James M. Kauffman's Ideas about Special Education: Implications for Educating Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Overview & Synopsis

For decades, James M. Kauffman has been a reputable scholar in the field of special education. While his contributions to the field cannot be doubted, his ideas about special education have been somewhat controversial and even devastating to the education of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners with and without disabilities. Specifically, his ideas about student labeling, standardized tests and testing, multicultural education, and disproportionate placement of CLD learners seem inconceivable and counterproductive. We respect Kauffman as a renowned scholar and we do not doubt his heart, however, we are unclear if he is aware of the negative consequences of his ideas. In this article, we critique his ideas based on his writings on some critical issues in special education