Implicit Bias and Disproportionality of African Americans in Special Education: A Case Study

• In Event: Culture and Diversity in Special Education

Abstract

Despite policies to establish an objective prereferral process by multidisciplinary teams, the proportion of African American students enrolled in special education continues to outpace students of other races. Research indicates that stereotypes can influence a person’s unconscious judgment about a person, even those who renounce bias. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) members after a bias literacy intervention including the Race IAT. 22 participants engaged in a quantitative pretest-posttest design to determine whether a bias literacy workshop raised awareness of the role of bias within a MDT. Results of an independent samples t-test for unequal variances demonstrated significance, suggesting that this intervention impacted participants’ posttest perceptions of their self-perceived objectivity.

Authors

• jillian whatley, Atlanta Public Schools

• Carol A. Isaac, Mercer University

• Joseph L. Balloun, Mercer University

• Ed L Bouie, Mercer University