Ableism: Inclusive Schooling & Tokenism

Ableism: Inclusive Schooling & Tokenism

I found this week's readings and lecture to be particularly informative because I was unaware of the prejudice embedded in disability discourse and awareness days.

In Storey's (2007) article, Combating Ableism in Schools, he offers valuable suggestions to recognize ableism present in school and act against this prejudice. By definition,

"Ableism is a form of prejudice that is common in schools and society but often unrecognized or overlooked in analyzing why students with disabilities have difficulties being included" (Storey, 2007, p. 56). 

By promoting ability awareness, teacher in-services, literature that is inclusive of disability, hiring teachers with disabilities, using role models with disabilities, or including disability content in curriculum and school activities, teachers can foster meaningful ways for students to better understand and combat ableism (Storey, 2007, p. 56).

In Lalvani & Broderick's (2013) article, Institutionalized ableism and the misguided "disability awareness day": Transformative pedagogies for teacher education, they argue that the "discussion of disability oppression are silent in schools," and although there are seemingly good intentions to develop disability awareness days that utilize disability simulations, these days promote "cultural attitudes that are ableist in nature" (p. 468).

Although it appears that these days can help build empathy and awareness about various disabilities, disability simulations are often misguided for a few reasons, as pointed out in the article:

1. "These exercises fail to accurately simulate the lived experience of being disabled, [and] they systemically misinform and create feelings of fear among nondisabled participants by temporarily allowing them to feel out of control" (p. 469).
2. "Children who participate in these simulations might experience feeling terrified or, at the very least, extremely uncomfortable" and can feel relieved at the end of the simulation that they do not have a disability, which can, in turn, "evoke feelings of pity for disabled people" (p. 469).
3. They "are problematic because they provide the illusion that educators are addressing disability while they leave the more pertinent issues unaddressed" (p. 470).
4. These initiatives raise a few questions, including: What are these initiatives raising awareness about? Who gets to say what to raise awareness about? (p. 470). 

Finally, in the article by Hehir (2003), Beyond Inclusion, the notion of universal design and social integration for students with disabilities is emphasized to ensure that the quality of instruction is not compromised for these students. Educators must "encourage students to develop and use the skills and modes of expression that are most effective and efficient for them" (p. 3). Therefore, simply asking students with disabilities about their needs in a classroom can help to sustain and environment where they can effectively use their strengths to succeed academically and personally.

Say this, not that!

Retrieved from: http://www.upworthy.com/the-10-phrases-ive-stopped-saying-and-the-people-who-appreciate-me-for-it?g=2.

In sum, being aware of the implications of raising awareness about disabilities through seemingly harmless simulation activities is necessary to avoid perpetuating ableist prejudice in our schools.

References
Storey, K. (2007). Combating ableism in schools. Preventing School Failure, 52(1), 56-58.
Lalvani, P., & Broderick, A. A. (2013). Institutionalized ableism and the misguided "disability awareness day": Transformative pedagogies for teacher education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 46(4), 468-483.
Hehir, T. (2003). Beyond inclusion. School Administrator, 60(3), 36.