Binders, Books, and "Due Process": An Analysis of Mothers' Narratives About Preparing for Individualized Education Program Meetings

Abstract

Utilizing narratives collected in a larger qualitative study about mothers of children with dis/abilities, I analyze three particular instances in which mothers discuss the ways in which they prepare for IEP meetings. Utilizing a Disabilities Studies perspective, I found that in each of the moments analyzed, the mothers understood the IEP process to be adversarial and strategically brought objects or planned to use phrases to disrupt power relations and/or influence the decisions of those in power. Yet, some of the mothers had critiques of the system and understood that the act of having to disrupt power revealed inequity in the process. This research is important because it problematizes the IEP process and special education practices in schools.