Critical race theory, disability microaggressions and Latina/o student experiences in special education

This research draws upon critical race theory (CRT) to explore the experiences of Latina/o students in special education. It seeks to extend the theoretical construct of racial microaggressions and illustrate the additional layer of disability as I present data that are particular to the context of special education and the assigned label of students with disabilities. In this article, I draw upon three academic semesters of ethnographic observations and present observed cases of disability microaggressions that occur against Latina/o students in special education. The types of disability microaggressions include low expectations, disregard, and bullying. Students often did not challenge these microaggressions, but they occasionally resulted in students’ refusal of academic services, providing an additional barrier to their academic success within the context of a program intended to facilitate it. And given the close-knit, intimate environment of the learning center, disability microaggressions that occurred resulted in a collective impact for Latina/o students in special education.