Transition of culturally and linguistically diverse youth with disabilities: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Youth with disabilities who come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds have markedly poorer adult life transition outcomes compared to White youth with disabilities. This article explores the literature on transition outcomes of youth with disabilities who are White, Hispanic, and African American and argues that high numbers of CLD youth with disabilities are likely to be on the caseloads of transition services personnel now and in the future. Statistics from the U.S Census bureau are cited to substantiate this argument. Transition literature discussing challenges faced by CLD families and youth with disabilities is reviewed, along with practical and useful suggestions on how to engage in more culturally responsive transition assessment, planning, and educational programming with this unique population.

Transition Planning: Voices of Chinese and Vietnamese Parents of Youth With Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

“…Schools can also invite some families of youth with disabilities who have gone through the transition planning process to share their experiences in these sessions. Giving families of students with disabilities opportunities to network and learn from each other is crucial, especially for diverse families (Greene, 2011), because they feel comfortable connecting with families who speak the same language and are from the same culture (Kim et al, 2007; Lo, 2010).…”

“…Gothberg and her colleagues (2019) surveyed 90 school districts in the United States about whether or not they had implemented any of the 11 research-based practices (RBPs) for transition planning with diverse youth with disabilities and their families that were identified by Greene (2011). They found that most school districts did not fully implement any of the RBPs.…”

District Implementation of Research-Based Practices for Transition Planning With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Youth With Disabilities and Their Families

“…Numerous published articles have discussed a lack of quality teacher training at the university, state, and local levels for preparing special educators for their roles and responsibilities in transitioning youth with disabilities from school to adult life (see Benetiz, Morningstar, & Frey, 2009; Flannery, Lombardi, & McGrath Kato, 2015; Kohler & Greene, 2004). Greene (2011) argued that even less time is dedicated in special education teacher training programs to the topic of transition of CLD youth with disabilities.…”

“…These include (a) teachers who have higher expectations for White and Asian students, and lower expectations of Latino, Black, and Native American students (Cherng, 2015; Downey & Ainsworth-Darnell, 2002; Tenenbaum & Ruck, 2007); (b) educators who lack or have a limited understanding of the culture of various CLD families of the students they are teaching (Pewewardy & Fitzpatrick, 2009; Robinson, 2016; Rueda, Monzo, Shapiro, Gomez, & Blacher, 2005); (c) racial, cultural stereotypes, and biases in school personnel toward CLD families as well as school personnel consciously or unconsciously viewing culture as a liability (Brandon & Brown, 2007; Geenen, Powers, Lopez Vasquez, & Bersani, 2003; Gil-Kashiwabara, Hogansen, Geenen, Powers, & Powers, 2007; Harry, 2008; Landmark, Zhang, & Montoya, 2007). Additional school structural inequalities toward CLD families of youth with disabilities were identified by Greene (2011). These included special educators’ lack of acknowledgment of CLD families’ hopes and dreams for their children’s futures (Brandon & Brown, 2007; Lai & Ishiyama, 2004; Landmark et al, 2007; Pewewardy & Fitzpatrick, 2009; Rueda et al, 2005), special educators’ lack of sensitivity to CLD family immigration issues and limited language proficiency, and parents of CLD youth with disabilities reporting feeling intimidated when interacting with school personnel and feeling that their participation in the transition planning process was cursory (Landmark, Roberts, & Zhang, 2013; Leake & Boone, 2007).…”

“…Greene (2011) identified 11 research-based practices (RBPs) for transition planning with CLD youth disabilities and their families (see definition criteria from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, NTACT, 2015). Adoption by schools of these RBPs increases the likelihood of more active involvement of CLD youth with disabilities and their families during transition planning process and may have a positive effect on the post-school transition outcomes achieved by CLD youth with disabilities.…”