Health and well-being perspectives of African American, ED learners: Informing community activism.

Special education disproportionality, or the over-identification of African American students with an Emotional Disturbance (ED), remains a persistent education issue, with adverse effects on African American learners' life outcomes. Using a cross-pollinated version of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), intersectionality, and Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) this study explored the health and well-being experiences of African American, ED learners. Findings indicated participants perceived a need to exchange their autonomy for necessary supports, from both the education and health systems. Rather than wait for an interdisciplinary effort to address environmental factors impacting African American learners, I chose to teach a research course through an African American non-profit organization. As such, they could prioritize and conduct research within their own communities.