iscussions and considerations about the disproportionality of students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in special education have persisted for more than four decades. Since the publication of Dunn's groundbreaking paper in 1968, scholars have formulated wellgrounded theories, followed by rigorous inquiries into the meaning and impact of disproportionate representation of particular students in special education. The special education label suggests that there is some disorder within the child and, accordingly, a need for more resources such as specialized instruction and other therapeutic interventions. Ideally, special education will improve pupil performance; however, positive outcomes have been seriously questioned for many students (e.g., Donovan & Cross, 2002; Dunn, 1968). Some authorities posit that disability diagnoses are likely to result in lowered expectations, thereby reducing special education simply to a place where students are sent when they do not perform (Meyer & Patton, 2001) rather than a service elevating learners to higher levels of performance. Children with disabilities may be viewed according to two major categories: (1) high incidence and (2) low incidence. High-incidence disabilities are also referred to as mild disabilities and include the subcategories of learning disabilities (LD), emotionally disturbed (ED), mild mental retardation (MMR), and speech and language disorders. Low-incidence disabilities are more severe in nature and include conditions such as sensory disorders (visual and hearing impairments), moderate to severe mental retardation, physical disabilities, and autism. The high-and low-incidence categories might also be distinguished, respectively, by "clinical judgment" and biological factors (Harry & Klinger, 2006). That is, the diagnosis for mild disabilities is relatively subjective, while low-incidence disabilities are based on medical assessments. Harry and Klinger further offered the opinion that high-incidence 383 24 DISPROPORTIONALITY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN IN SPECIAL EDUCATION