Guide

A teacher’s guide to disability inclusion

Resources, tips and information for incorporating a culture of disability inclusion and inclusive learning in all classrooms

A person writing and drawing on a white board

Disability inclusion in the classroom matters. And a teacher looking for ways to talk about disability with their students may not know where or how to begin.

That’s where this guide comes in: we’ve pulled together lots of helpful resources, tips and information that offer simple ways for teachers at all levels to incorporate a culture of disability inclusion and inclusive learning in their classrooms, whether or not there are students with apparent disabilities.

Here at Perkins, we help kids with disabilities find their place in the world, with a focus on demystifying disability and promoting inclusion for everyone – and we hope this guide gives mainstream teachers a head start on doing the same.

Defining disability

If you want to prioritize disability inclusion, it will help to understand how “disability” is defined. You may be surprised to learn that 19% of the global population has a disability – that’s about 1.6 billion people!

While some disabilities are visible, there are many that are non-apparent, situational, or temporary – including some visual, auditory, mobility, and neurocognitive disabilities. In Defining the four main types of disability, we dive deeper into how we approach the spectrum of disabilities.

Within that spectrum, there is so much nuance. Every individual experiences things differently. The same condition can affect people in different ways.

And there’s still so much more to learn. For example, CVI (Cerebral / Cortical Visual Impairment) is a brain-based visual impairment that is currently the leading cause of childhood blindness. But because CVI is not yet widely recognized or diagnosed, many children are living with visual impairments as a result of a condition that their families, doctors and educators don’t understand.

This is why creating a culture and environment that prioritizes inclusion and accessibility as a standard is so important – so that you’re ready to accommodate kids who may have a variety of needs that shift and change over the course of their time in the classroom.

Demystifying disability to build empathy and understanding

Many teachers are committed to fostering inclusive learning environments that promote diversity – but often, disability inclusion is left out of the conversation. Perhaps there’s no one in the class with an apparent disability, so it doesn’t seem relevant. Or, perhaps it’s because disability can be difficult and uncomfortable to discuss.

But we promise: once you start the discussion, you’ll find that one of the best ways to demystify disability is to talk about it – a lot!

And talking about disability doesn’t have to be saved for a “very special lesson.” It can be incorporated to add an interesting twist to everyday learning – even when there isn’t a student with an apparent disability in the class.

Here are some examples:

Getting to know real people with disabilities

Helping students become familiar with real people with lived disability experience is another excellent way to build empathy and understanding.

Creating inclusive spaces that work for everyone

Building an environment that includes everyone means considering everything from the culture to the physical space.

Using inclusive language sets the tone for a culture of accommodation and respect:

Whether you’re setting up your classroom or planning an event, there are ways – big and small – to ensure that everyone has equal access to the information being shared. These resources have some great tips:

Making learning about disability fun

Disability can feel like a heavy topic – but the more familiar it becomes, the more normal it will feel. And there’s no better way to make that happen than by incorporating the learning into play.

The key to disability inclusion is people like you

Thank you for making disability inclusion a priority in your classroom. At Perkins, we are working hard to help kids with disabilities find their place in the world – and people like you are helping us to make that world more inclusive and accessible.

#FridayForward: News from changemakers and innovators around the globe

Every month, #FridayForward looks at the unique challenges in the world of disabilities and visual impairment, and the people who are working to solve them. Subscribe today to learn how you can help build a more inclusive, accessible world.

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