This article reviews research on the incorporation of multicultural education in preservice general and special education teacher preparation programs from 1997 to 2006. A total of 46 studies, 39 from general education and 7 from special education teacher education programs, met the criteria for inclusion in this literature review. Findings revealed that very few changes have occurred in this body of research in terms of the quantity, topics addressed, methods used, and gaps since the last time this literature was reviewed, in 1998 and in 2004. Despite these limitations, strengths are emerging in this body of research that can be used to pave the way for a more substantive and comprehensive research agenda in the future.

Many students do not succeed in school because their cultural, social, and/or linguistic characteristics are unrecognized, misunderstood, or devalued. The continuing problem of disproportionate representation of multicultural students in special education programs is controversial. We believe that for teacher educators and practitioners to reach and teach multicultural students with and without disabilities, they must first know them. We propose three solutions to address the problem of disproportionate representation: (a) training of culturally and linguistically diverse teachers in teacher preparation programs, (b) the inclusion of multicultural education perspectives in special education, and (c) the implementation of culturally responsive instruction in classroom settings. These three solutions are key components to increasing the cultural competence of practitioners in special education teacher preparation programs.

The field of education faces a number of issues regarding how to improve the quality of school life and educational outcomes of culturally different 1 students-namely African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and American Indians. All of the issues (high dropout rates, high suspension and expulsion rates, high rates of school failure, low test scores and grades, low academic engagement, poor student-teacher relationships, etc.) fall under the umbrella of three broad areas: the achievement gap, gifted education underrepresentation, and special education overrepresentation. Educators, administrators, and policy makers grapple daily with ways to resolve these issues and subissues but have yet to see much success on a large-scale and consistent basis.Many studies and theories, along with personal speculation, have been advanced to explain the differential school performance of the aforementioned culturally different students. Likewise, a number of interventions, strategies, and recommendations have been put forth. A strongly advocated recommendation, especially by culturally different scholars, is that educators avoid colorblind/cultureblind approaches and philosophies and, instead, give more credence to creating culturally responsive classrooms (CRCs) for the culturally different students listed above. MAY 2009The term culturally responsive can have numerous meanings and interpretations. At its core, it means responding proactively and empathetically to appeals, efforts, and influ-. ences. When we are responsive, we feel an obligation, a sense of urgency, to address a need so students will experience success. When teachers are culturally responsive, they are student centered; they break down barriers to learning and, hence, provide keys that open doors to students' success. Thus, to be culturally responsive means that teachers work proactively and assertively to understand, respect, and meet the needs of students from cultural backgrounds that are different from their own. Cultural responsiveness is the recognition that students are similar to, but also different from, each other.1 In this article we adopt the term culturally different rather than culturally diverse. Everyone has a culture; every group is culturally diverse. Instead, we propose that cultural differences are what contribute to misunderstandings, tensions, and frustrations.

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