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Combating Ableism in Schools
Abstract
Ableism is a form of prejudice that is common in schools and society but is often unrecognized or overlooked in analyzing why students with disabilities have difficulties being included. In this article, the author provides suggestions for recognizing and acting against ableism in schools. The author offers suggestions in terms of ability awareness, disability content in curricula and school activities, teacher in-service, disability literature, the use of role models, and hiring teachers with disabilities.
... When disability is present in the curriculum, it is usually relegated to health or biology, which reinforces medical model perspectives . In other cases, disability representation is either absent from curriculum or related to one specific event, such as Franklin Roosevelt's use of a wheelchair (Kaschak & Bauman, 2020;Storey, 2007). Other external factors, such as pre-service training and in-service professional development opportunities, potentially play a role in teachers' ability to discuss disability with their students (Storey, 2007). ...
... In other cases, disability representation is either absent from curriculum or related to one specific event, such as Franklin Roosevelt's use of a wheelchair (Kaschak & Bauman, 2020;Storey, 2007). Other external factors, such as pre-service training and in-service professional development opportunities, potentially play a role in teachers' ability to discuss disability with their students (Storey, 2007). Scholars (McLean, 2008;Storey, 2007) suggest that this training is most effective when presenting disability through the lens of ableism and related discrimination (e.g. a DSE perspective). ...
... Other external factors, such as pre-service training and in-service professional development opportunities, potentially play a role in teachers' ability to discuss disability with their students (Storey, 2007). Scholars (McLean, 2008;Storey, 2007) suggest that this training is most effective when presenting disability through the lens of ableism and related discrimination (e.g. a DSE perspective). ...
Teachers are uniquely positioned to mitigate ableism and address disability in the classroom; however, many hesitate to do so. This silence perpetuates bias and may teach children that difference is negative. Situated within the field of Disability Studies in Education, this investigation of PK-12 teachers (n = 256) aims to broadly characterise the types of discussions that occur in classrooms as well as identify obstacles and facilitators associated with disability discussions. Data reveal 71.9% of participants currently discuss disability with their students, mostly in relation to students’ own learning needs. Findings indicate that internal, rather than external, factors drive teachers’ decisions to discuss disability, laying the groundwork for pre-service and in-service programming to increase disability-related conversation.
... A bleism remains an active system of oppression in American education, resulting in the stigmatization of disability and exclusionary educational practices (Broderick & Lalvani, 2017;Lalvani & Broderick, 2013;Storey, 2007). One consequence of this is the way many PK-12 schools have not recognized disability as an aspect of diversity (Connor & Gabel, 2010) or included it in curriculum (Nusbaum & Steinborn, 2019). ...
... One consequence of this is the way many PK-12 schools have not recognized disability as an aspect of diversity (Connor & Gabel, 2010) or included it in curriculum (Nusbaum & Steinborn, 2019). To correct this, recommendations for combating ableism in schools include: (a) explicitly including ableism in diversity initiatives; (b) including disability content in literature, curriculum, and school activities; (c) hiring teachers with disabilities; (d) expanding teachers' conceptions about disability; and (e) focusing teacher learning on multi-modal communication and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (Hehir, 2002;Storey, 2007). ...
... General and special education teachers' beliefs and attitudes about disability may contribute to the perpetuation of ableism, and as Hehir (2002) and Storey (2007) highlight, teacher education can address this by expanding preservice teachers' conceptions about disability (Baglieri & Lalvani, 2019). Special education teacher preparation plays a critical role in influencing educators' attitudes about inclusion and disabled students, in addition to equipping teachers with the requisite pedagogical content knowledge (Bialka et al., 2018). ...
This article provides information and resources to help special education teacher educators improve preservice teachers' competence for working with disabled 1 students and addressing ableism in their classrooms, by incorporating young adult (YA) literature into special education teacher preparation experiences. Embedding YA literature with representations of disability can address ableism in education by helping preservice special education teachers to conceptualize disabled adolescents differently. Current approaches to teacher education may reinforce dysconscious ableism (Broderick & Lalvani, 2017) and undergird educational segregation on the basis of disability. After reviewing current literature on addressing ableism during teacher preparation and using YA literature in teacher education, this article models how special education teacher educators can critically examine YA texts by providing criteria for evaluating representations of disability and a unit plan with three lessons for use in an introductory special education course. A bibliography of young adult books featuring characters with disabilities is also provided.
... Despite the presence of ableism in schools (op. cit., where social relations are reproduced), it is often overlooked (Storey, 2007) and not recognised as a barrier to the inclusion of people with disabilities (Evans et al., 2017). Parekh (2023) argues that ableism in education is imposed on students through values rooted in meritocracy and the expectation of individual achievement. ...
... The study focused on ableism among pre-service teachers who are expected to work with students with disabilities in their future careers. Recognising and addressing ableism in educational contexts is important as disability can be overlooked if the barriers faced by people with disabilities are not adequately acknowledged (Evans et al., 2017;Storey, 2007). Our study confirmed that pre-service teachers with higher ableism were more likely to understand disability as an individual characteristic and the sole responsibility of disabled people to succeed. ...
Ableism, a form of prejudice against people with disabilities, arises from stereotypical views of disabled people and can lead to discrimination. Symbolic ableism is a modern, subtle form of this prejudice. Addressing this phenomenon, particularly in education, is important for creating an inclusive environment. We surveyed 232 pre-service teachers to validate and adapt the existing Symbolic Ableism Scale for the Slovenian context. The study revealed that ableism is a four-dimensional construct that includes factors such as: Personal Responsibility, Discrimination, Low Empathy and Inspirational Portrayal of Disability. While the adapted Symbolic Ableism Scale showed reasonable reliability, its criterion validity needs further investigation. In contrast to the original scale, present study did not confirm high levels of empathy and recognition of continuing discrimination as components of ableist attitudes among Slovenian pre-service teachers, suggesting that the adapted scale is more in line with the original concept of symbolic racism. This study highlights the importance of further investigating symbolic ableism and its components in different cultural contexts and subpopulations.
... Toplumun birçok kesiminde özel gereksinimli bireylerin ayrımcılığa karşı acımaya maruz kaldıkları ifade edilmiştir (Darrow, 2015). Ayrıca araştırmacılar, özel gereksinimli bireylerin toplumsal ortamlarda olağan görülmeme ve sınıf ortamlarında öğrencilerin ve velilerin dışlayıcı tavırlarına maruz kalma gibi problemler yaşadıklarını belirtilmişlerdir (Kearney, 2009;Servidio & Marcone, 2020;Storey, 2007). Bunlara ek olarak, özel gereksinimli bireyleri ableist bir mercekten ele alan haber içeriklerinin yayın organlarında yaygınlık kazandığı ve bu tür haberlerde özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik acıma duygusunun belirginleştirildiği görülmüştür. ...
... Individuals with special needs are exposed to discrimination and pity in many segments of society (Darrow, 2015). Moreover, recent studies have suggested that individuals with special needs experience problems such as being seen as abnormal in social settings and being exposed to exclusionary attitudes of students and parents in educational settings (Kearney, 2009;Servidio & Marcone, 2020;Storey, 2007). Furthermore, it has been found that news content about individuals with special news with an ableist perspective has become widespread in media outlets, thus concretizing feelings of pity toward these individuals. ...
Giriş: Medyada özel gereksinimli bireylerle ilgili birçok haber yapıldığı görülmektedir. Yapılan bu haberlerin olumlu yönde olması insanların özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik tutum ve davranışlarını pozitif yönde değiştirebilir. Bu nedenle bu çalışmayla özel gereksinimli bireylere yönelik olumsuz tutumların ve düşünce yapılarının değiştirilmesi amacıyla özel gereksinimli bireylerin başarılarına yönelik Türkiye’de ulusal haber ajanslarında yayınlanmış olan haberlerin doküman analizi yöntemiyle incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Bu çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden doküman analizi kullanılarak, Türkiye’de en fazla yayın ağına sahip Anadolu Ajans, Demirören Haber Ajansı ve İhlas Haber Ajansı haber ajanslarından 2010-2022 yılları arasında yayınlanan ve özel gereksinimli bireylerin başarılarını konu alan haberler içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiş ve kategorilere ayrılarak detaylı bir şekilde incelenmiştir. Bu çalışmada Anadolu Ajansı’ndan 259, Demirören Haber Ajansı’ndan 311 ve İhlas Haber Ajansı’ndan 66 haber incelenmiştir. Haberler, haber ajansı, haber türü, yayınlandığı ülke, konu olan özel gereksinimli bireyin cinsiyeti, özel gereksinim türü, özel gereksinimli bireyi destekleyen kurum, özel gereksinimli bireyin başarı türü, özel gereksinimli bireylerin ilham kaynağı başlıklarında değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Araştırma bulgularında elde edilen sonuçlara göre, Türkiye’de ulusal haber ajanslarında özel gereksinimli bireylerin başarılarını konu alan oldukça fazla haberin yayınlandığı, bu başarıların eğitim, iş, sanat, spor ve sosyal sorumluluk kategorilerinde toplandığı, spor alanındaki başarılara diğer alanlara göre daha fazla haberde yer verildiği tespit edilmiştir. Tartışma: Medyada olumsuz haberlerin daha çok bilindiği ve görünürlüğünün yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiş ve özel gereksinimli bireylerin başarılarının olduğu haberlerin incelenilmesine karar verilmiştir. Bu çalışmada özel gereksinimli bireylerin başarılarına aslında ulusal haber ajanslarında sıkça yer verildiği belirlenmiştir. Bu çalışma kapsamında incelenen haberler, özel gereksinimin olumlu bir biçimde medya yayın organlarında temsil edildiğinin önemli bir göstergesi olarak kabul edilebilir. Ulusal haber ajanslarında yayınlanan haberler özel gereksinimli bireylerin eğitim, iş, sanat, spor ve sosyal sorumluluk alanlarında birçok başarısı olduğunu ortaya çıkarmaktadır. İleride yapılacak çalışmalarda farklı haber ajanslarında tarama yapılması ya da farklı anahtar kelime kullanarak tarama yapılması önerilebilir.
... We would like to highlight the importance of recognizing the conceptions of disability that permeate everyday school life, since these conceptions guide teaching practices, as indicated by Bock, Gesser and Nuernberg (2019), Bock et al. (2020) and Storey (2007). ...
For this article, which takes as its theoretical basis the field of Disability Studies in Education, we aimed to investigate the conceptions attributed to disability among educators working in basic education. The data was collected during a virtual training course in which more than 300 basic education professionals took part, using a socio-demographic questionnaire and another with open-ended questions before the training course, with thematic content analysis. The results provide theoretical and methodological contributions to the field of work from an intersectional inclusive perspective, in which basic education professionals can adopt ethical and intentional stances on care in their pedagogical practices to combat ableism.
Keywords
Disability Studies in Education; Continuing Education; Ableism; Ethics of Care; Inclusive Education
... Destacamos aqui a importância de se reconhecer quais são as concepções de deficiência que estão atravessando o cotidiano das escolas, pois essas concepções balizam as práticas docentes conforme indicado por Bock, Gesser e Nuernberg (2019), Bock et al. (2020) e Storey (2007). ...
For this article, which takes as its theoretical basis the field of Disability Studies in Education, we aimed to investigate the conceptions attributed to disability among educators working in basic education. The data was collected during a virtual training course in which more than 300 basic education professionals took part, using a socio-demographic questionnaire and another with open-ended questions before the training course, with thematic content analysis. The results provide theoretical and methodological contributions to the field of work from an intersectional inclusive perspective, in which basic education professionals can adopt ethical and intentional stances on care in their pedagogical practices to combat ableism.
Keywords
Disability Studies in Education; Continuing Education; Ableism; Ethics of Care; Inclusive Education
... Besides the social perspective on disabilities, many changes in postsecondary education worldwide were enabled thanks to international initiatives and While there are differences between the two models in emphasis (Waddington & Priestly, 2021) and focus (Lawson & Beckett, 2020), both models share a commitment to positive social change and resistance to unjust disabling societies, as individuals living with disabilities face ableism. Ableism is discrimination and exclusion based on belief systems embedded in cultures-both stereotypes and lack of understanding-that oppress individuals living with disabilities, labeling them disabled to the bene t of individuals without disabilities (Conley & Nadler, 2022;Dolmage, 2017;Storey, 2007). Ableism, which is embedded in postsecondary educational cultures, can negatively in uence the educational experiences of disabled students, often perceived as an out-group (Bialka et al., 2017). ...
Learning in a fieldwork setting is a requirement of many professional postsecondary programs, and prominent in health professions education. However, fieldwork education requirements can create additional challenges for disabled students. Academic coordinators, who are responsible for students’ placements, hold an important role in supporting disabled students in their fieldwork education. Nevertheless, studies on the roles and experiences of academic coordinators supporting students who require accommodations are limited. This exploratory study examined the perspectives of academic coordinators regarding their practices in supporting disabled students in health professions programs. The study employed a mixed methods design. Fifteen academic coordinators from occupational therapy programs completed a quantitative survey. Then, five of the academic coordinators participated in semi-structured interviews that supported the interpretation of the quantitative results. Academic coordinators faced complex barriers in providing disabled students the support they needed to succeed in fieldwork. Two main themes emerged: (1) ACs constantly navigated tensions with institutional norms regarding fieldwork and (2) ACs manage fieldwork accommodations within ever-changing human dynamics and social norms. Collaborative practices with fieldwork educators enabled the academic coordinators to overcome some of these barriers and create a more inclusive fieldwork education experience for disabled students. Further institutional and community resources are required.
... To explore this ontological erasure, Lalvani (2015) engaged fourth grade students in a critical inquiry of the meaning of disability in society through media and discussion, finding that the curricular experience supported students in challenging their otherwise ableist assumptions, problematizing the ongoing societal exclusion of disabled people, and positioning themselves as change agents. Storey (2007) also offered suggestions for combating ableism in school settings, such as attending to representation of disability in literature, designing learning activities to include disability content, and hiring disabled teachers. Bialka (2017) further offered three curricular dimensions that could more substantively engage disability: integration of disability content into curriculum; construction of knowledge in ways that take account of the perspectives of individuals with disabilities; and rejection of disability prejudice. ...
This Policy Discourse Analysis (PDA) explores 19 state legislative documents focused on the teaching of disability history in K-12 schools. Framed through critical perspectives on constructions of disability and race, alongside discourse theory, we iteratively analyzed these legislative documents to understand (a) how disability and disability history are constructed (particularly in relation to whiteness); and (b) the stated purpose of the legislation and who is meant to benefit materially as a result of the laws. We find the legislation upholds dominant notions of whiteness and ability as part of school curriculum, while simultaneously constructing disability history as in the past and disability justice as already achieved, centering the learning and awareness of white, nondisabled students. We offer discussion and implications for research and practice surrounding policy implementation of teaching disability history.
While the international agenda has promoted the need to diversify the teacher workforce, research on student teachers with disabilities is rare. However, initial teacher training (ITT) faces a meaningful dilemma, that calls for a critical examination: it has the duty to provide reasonable accommodations and, at the same time, it is accountable for training teachers through professional standards (“dilemma of professional competence”). This article provides a systematic review pertaining (1) the main issues related to students with disabilities in ITT and (2) the different forms assumed by the “dilemma of professional competence” within the programme. Twenty empirical studies, published between 1990 and 2018, were included. Seven thematic areas and three forms of the dilemma (institutional, personal and cultural) emerged from the analyses. Key findings confirm that students with disabilities’ personal journey is fraught and highly complex in ITT. While they also reveal the crucial role of the “dilemma of professional competence,” they show the need to reframe it considering the active role played by students with disabilities in adopting coping strategies, beyond the reasonable accommodations received, and the potential of a pluralization of the teacher competence profile, beyond the rigid idea of a standard one.
Disability disclosure is an issue that concerns people with invisible disabilities. To date, studies have not examined this issue among teachers with invisible physical disabilities, their colleagues, and school principals, simultaneously. The goal of the current study was to shed light on this phenomenon from various perspectives. The study was conducted in Israel and included 13 teachers with invisible physical disabilities, 10 school principals, and 10 professional colleagues of a teacher with an invisible disability. It was found that while principals and colleagues focused solely on how to avoid additional workload or any discomfort, the teachers with a disability aimed to leave a positive mark on their students. Notably, while the principals’ concerns regarding the teacher with disability focused on professional issues, the colleagues’ concerns focused on the personal interaction between them and the teacher. These findings revealed specific barriers that teachers with disabilities faced and allowed us to address how they could be removed in favor of the growing trends of inclusion of teachers with disabilities.
In an effort to counter discrimination and powerlessness, the disability community has espoused sociopolitical and cultural factors as defining characteristics of disability identity. This view of disability has replaced the historical medical model of disability as a deficit, and has had important implications for social action, political agendas, legislation and overall quality of life for individuals with disabilities. This article reviews current multicultural thinking, and offers a critical view of the advantages and disadvantages of positioning disability within the emergent multicultural discourse. Implications for future thinking and action to promote equal opportunity and self-determination for persons with disabilities as a cultural group with a political agenda are then advanced.
In this article, Thomas Hehir defines ableism as "the devaluation of disability" that "results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids. "Hehir highlights ableist practices through a discussion of the history of and research pertaining to the education of deaf students, students who are blind or visually impaired, and students with learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia. He asserts that "the pervasiveness of ... ableist assumptions in the education of children with disabilities not only reinforces prevailing Prejudices against disability but may very well contribute to low levels of educational attainment and employment." In conclusion, Hehir offers six detailed proposals for beginning to address and overturn ableist practices. Throughout this article, Hehir draws oil his personal experiences as former director of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, Associate Superintendent for the Chicago Public Schools, and Director Of Special Education in the Boston Public Schools.
In this updated edition, Doris Zames Fleischer and Frieda Zames expand their encyclopedic history of the struggle for disability rights in the United States, to include the past ten years of disability rights activism.The book includes a new chapter on the evolving impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the continuing struggle for cross-disability civil and human rights, and the changing perceptions of disability. The authors provide a probing analysis of such topics as deinstitutionalization, housing, health care, assisted suicide, employment, education, new technologies, disabled veterans, and disability culture. Based on interviews with over one hundred activists, The Disability Rights Movement tells a complex and compelling story of an ongoing movement that seeks to create an equitable and diverse society, inclusive of people with disabilities.
Despite the widespread growth of professional development schools (PDS), few reports have examined the professional development school context — and the role of special educators within these contexts — as catalysts for the professional growth of inservice and preservice teachers with respect to meeting the needs of students with disabilities. The present study sought to expand the knowledge base in this area by examining the perceptions of special educators in professional development schools regarding their contributions to the preparation of preservice general educators, as well as their perceptions of how the PDS relationship has enhanced their own professional growth.
In this article, Thomas Hehir defines ableism as "the devaluation of disability" that "results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids." Hehir highlights ableist practices through a discussion of the history of and research pertaining to the education of deaf students, students who are blind or visually impaired, and students with learning disabilities, particularly dyslexia. He asserts that "the pervasiveness of . . . ableist assumptions in the education of children with disabilities not only reinforces prevailing prejudices against disability but may very well contribute to low levels of educational attainment and employment." In conclusion, Hehir offers six detailed proposals for beginning to address and overturn ableist practices. Throughout this article, Hehir draws on his personal experiences as former director of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, Associate Superintendent for the Chicago Public Schools, and Director of Special Education in the Boston Public Schools.
To determine how mental retardation and related issues are portrayed in juvenile literature, sixty-eight children's and adolescent books that included characters with mental retardation were analyzed. The majority of the characters were considered supportive (n = 47, 61 %), rather than the main character of the book. In addition, most of the characters were static (n = 42, 54%), meaning the character was believable, but did not change throughout the course of the story. Few of the books were written from the perspective of the character with mental retardation (n = 9, 13%). In addition to analysis of the character with mental retardation, themes relating to the relationship among characters with and without mental retardation and character changes within the individuals with mental retardation were examined. The books were also evaluated in terms of topics in the field of mental retardation (e.g., schooling, employment, residence) included as part of the story.
Provides guidance for teachers and administrators in developing and implementing ability awareness programs designed to foster greater understanding of people with disabilities and increase students' sensitivity toward individual differences. Topics include choosing a program coordinator, establishing a committee, planning meetings, clarifying program objectives, setting the timetable, designing program content and process, and evaluating program effectiveness. (CR)