Everybody belongs: incorporating disability studies into the classroom

Abstract

A Disability Studies (DS) framework is often overlooked in general education, yet disabled people make up a large part of the population. As a result, students are often not informed about the importance of disability history, disability culture, and disability narratives. Therefore, it is imperative for DS to be taught in secondary education through a Disability Studies in Education (DSE) framework. Incorporating a DSE framework into a secondary classroom would not only teach students about empathy and allyship but also teaches students about our socio-cultural history and the diverse narratives prominent in our society. The goal of my research is to create an inclusive Disability Studies program that secondary teachers can seamlessly incorporate into their current curriculums. The program will provide a teacher’s guide with resources and background information about disabilities for teachers to follow, as well as multiple detailed lesson plans. The entire program will be fully accessible and model what an inclusive lesson plan should look like. As a whole, my program invites teachers and faculty to help create an inclusive environment for all students.