For Assignment One, I chose to explore the concept of Dis/Ability and its relation to curriculum. I found it difficult to find articles from the sources/journals listed that focused on Inclusive Education, however I was able to find an article by Mark Helmsing (“Disability Plots: Curriculum, Allegory, & History”)about “the intersection of curriculum studies(what knowledge is of most worth?) and disability studies(how is our knowledge shaped by normality, impairment, and dis/able-embodiment?)” (Helmsing, 110).
Ifound that we often exclude the narratives of people with dis/abilities from our history courses and content, and when we do cover them, it is minutely. When we fail to touch upon these historical narratives and perspectives, it becomes part of the Null Curriculum and we are (maybe inadvertently) teaching students that dis/abilities are a taboo subject. It is important to learn about different historical narratives, as they can not only teach us about the past but they can change our perspective of the present as well. The language we use when teaching/talking about dis/abilities is quite important and impactful as well. This article mentions different ways of contextualizing historical storylines about dis/ability (we can show students the amazing things that people with dis/abilities are capable of; we can also show students some of the horrors that we are capable of as humans—including discrimination and dehumanizing treatment of people with dis/abilities).
My next steps for this assignment will to continue to research perspectives on inclusive education, and maybe branch off of this article in a sense by focusing on the impacts of the historical narratives of people with dis/abilities on our students in the classroom who have exceptionalities. As well, I would like to find out more about the history of modifications/adaptations for students with dis/abilities and how we can improve upon inclusion in the classroom. I also think I could take this assignment and look at how the narratives we teach about people with dis/abilities effect society’s perception and treatment of people with dis/abilities.
Kathryn,
I am also doing the topic of disAbility and curriculum for assignment one. I looked at an article by Steven Khan titled Towards a Complicated Conversation Among Disability Studies, Complexity Thinking, and Education – it might be something you can use to support your primary article and it has a lot of awesome information and quotes about how overlooking the potential of people with disabilities is rooted deeply in out society. I think you will find that it resonates with some of your personal beliefs on the topic!
-Rilynn