THE JOURNEY TOWARD VISIBILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN HONDURAS DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DWIGHT SCHAR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ASHLAND UNIVERSITY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies Christine M. Croyle, M.A. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY ASHLAND, OH 2014 © Copyright by Christine M. Croyle All rights reserved 2014 ii iii A DISSERTATION ENTITLED THE JOURNEY TOWARD VISIBILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN HONDURAS By Christine M. Croyle In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for The Degree Doctor of Education in Leadership Studies Dr. James L. Olive, Committee Chair Date Dr. Constance Savage, Committee Member Date Dr. James Chapple, Committee Member Date Dr. Carla Abreu-Ellis, Committee Member Date Dr. Judy Alston, Chair, Department of Leadership Studies Date Dr. Linda Billman, Acting Dean, Dwight Schar College of Education Date Dr. John E. Moser, Interim Dean of the Graduate School Date Ashland University November, 2014 iv THE JOURNEY TOWARD VISIBILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN HONDURAS By Christine M. Croyle ASHLAND UNIVERSITY, 2014 Dr. James L. Olive, Chair This study explored the perceptions of Honduran children, teachers, parents and administrators of children with disabilities and how these perceptions impacted the education of students with disabilities in rural areas of Honduras. Preexisting literature indicates that children with disabilities in rural Honduras often do not attend school due to access, negative stigma, teacher preparedness, and poverty. This study advances our understanding of the access and equity challenges facing these students. The study consisted of a collective multi-site case study. Observations, interviews, focus groups and children’s drawings were used to identify the following four themes: (a) culture, (b) government, (c) poverty, and (d) education process. Findings from the research suggest that the cultural perceptions related to an environment of corruption, drugs, and violence led to disintegrated families which negatively impacted their ability to provide support for the educational needs of their children with disabilities. The high level of poverty, in conjunction with a lack of understanding and apathy on the part of the government, kept funds that were designated for education from reaching the rural schools. Results, implications and future research are discussed. v Dedication The champions who inspired this venture are the wonderful children and families of Santa Cruz de Yojoa. They have captured my heart since the day we met. I dedicate this dissertation to them: To the first mother who welcomed me into her home; to the children with disabilities who were hidden away and now play freely in the school yards and town square; and to Dr. Francisco Pineda, affectionately referred to as the ‘doctor to the poor’. He championed this cause with his profession and his passion even to the final evening of his life. He was my colleague, my friend, and an advocate, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in his efforts to make Santa Cruz de Yojoa a wonderful place for all children to live, learn and grow together. Above all, to God, who arranged the moments in time that allowed us to connect and filled us with passion and perseverance. vi Acknowledgements The dissertation journey is not a solitary adventure. Around every bend, advisors, family members, friends, and colleagues appear, just in time, to provide a supportive word, a smile, or marker to point to the next turn in the road. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for those who walked with me during this journey. To my committee: The chair, Dr. Olive, thank you for pushing me to stay on target with deadlines and timelines and keeping the process organized in bite sized, manageable pieces; Dr. Savage, thank you for helping me keep the big picture in view and your gentle coaching; Dr. Chapple, thank you for contributing your expertise in special education and your shared heart for Honduras; Dr. Abreu-Ellis, thank you for your attention to detail. To Dr. Nierengarten, thank you for sharing your gift of teaching with the teachers in Honduras and walking with me through this process. To the founders, staff, and volunteers of Schools for Children of the World, thank you for the countless hours spent planning and continued support of the students and staff at the CIPIE. To the teachers in Santa Cruz de Yojoa, thank you for welcoming me into your classrooms and sharing your stories. El Pelon, thank you for your support of the CIPIE and working together to move the project further each year. To my friends: Dr. McTyiere, thank you for being my forever cheerleader and unflinching editor; to Andrea Leán, thank you for the hours spent translating documents and many late night Skype meetings. To my Ashland cohort members, the culture club, thank you for pushing me to be a leader and offering me the critique I needed to make this project better. vii To my family: Thank you for your patience during these three years. I appreciate the grace you showed me. To my daughter, Charity, thank you for your joyful spirit that made me smile when we were doing homework together. You often provided a much needed distraction of delight. To my son, JC, thank you for your constant belief in me. Your calls from around the world reminded me that I need to be courageous, too. Finally, to my loving husband, Tom, thank you for understanding of my time away: at school, in Honduras, in the office, and sometimes even while sitting right next to you. You carried my load for three long years. You have been my rock, a constant friend. I appreciate your sacrifice, unconditional love, and perseverance through this journey. I am forever grateful. viii Table of Contents CHAPTER I. Introduction ....................................................................................................1 Identification of the Problem .........................................................................4 Purpose of the Study .....................................................................................6 Research Questions .......................................................................................6 Significance of the Study ..............................................................................7 Researcher’s Lens .........................................................................................10 Definitions .....................................................................................................14 Summary ........................................................................................................16 II. Literature Review...........................................................................................18 Honduras ........................................................................................................18 Geographic Location ...............................................................................18 Economy .................................................................................................21 Living Conditions ............................................................................21 Culture.....................................................................................................22 Government Structure .............................................................................24 Corruption ........................................................................................25 Violence and Drugs.................................................................................26 Education System....................................................................................27 Special Education...........................................................................................30 Current Practices in the United States ....................................................30 ix Guiding Regulations ........................................................................30 Teacher Preparation ................................................................................32 Universal Design for Learning.........................................................33 Differentiation ..................................................................................34 Co-Teaching ......................................................................................34 International Guidelines ..........................................................................35 State of Special Education in Honduras..................................................38 Guiding Regulations ........................................................................38 Service Delivery......................................................................................39 Summary ........................................................................................................41 III. Methodology ..................................................................................................43 Design Rationale .....................................................................................43 Research Questions .................................................................................44 Participants ..............................................................................................44 Data Collection .......................................................................................45 Observations
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