Interrupting the discourse: a response to Reid and Valle.

J Learn Disabil

Department of Teaching and Leadership, Syracuse University, NY 13244, USA.

Published: December 2004

AI Article Synopsis

  • Reid and Valle emphasize that the discourse in learning disabilities (LD) shapes what is considered knowledge and affects perceptions of disability.
  • Their focus on the epistemological foundations reveals that unchallenged assumptions in the field have real-world consequences for individuals labeled with LD.
  • The current discourse hinders educational transformation for all learners and prevents critical discussions regarding systemic issues, like the overrepresentation of students of color in LD classifications and the accessibility of general education environments.

Article Abstract

Reid and Valle (in this issue) illustrate how discourse within the field of learning disabilities (LD) determines what can and cannot be said and shapes what counts as knowledge or truth. Because basic assumptions about disability often remain unquestioned, Reid and Valle ask us to focus on the epistemological foundations of the field of LD. They demonstrate how discourse, far from being simply an academic or abstract theoretical pursuit, has direct material consequences for people labeled as having LD. In this response, I highlight some of the ways that the discourse in the LD field is getting in the way of truly transforming education for all learners and impeding our ability to ask the hard questions about our own complicity in issues such as the overrepresentation of students of color and the inaccessibility of general education learning environments.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00222194040370060501DOI Listing

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