Rethinking disability: A primer for educators and education unions
Over the last 50 years, societal understanding of disability has changed significantly. While academic and rights-based discourse on disability has shifted significantly in some countries, actual implementation of inclusive education has been slower to follow this evolution. Depending on one’s point of view, there has been hesitation, confusion, or reluctance to effectively design and create inclusive schools. This has left many students with disabilities on the margins of social and of economic life.
This report posits that there is a wide range of policies and legislative frameworks to support the active involvement of persons with disabilities in all facets of education. The underlying problem, however, is the critical gap between policy and implementation. The goal of this report is also to share new thinking on disability, and to briefly touch on effective teaching approaches and practices that are creating more inclusive classrooms.
