Raising a child with a lifelong disability requires time, attention, and the development of skills to assist the child to be healthy and participate in usual childhood activities. Caring needs may include providing medical care, education, and support. The study aimed to determine the educational system and support systems for children with…

Rehabilitation professionals working with students with disabilities and the families of those students face unique challenges in providing inclusive services to special education student populations. There needs to be a focus on adaptive teaching methods that provide quality experience for students with varying disabilities to promote student…

Saudi Arabia (Saudi) and the United States (U.S.) both have procedures in place for identifying and serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the general classroom setting. To determine differences in teachers' attitude towards autism in Saudi and the U.S., data were gathered, compared, and contrasted from both general education…

The article contains suggestions for assessing and instructing culturally and linguistically different students with special emphasis on ways to distinguish the learning disabled from students who differ due to cultural and linguistic background and the need to focus on students' strengths and previously gained knowledge. (Author/DB)

When culturally different children are referred for suspected emotional/behavioral disorders, their native cultural customs and beliefs must be considered. Examples of withdrawn, defensive, disorganized, and aggressive behaviors are cited. (CL)

This article explores differences in language development, experience, and use by various cultures. The paper contends that a lack of understanding of multiple views and the characteristics of various languages can result in both misdiagnosis and inappropriate instruction for many individuals labeled "learning disabled." (Author/JDD)

In examining the disproportionate representation of minority groups in special education, this article recommends the inclusion of philosophical and ethical perspectives to broader theoretical paradigms and the open acknowledgement in research efforts that issues related to ethnicity, race, and language background are highly contentious in our…

This article considers effects of a mismatch between the cognitive styles of children from minority cultural groups and cognitive styles promoted in schools, leading to inappropriate interaction, assessment, instruction, or discipline. It suggests such students may be inappropriately identified as having a learning disability or emotional and/or…

Discusses the use of a sociocultural perspective on learning and learning disabilities for understanding learning problems within culturally diverse groups. Reviews assumptions about ethnicity and culture (supposed homogeneity within cultures) and describes ways to distinguish ethnicity and culture. Discusses implications for assessment,…

This guide from Iowa is intended to: clarify changes in the state's new rules on special education; make the state's definition of mental disability operational; provide practical guidelines on preferred practices for determination of mental disability and the need for special education services; and highlight prescriptive assessment practices…

In examining the continuing problem of the disproportionate number of minority students in special education, this article urges implementation of experimentally validated interventions including: (1) early detection, primary interventions, and prereferral procedures and (2) academic as well as social competence, resiliency, and self-determination…

Analysis of Department of Education national survey data found that school districts' sociodemographic characteristics were strongly associated with the proportion of students identified as having emotional disturbance (ED). Results also indicated a clear association between ethnicity/gender and the likelihood of being identified as having ED,…

This digest discusses the problem of overrepresentation of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education and provides examples of strategies created by researchers and practitioners to reduce overrepresentation. Strategies include: (1) promote family involvement and respect diverse backgrounds by taking time…

A task force of the Council for Children with Behavior Disorders identified seven goals for educators and mental health professionals providing services to culturally diverse students. The goals address such topics as: misidentification of culturally based behavior as a behavior disorder, culturally and linguistically competent assessment,…

This article addresses issues of ethics, power, and privilege within the context of educating African American learners with disabilities and gifts and talents, critical issues in education affecting African American learners, and the role of special education teacher educators and special and gifted teacher practitioners as change agents.…