Educational Peacebuilding in Rural US America: Bridging Divides for English Learners with Disabilities

• In Event: Education, Place, and Inequality: Global Perspectives on Access and Opportunity

Proposal

In an era of demographic change and political polarization, rural US American schools face systemic disparities impacting students with intersecting marginalized identities—particularly English Learners (ELs) with disabilities. This mixed-methods study examines how three rural Indiana school districts co-create more equitable systems through community-engaged research, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the Equity Literacy framework.
Quantitative analyses of placement, achievement, and language development show promising trends—such as above-average rates of inclusion in general education classrooms—but also persistent gaps: inconsistent EL language growth and fragmented service delivery between EL and special education departments. Qualitative findings highlight three core themes: (1) uneven implementation of culturally responsive practices, (2) systemic barriers to equitable participation in general education, and (3) emerging but fragile supports for sustaining inclusion.

These findings intersect with the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004), which guarantees a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. While IDEA provides critical legal protection, implementation challenges—especially in under-resourced rural districts with diversifying student populations—reveal gaps between legal mandates and lived realities for ELs with disabilities.
Globally, inclusion efforts face similar challenges. Scotland’s Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act (2004) mandates a presumption of mainstreaming with multi-agency support, aiming to dismantle barriers to inclusion (Scottish Parliament, 2004; McCluskey, 2008). In Mexico, the General Education Law (2019) and supporting frameworks emphasize inclusive education through integration of students with disabilities into regular classrooms, facilitated by Units of Support Services for Regular Education (USAER) (Education Profiles, 2021; Sanchez et al., 2020). Internationally, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, 2006) codifies inclusive education as a human right. Nevertheless, refugee and migrant students with disabilities in Europe frequently face exclusion, inadequate supports, and escalating xenophobia—highlighting compounded inequities similar to those observed in U.S. rural contexts (Hunt, 2025).

Framed within the CIES 2026 theme of Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World, this study conceptualizes educational peace building as fostering belonging, justice, and institutional inclusion. It offers practical, scalable recommendations for rural and under-resourced contexts globally, especially those serving students with overlapping marginalized identities. Ultimately, the study reframes peace not merely as the absence of conflict, but as the presence of educational justice, shared responsibility, and resilient, inclusive systems.


References
Education Profiles. (2021, August 24). Mexico | Inclusion. World Bank/UNESCO Institute for Statistics. [Retrieved from https://education-profiles.org/latin-america-and-the- caribbean/mexico/~inclusion]
Hunt, Lucy. (2025, June 2). Promoting the educational inclusion of refugees with disabilities in Europe: a HERE report. https://hubhere.org/the-educational-inclusion-of-refugees-with- disabilities-in-europe-a-here-report
McCluskey, G. (2008). Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act: What does it mean for the way that teachers work together? Scottish Educational Review, 40(2), 53-63. http://www.scotedreview.org.uk/pdf/103.pdf
Sánchez, Marisol & Valero, Aída & O’Donnell, Matthew & Pérez-Ramírez, Berenice & Ochoa, Theresa. (2020). Legal Framework for the Education of Individuals With Disabilities in Mexico. Intervention in School and Clinic. 1. 1-7. 10.1177/1053451220963096
Scottish Parliament. (2004). Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 4). https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2004/4/contents
United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
UNESCO. (2020). Global education monitoring report 2020: Inclusion and education – All means all. UNESCO Publishing. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373718

Authors

• Mariella Arredondo, Indiana University

• Maria D Stevenson, Indiana University - Bloomington