Dosun Ko received $11,300 from The Academy of Korean Studies
Dosun Ko with the Education Department has received an $11,300 award from The Academy of Korean Studies to support his project "Narrative Inquiry: Centering Experiences of Multicultural Students with Disabilities in Korean Special Education."
The purpose of this qualitative study is to scrutinize and document the systemic challenges and complexities faced by multicultural and multilingual students with disabilities within the Korean special education system. Beyond this, this investigation seeks to deepen our understanding of the perceived systemic contradictions by key stakeholders including caregivers, general and special educators, and assessment specialists throughout the intricate process of special education referrals, evaluations, eligibility determination, special education placements, and design and implementation of service provisions. Moreover, this study intends to foreground the often-overlooked assets, education aspirations, and resilience of multicultural and multilingual students with disabilities and their caregivers. Through qualitative documentation, this study seeks to unveil what strategies and tactics these students and their caregivers employ to navigate the complex Korean special education system.