| Students in postsecondary institutions come from diverse communities in terms of social markers, such as race and dis/abilities. Although higher education increases one's chances of social mobility, the opportunities are still limited for students from non-dominant communities. In this regard, this study examines the strategies that families utilize and the challenges they face during this critical period by delineating the postsecondary enrollment process for Korean-American students with autism, a growing but under-examined population. Intersectionality theory provides a framework to elaborate the transition process at the intersection of race and autism because the experiences of these students cannot be described solely by looking at a single social marker. To analyze experiences of the postsecondary transition process, a multiple case study method was used to describe the individually situated cases as well as the common circumstances they faced. Data were obtained from multiple sources: the qualitative data included interviews, document reviews, observations, and policy reviews, and the quantitative data included statistics on college admission and accommodation utilization. The results show that the students' experiences were shaped by the intersection of racism, multilingualism, and ableism, and that the students responded to their intersectional experiences by seeking to change their malleable traits, such as socioeconomic status. While the participants of this study are minorities among minorities, a close examination of their lived experiences has meaningful implications for broader populations of students from diverse backgrounds. |
