Affiliation:
1. The University of Vermont, USA
Abstract
Most educators do not speak the language or share the culture of immigrants, especially immigrant students with disabilities (ISWD) and their families, hampering their ability to understand and respond to students' needs and making schools unable to fulfill promises of educational equity. This inequity often leads to poverty and frustration, making academic success challenging to achieve and, therefore, preventing them from living independently. Through analysis of empirical research, this qualitative narrative study describes insight gained from stories of five ISWD, which echoed the need for cultural responsiveness and a linguistic competency roadmap and supportive pathways for ISWD within the USA and other Western countries. The purpose of this study is to build a case for the implementation of a cultural communication roadmap for both educators and affected new immigrant populations. First, the implications for this study are discussed, followed by recommendations for research that will lead to evidence-based practices.