The “Mundos” of Two Hispanic Families With an English-Speaking Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder

• In Event: At the Crossroads of Bilingual Education and Special Education

Abstract

This study aims to explore the lived experiences of Spanish speaking families with students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and only speak English because of English-only instruction.
The study used a hermeneutical phenomenological lens to explore the mundos [worlds] of two families with a child with ASD that is an English learner and understand their experiences. Their experiences were presented through a biographical narrative inquiry analyzed using Polkinghorne’s method of narrative configuration. The findings shed light on their beliefs and struggles due to the children’s native language being subtracted from their education. It is the researchers hope that the social validity of additive bilingual programs increases.
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders, bilingual education, hermeneutical phenomenology

Authors

• Ubaldo Cirlos, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• Jeong-Hee Kim, Texas Tech University