Culture, Identity, and Connection: Rethinking Special Education Through a Broader Lens
Special education is often centered on individual needs, personalized supports, and student-specific goals. But what happens when educators broaden that lens and consider the cultural identities, family experiences, and community connections that shape how students experience school?
In a recent episode of Rewriting the Narrative, host Ben Tillotson sat down with Dottie Vea, a special education teacher, Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, and member of CEC's Diversity Leadership Academy. Together, they explored how culture, identity, mentorship, and relationships influence special education—and why understanding students requires looking beyond the classroom.
Moving From "I" to "We"
For Vea, her Tongan heritage has profoundly shaped how she sees herself and her work as an educator. When asked how her culture informs her perspective, she explained: "I think using I is somewhat difficult. We use we as a collective instead, which allows me to see the interconnectedness of others and how we relationally can communicate or understand the world together."
That collective mindset naturally aligns with many aspects of special education. While individualized supports are critical, successful special education also depends on collaboration among educators, families, related service providers, and students themselves.
Vea sees that connection clearly in the IEP process. "The trainings that I have in special education and teaching, understanding that we must develop an IEP as a team and then understanding that everyone has their expertise coming to the table."
Understanding Students Beyond Their Labels
One of the most powerful themes throughout the conversation was the importance of seeing students as whole people, not simply as learners with disabilities. Vea described how her upbringing in a large extended family taught her that relationships, experiences, and community connections shape every individual.
When supporting students, she often approaches her work like a "detective of culture," seeking to understand who students are, who they trust, and what strengths they bring to the classroom. "If I can find that common ground and then find an advocate for that student, that allows me to then get another picture that can be a strength, find the common ground, find the strength, put that in the IEP."
Building Authentic Relationships with Families
Professional development can help educators understand cultural differences, but Vea believes authentic relationships require more than reading about communities. They require presence.
She shared examples of attending students' sporting events, visiting community spaces, and finding shared interests with families. "I think being with the communities that you serve... Sometimes it's about feeling, and that's back to the social spatial space of nurturing it, being in the same time and place together."
As educators seek stronger family engagement, Vea suggests that connection often begins with a willingness to step outside familiar routines and enter spaces that matter to students and families.
Representation Matters
Throughout the episode, Vea reflected on her own educational journey as a first-generation Tongan student in the United States. She recalled navigating two worlds simultaneously. "Culture at school was different from culture at home."
As she progressed through higher education, she often found herself as the only Tongan student in her programs. "I'm the only one in my cohort who's Tongan, and I don't think it'll be that way in the future." Her optimism is rooted in initiatives like CEC's Diversity Leadership Academy, which aims to develop leaders from historically underrepresented backgrounds in special education.
The impact of that representation extends far beyond professional development. Vea described the power of being surrounded by leaders who understand the experiences of underrepresented educators. "We're hungry to listen because I think we've been starved from leadership that understands our certain type of struggle as a underrepresented group."
Leading With Curiosity and Hope
As the conversation came to a close, Vea returned to a recurring theme: curiosity. Students, families, and educators all bring unique experiences, values, and identities into special education. The goal is not to erase those differences but to better understand them. "Maybe we should be curious about the tools that we use and then curious about what we believe is successful."