AbstractsEducation Research & Administration

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.