students receiving special education services. We then focus on the need for well-trained quantitative researchers from diverse cultural backgrounds who can develop, implement, and experimentally evaluate interventions that can produce systemic change addressing this issue.

The Journal of Special Education, Vol. 32, No. 1, 48-51 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/002246699803200109


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