Single-Gender and Co-Educational Special Education Classrooms: Latina Student Attitudes, Perceptions, and Experiences

Abstract

This qualitative research was designed to give voice to Latina students in single-gender and co-educational secondary-level special education placements for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Classroom observations and interviews were conducted with Latina special education students and classroom teachers in both single-gender and coeducational special education classrooms in one urban school site serving a large special education population. The findings of the study indicate that the single-gender special education environment provides greater comfort levels and less distractions in the classroom and increased levels of classroom participation and school attendance than the co-educational classroom environment.