Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Learning disabled children--Education--United States; Children with social disabilities--Education--United States; Learning disabled children--United States--Identification; Children with social disabilities--Education; Learning disabled children; Learning disabled children--Education; United States; Field guides;

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to help in making sense of the at-risk phenomenon. The implications throughout this study are based on the constructivist paradigm in that we create things such as at-risk and not discover them, therefore, allowing us to change the way things are. The data collected throughout this study developed into four main contradictions. The first contradiction, We Can't Define At-Risk, but Treat It Like a Thing, presents a variety of definitions of at-risk which represent the inability to define such an ambiguous term. The second contradiction, Moving Towards Inclusion During the Creation of Another Category, presents data that implies the creation of another category that obtains a very diverse group of students. The third contradiction, We Say We Care About Children, but Fail to Invest In Them, acknowledges innovative programs, new initiatives, and funding specifically for at-risk children. In spite of these efforts, more and more children are being deemed at-risk. The final contradiction, Cycling Through the Same Problems of Special Education Under a Different Name, makes comparisons among other disability labels as well as provides insight as to why many students are being deemed at-risk within the research site.

Year of Submission

1999

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Department of Special Education

First Advisor

Deborah Gallagher

Second Advisor

Christopher Kliewer

Third Advisor

John Smith

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

1999

Object Description

1 PDF file (59 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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