Abstract

For this research, I have examined studies regarding the meaning of disability, ableism in schools, and the stigma towards disability. This topic is relevant to high school students because young adults need to be aware of their biases and stigma towards certain minority groups. Growing up, disability was rarely covered in class, and the ostracization of peers with disabilities was rarely disrupted. When we learned about civil rights movements, we learned about racial rights, and gender rights, but disability rights did not come up until high school. Throughout my years of primary and secondary education, I have seen the need for proper education on the meaning of disability and the stigmas toward disability. This research is being done to answer my question, how to effectively address disability stigma in the high school classroom?

As a double major of broad field social science and cross-categorical special education, and transfer student, I have noticed the lack in social education of disability. The social understanding of disability covers ableism, otherness, and stigma. From my research I have found that the issue lays in the definition and perception of disability; which leads to ableism and stigmas. I have chosen to focus on the social perception of disability as it incorporates both the history of disability in America, and the current perception.

To teach this topic, I provided self-reflective lessons first, then moved to learning about disabilities, and ending with a class debate/discussion. The purposes of the lesson are to teach about disability, but also to generate empathy rather than pity. The field of social science and special education are intersectional. The social sciences should include the history and experiences of disability in the classroom.