This message is referring to the EdEquity Dialogue on Gender and
Disabilities, July 19-23, 2002
Hi Christine,
I just wrote to you regarding your comment in response to my opening
statement. I just wanted to respond to this statement and tell you that I
have a similar interest in Latina girls and have also witnessed
inappropriate techniques around diagnosis and intervention with Latina
girls who have disabilities. It would be great to keep in touch with regard
to our common
interests. There is much to talk about and I am very interested in
establishing and maintaining contacts with Latinas in the field who are
doing this type of work. Thank you for your comments and I look forward to
future discussions.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara
OHSU-Center on Self-Determination
Portland, OR
gilkashi@ohsu.edu
Original message post on EdEquity Dialogue on Gender and Disabilities, July
19-23, 2002
Subject: [EDEQUITY Disability]Closing Statement for Christine Valenciana
Hi All,
I was particularly struck by the statements that so many of the panelists
sent in regarding the poverty of women with disabilities as well as the
isolation of girls in special education. I am wondering whether much
research exists regarding Latinas as a separate group with respect to =
these issues? My own experience has been that Latina girls sometimes go
for
years without being referred for special testing. Often these girls speak
limited English and it is unclear to their teachers if they are falling
behind academically because of the language issue. In addition, the =
number
of school psychologists and special education teachers who speak Spanish =
is
still dismally low. In many Southern California school districts speech
testing is still done by bilingual instructional aides since there are few
bilingual speech therapists. In some cases, children are tested by a
psychologists on tests with questionable validity! Often these kids do
not have a speech or a language problem--they speak very little English!
They are then referred for special services or special education when they
do not, in fact, have a disability! They receive special services and are
educated in "learned helplessness." They are doomed to limited education.
I look forward to future discussions!!
Christine Valenciana
Asst. Professor
Dept. of Elementary and Bilingual Education
California State University Fullerton
<cvalenciana@Exchange.FULLERTON.EDU>
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