The Barriers Encountered and Facilitators Desired: A Systematic Review of What Latino/x Families Experience Within Special Education

Latino/x families experience barriers when navigating and accessing special education (SPED) services. Previous research has identified some of these barriers that Latino/x families encounter and facilitators to provide support for a positive SPED experience (Rios & Burke, 2020). The purpose of this study is to continue the investigation of the barriers Latino/x families face when navigating and accessing SPED services and identify past and current recommended facilitators that ameliorate these barriers. During this investigation, the authors also considered how acculturation might contribute to the obstacles Latino/x families face. This review identified 16 eligible studies highlighting barriers and facilitators to SPED services. Barriers to navigating and acquiring SPED services included limited access to SPED knowledge, communication barriers, lack of resources, and lack of cultural understanding. Facilitators included family/caregiver education, access to resources, communication, support, cultural understanding, and teacher quality training. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.