Multiculturalism in Special Education: Perspectives of Minority Children in Urban Schools

Introduction

This chapter was conceived with a purpose to contribute on the debate about multiculturalism and special education. The discussion explores how these overlapping spheres of influence affect minority children in urban schools. Many educators acknowledge that teachers need to be able to work well with minority students who have special needs and their families in urban settings in order to ensure that their cultural background is used to support, rather than impede their progress in education (Tepper, Tepper, 2004). The concept of multicultural education and special education when combined with terms like minority children and urban schooling usually carries negative connotations. This brings to mind academic underachievement, helplessness related to race, culture, class, and urban decay. Minority students with special needs in urban schools have triple-layered problems: that of being culturally different, linguistically different and having special needs. Diaz (2001) argued that disability itself, when framed through the lens of special education, tends to be equated with deficiency. Having these odds stacked against them presents challenges for teachers and demands creative ways to help minimize these negative forces.