Transportation Challenges for Urban Students With Disabilities: Parent Perspectives

Abstract

This qualitative study explored parent perspectives of the transportation difficulties students with disabilities experienced getting to and around school. Participants were parents of predominantly African American and Latino/a high school youth with disabilities from low income neighborhoods. Content analysis of 14 meetings with 5 to 12 parents sponsored by the school district revealed five primary themes concerning transportation: the role of aides, exclusion from school programming, scheduling problems, equipment problems, and physical safety issues. Findings are discussed in regard to students' social and emotional experiences at school. Implications for school policy include improving the integration of transportation within inclusion best practice models. Incorporating parent perspectives can help school administrators and staff enrich the quality of inclusive, socially just education for students with disabilities.

KEYWORDS:

• African American
• disability
• Latino
• low income
• parent perspectives
• school inclusion
• transportation
• urban education

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Benjamin C. Graham

At the time of this research, Benjamin C. Graham was affiliated with DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Graham is currently affiliated with the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, in Menlo Park, California.