Culture and Self-Determination: A Synthesis of the Literature and Directions for Future Research and Practice

Self-determination has received significant attention in the special education field, but scholars’ knowledge of how culturally and linguistically diverse learners and their families perceive interventions to promote self-determination remains limited. Understanding how the construct is perceived in diverse cultures is critically important given the growing diversity of society. This article reviewed existing research and scholarship examining the relation between culture and self-determination in students with disabilities. In all, 10 theoretical, review, and research articles that specifically addressed this topic were identified. Generally, the body of scholarship suggests that the self-determination construct could have universal value if a flexible framework that considers cultural and systems-level variables is utilized to develop individualized interventions. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.