Promoting Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Students with Significant Disabilities

Abstract

Providing comprehensive services to students with significant support needs is a complex and challenging endeavor because of the uniqueness of a wide range of conditions and variables that impact one or more of the functioning capacities of these students. Along with this complexity, it is necessary to fully integrate culturally responsive ideology and pedagogy within the framework of determined effective strategies and supports. This article provides a context for the application of the essential elements of cultural responsiveness and the critical skills for teachers to use in teaching diverse populations of students with significant support needs. Recommendations are made for the inclusion of these elements in teaching practices in terms of the development of a more foundational knowledge base and the implementation of culturally responsive practices within the field of special education. Implications for further research are identified to support the implementation of quality services for students with significant support needs through culturally responsive practices.