Deconstructing language practices: discursive constructions of children in Individual Education Plan resource documents

Abstract

Although Individual Education Plan (IEP) resource documents in Ontario, Canada aim to assist children in achieving their special educational goals, a point of disjuncture exists between the documents’ intentions and children’s actual experiences. Addressing this issue is crucial in preventing inequity and fostering educational development and social well-being for children. We employ critical discourse analysis informed by disability theory to deconstruct the language practices used to conceptualize children in IEP resource documents. Our purpose is to question the underlying assumptions regarding representations of children and illuminate the potentially harmful consequences of such conceptions. We expose the presence of both neutral and harmful language practices and consider how such language may shape the way the documents translate from policy to practice. This study offers a model through which the language of other special education documents can be critically evaluated and proposes potential avenues for creating documents that avoid disabling children further.

Keywords:

• language
• disability
• special education
• Individual Education Plan

Disclosure statement

The authors report no potential conflicts of interest arising from the direct applications of this research.

Funding

This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [MOP-130433].

Notes

1. See http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/speced.html.