Looking in the Shadows: Literature on Undocumented Latinx Students with Disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT FERPA (1974) privacy laws protect undocumented Latinx learners with disabilities (ULWD) from disclosing their immigration status. The right to maintain anonymity provided by FERPA, however, potentially results in challenges in identifying and supporting the unique needs ULWD in home and school environments. Due, in part, to a lack of information, school professionals may view ULWD from deficit perspective perpetuated by the dominant narrative. In an effort to uncover what does exist within the literature of ULWD and better understand their experiences in school systems, the purpose of this review was to bring to light the available peer-reviewed and dissertation research about ULWD published in the U.S. between 2002 and 2021. Three research questions guided this review: (1) What was the purpose of research studies concerning ULWD? (2) Who were the participants, what were the research methods, and theoretical frameworks used? and (3) What were the common themes across the studies? Findings indicate that there is little research addressing the needs of ULWD and their family caregivers, with existing literature consistently calling for further research on this population. Implications for future research are discussed.