Interactive Activity

Disability is constructed in our educational institutions from a deficit or medicalized position. For example, in early childhood there is a focus on early identification and early intervention in order to change the developmental outcomes for young children/students (WHO, 2012). In Ontario education system, we have designations, called categories of exceptionality, that identify areas of “need” for the purposes of matching children/students with special education strategies (Ministry of Education, 2017). Both of these constructions of disability in educational institutions are designed to ensure access to services, but do not necessarily support development of a positive understanding of human difference. There are positive disability identities and cultures; however, these are more often discussed in adult disability communities. Educators need to examine how disability identity is constructed and the role that educators play in constructing this identity. Confronting ableist thinking around disability is important in resisting the institutional practice of constructing disability simply as a mechanism to access services.

Instructor information: Show the video of a parent’s view of what their child’s experience with disability is like in the school system. The parent describes how the school system constructed disability identity. The video also shares resource consultants’ perspectives of how disability identity can be constructed in a positive way.

Download (Word Document) Interview with Naleni - Transcript

Discussion Questions

In your experience, how have you seen disability identity constructed in early childhood and school-age contexts?
From this parent’s perspective how is disability constructed in the school system?
Have you seen disability identity being discussed in a positive way? If so, how? If not, why do you think it is discussed primarily as something that needs to be fixed or supported?
As expressed in the video parents can be nervous to come forward and express concerns out of fear of potential backlash from educators affecting the treatment of their child. What can you do as an educator to build trust with children/students and families?
What do you know about disability culture? Where can you learn more about disability culture to enhance your teaching and represent disability in positive ways?

Probing Questions

How can educators contribute to positive disability identities in the early years and in schools?
How can educators include children/student and their families in the creation of a positive disability culture in the classroom, program, school or centre?

Interactive Activity

Discussion Questions

Probing Questions

References