The Voices of Typers: Examining the Educational Experiences of Individuals Who Use Facilitated Communication

As the number of students with autism grows, professionals must find ways to understand how to best educate this student population. Although current research addresses teaching students with autism, studies on educating autistic students with limited or unreliable verbal speech is nominal. In this qualitative study, interviews with eight autistics who type using the method facilitated communication are analyzed in relation to their educational experiences. The study resulted in a number of key findings that play significant roles in the participants\u27 educational experiences, including (a) the notion of disability hierarchy and the presumption of competence, (b) the importance of building relationships and the perceptions of friendship, (c) developing a sensory friendly environment, and (d) understanding behavior and body movement. Results suggest that the educational needs of these students must be reexamined. Teachers must establish a deeper understanding of the disability and develop innovative practices to best meet the needs of autistic students with limited or unreliable verbal speech in their classrooms

When Special Education and Disability Studies Intertwine: Addressing Educational Inequities Through Processes and Programming

The inception of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) in 1975 provided hope and the opportunity for equitable educational experiences for individuals with disabilities. Forty-five years later, the United States remains in a deficit-driven, medical model educational system with deeply rooted inequities continuing to segregate students because of their disability. A disability studies in education framework allows for complex components of teaching and programming for students with disabilities to be explored in a practical way that promotes inclusive education for all students. Examining special education practices through a social model of disability with a focus on ability and access can eliminate the existing narrative. When impairment is viewed as a difference rather than a deficit, it compels educators to consider alternatives to pedagogy and programming. More importantly, it allows educators to focus more on access to curricula and less on students overcoming their disability. This manuscript examines how educational leaders can shape school culture, guide special education processes, and influence educators in their teaching practices, with a disability studies in education framework to address the educational injustices students with disabilities continue to face in our educational system

Inclusion and the Right to Access to Regular Classes for Students with Disabilities

In the past decades many countries have made progress toward increasing access to quality education for students with disabilities, yet The World Bank (2019) estimates that 85% of children with disabilities continue to lack access to any schooling. The right to access for K-12 students with disabilities has been recognized globally and locally in many countries across the world (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2016), with each country making decisions on how to increase access to regular classes based on local contexts and needs. The result is the development of innovative policy and practice that support access to regular classes. These innovative policies and practices highlight the promise of access, equity, and inclusion for students with disabilities. We acknowledge that \u27inclusion\u27 is not an end, but rather something we are all working toward

How to Create an Inclusive Campus for Neurodivergent Students

Neurodivergent people are not a monolith, and we must consider that there will be times that the best ways to ensure inclusion and access for one person may not be the best for another. For instance, we recognise the various views of the neurodivergent community, such as a preference for the use of person-first language (using terms such as \u27person with a disability\u27) or identity-first language (\u27disabled person\u27). Being flexible and accommodating to the varied student needs on campus shows recognition and support for diverse communities. By implementing accessible resources and supports such as alternative learning spaces, sensory spaces, comprehensive mental health support and accessible modalities to learning, universities can support neurodivergent students to succeed

The impact of Disability Studies curriculum on education professionals' perspectives and practice: Implications for education, social justice, and social change

As a field, Disability Studies has gained ground in the past few decades by highlighting alternative ways of thinking about disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. As more education professionals pursue advanced degrees with a Disability Studies framework, there is a need to understand how, if at all, Disability Studies influences their perspectives and practices. This study employed semi-structured interviews with nine doctoral students enrolled in a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education program that used the framework of Disability Studies, who are also practicing education professionals, to explore how gaining knowledge about Disability Studies impacted their daily work in the field of education. Through their experiences, they indicated that Disability Studies has transformed their conceptualization of disability, their practices, and themselves