The historical shift in focus in special education from individual treatment to family support has led to the need for an ecocultural perspective in the delivery of services to families living in rural communities. This need is met by understanding the developmental niche of such families and by distinguishing the particular characteristics of rural communities from urban societies. Characteristics addressed here include the role of the individual and the community in supporting development and responding to the phenomenon of disability; the social and economic circumstances present in rural communities; and the rural constructions of gender, work, and schooling. Using examples drawn from farm families, structural and economic factors are explored to better understand how to support rural families with a disabled child. Implications for rural special education policy and practice are suggested including the need to understand the diversity of rural communities, the importance of relationship-based services, and the value of an ecocultural perspective in the conceptualization of support services.
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