Teaching Experiences of Inclusive Spanish STEM Faculty with Students with Disabilities

Abstract

This paper explores the experiences of 14 inclusive STEM faculty members from five Spanish universities who taught students with disabilities. Their students with disabilities nominated them for having contributed to their success in their degrees. The article presents part of a larger qualitative study comprising individual interviews with faculty members. Data were analysed through an inductive system of categories and codes. The results show what the faculty did when they knew they had students with disabilities studying their subjects, how they valued their experiences with disability and what recommendations they would make to other colleagues regarding how to be more inclusive. The conclusions suggest that, in order to respond to diversity, faculty must be well-informed and well-trained, contact the disability office and plan the lectures in a proactive and accessible way, making reasonable adjustments. The experiences of these inclusive professionals can help other members of the university community to perceive disability as an opportunity to improve teaching practices, learn how to help their students with disabilities and design educational practices for all.