Minding the Gaps: Effectively Supporting Language Learners with Special Needs

Abstract

This ethnographic case study grounded in constructivist approaches reveals the problems, gaps and challenges within one local K-12 school system that prevent consistent collaboration between teachers and specialists to appropriately and sufficiently support dually identified students. A dually identified student for the purpose of this research is defined as an English language learner who is also diagnosed with an identified disability. Qualitative data was collected to help answer the research question, “What conditions do classroom teachers, special education teachers, and English as a new language(ENL) teachers believe allow them to collaborate effectively to appropriately support dually identified students and their families?” Through analysis of semi structured interviews, the existing gaps, themes, and implications are identified in order to better support dually identified K-12 students and their families.