A Brief Comparison of Rural Poverty and Urban Poverty at its Consequences for Students with Special Needs

Poverty has significant effects on children, especially those with special needs. Poverty is a well-known and well-documented risk factor for being served under special education. There are many factors that work against a child living in poverty that can exacerbate or cause a disability. However, not well documented inthe research literature are the differences in rural and urban poverty, whether there is a difference between these two different types of poverty and their differing effects on children with special needs. This article will provide a summary of the research regarding poverty as a risk factor for special education. A summary of rural poverty will follow, and finally a comparative brief examination of rural and urban special education was carried out.