Beyond Talk: Reimagining Education for Disabled Girls of Color Through an Intersectional Discursive Lens

• In Event: Classroom-Based Civic and Intersectional Identities

Abstract

The experiences of disabled girls of color in middle and high school are historically ignored in educational research. This project sought to expand current understandings of how academic and social opportunities are impacted by classroom multimodal discourses (e.g., talk, actions) for youth with disabilities broadly by considering the unique intersectional experiences of disabled girls of color. Grounded in Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and critical discourse theory, six students were focal participants and seven teachers were secondary participants. Primary and secondary data were analyzed. Findings revealed how the focal participants showed their discursive resourcefulness, despite absent communication supports and prioritization of oral/aural communication. Also, they repositioned in response to marginalization through multimodal discourses. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Author

• Amanda L. Miller, Wayne State University