This poem articulates the critical teachings, skills and agency parents and guardians equip their disabled children with as they prepare them to navigate ableism in society
This paper examines how Disability Justice could be integrated into teacher education by centring the experiences and leadership of Disabled teacher candidates. Using Critical Participatory Action Research, the research team, including Disabled and non-Disabled educators and graduate students, collaboratively redesigned coursework and pedagogy through an iterative, relational process. Interviews were conducted with six self-identified Disabled teacher candidates at the conclusion of the program. Findings show that Disability Justice can move inclusion from compliance to transformative practice rooted in interdependence and power redistribution. This study disrupts ableism in teacher education by demonstrating how Disabled teacher candidates’ contributions can transform program design.
This paper examines the overrepresentation of Black students with disabilities in special education programs within the province of Ontario public school system in Canada. Drawing on academic articles and examples from school websites and policy documents, the paper highlights how race and disability intersect in public education. The discussion draws on Critical Race Theory to examine the experiences of Black students with disabilities. Race-based theories are used to foreground how students are enrolled in special education programs. Some concluding thoughts are offered to encourage further reflection and improve the educational experiences of Black students with disabilities.
This paper discusses Ghana’s special education regulations and their relevance to disabled students, by focusing on its implementation in meeting the educational needs of disabled learners. While the government has made efforts to create policies to guide special education provision, barriers, including a lack of sufficient resources, limit the full implementation of existing special education policies. It is critical for the government and society to address ableism and stereotypes against disabled people and support them in their educational pursuits. Improving pedagogical approaches and supports provided to disabled learners is key to enhancing the education experiences of the learners.
Access to basic education for many students with disabilities in Kenya remains challenging, and teacher preparedness is one of the major challenges impeding effective inclusion. A survey of Kenyan teachers provided insight into the depth of the challenges they face in supporting students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Results indicated a lack of training, large class sizes, and the absence of basic resources as major challenges faced by secondary teachers.
