Can We Talk? The Underdeveloped Dialogue Between Teacher Education and Disability Studies

Meghan Cosier,Holly Pearson

doi:10.1177/2158244015626766

Abstract

Despite the possibility for mutual benefit, it seems that the fields of Disability Studies (DS) and teacher education have not communicated and collaborated in deep and meaningful ways. This exploratory study utilized an e-survey of 32 teacher education faculty members in the state of California to investigate how, if at all, teacher educators were utilizing DS in their curriculum. Results suggested that some teacher educators confuse DS with special education or rehabilitation. Furthermore, many teacher educators in general education teacher preparation programs indicated that disability issues were only covered in one course. The results of this study suggest the need for further meaningful collaboration and communication between the fields of DS and teacher education.

Highlights

The emergence of Disability Studies (DS) in Education (DSE) has provided new ways of thinking about how we support students in schools who have been labeled as “disabled” or “abnormal” (Valle & Connor, 2011)
May views rooted in DS run counter to perspectives introduced in teacher preparation programs, faculty in teacher preparation programs may not be aware of DS as a field
Participants whose response was consistent with DS included definitions such as Interdisciplinary field of scholarship that examines the life experiences of disabled persons and the social and political meanings about disability generated in society

Summary

Introduction

The emergence of Disability Studies (DS) in Education (DSE) has provided new ways of thinking about how we support students in schools who have been labeled as “disabled” or “abnormal” (Valle & Connor, 2011) The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the use of DS in teacher preparation programs in the state of California. DS advocates for inclusion of individuals with disabilities and views self-contained or segregated education as a form of social oppression (Baglieri, Valle, Connor, & Gallagher, 2011) These views can run counter to practices presented in teacher preparation programs (Connor, Gabel, Gallagher, & Morton, 2008). Disability Studies both emanates from and supports the Disability Rights Movement, which advocates for civil rights and self-determination This focus shifts the emphasis from a prevention/treatment/remediation paradigm, to a social/cultural/ political paradigm. The scholarship challenges the idea that the economic and social statuses and the assigned roles of people with disabilities are inevitable outcomes of their condition. (p. 8)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion