Understanding the Stories of Caribbean-American Parents/Guardians of Children with Disabilities: A Narrative Inquiry

This qualitative narrative inquiry collects the stories of Caribbean-American immigrant parents and guardians on their experiences with having a child with disabilities in grades pre-K to 12. Volunteer parents and guardians were solicited by posting flyers at agencies and invited to participate in a one-on-one semi-structured interview. The significance of the study lies in the description of how diverse groups of parents understand and explain their experiences of living with a child with disability and how they engage with the school. While research exists describing the experiences of some minority groups, there however, is a paucity of information about how some groups such as Haitians, Jamaicans, and individuals from other Caribbean countries interact with, talk about their children with disabilities, and how they experience navigating the school system on behalf of these children. This study aims to fill that gap in the literature