School-Family-Community Collaboration for African American Males with Disabilities

For many individuals, work is an integral component of daily life (Koch, 2000) that serves several functions, with economic support being chief among them. Work can also have a major impact on one’s self-image, feelings of self-worth, and social status, meaning that it has an essential role in satisfying basic human needs (Maslow, 1943, 1954; Szymanski, Enright, & Hershenson, 2012). Unfortunately, throughout history, individuals with learning disabilities have experienced barriers to higher education and postsecondary employment opportunities. For African American males with learning disabilities, these barriers include the disenfranchisement precipitated by the cumulative effects of exposure to racism. To date, there is only a small body of literature addressing these individuals and their unique needs, with much of it focused on those in the ivory tower as opposed to on-the-ground stakeholders. The purpose of this article, then, is to present the current literature, and use a vignette to highlight and illustrate how culturally sensitive school-family-community collaborations (SFC) can facilitate positive outcomes for African American males with learning disabilities.