'But how can those students make it here?': examining the institutional discourse about what it means to be 'LD' at an Ivy League university

摘要

In this paper, I examine and critique the construction of 'learning disabilities' at an Ivy League university in the USA. Drawn from a study of the experiences of learning disabled labelled Ivy undergraduates, this paper focuses on the language practices, assumptions, and power relationships that characterize the University discourse within and against which these diverse learners shape their educational lives and identities. Using discourse analysis techniques, I analyse University policies and practices to illuminate the complex, disempowering discourse about what it means to be 'LD' at the University. I conclude with possibilities for constructing an alternative discourse about learning diversity.