Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people: definition of, rationale and prospects for anti-disablist education

Abstract

This article outlines the findings of an Economic and Social Research Council-funded study exploring the role of English state primary schools in promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people. Data emerging from a survey of schools and interviews with teachers are presented. The article considers progress made by schools against particular aspects of the Disability Equality Duty 2006. The project was underpinned by a working model of anti-disablist education resulting from a ‘conversation’ between various models of anti-oppressive education and disability politics. It explores the rationale for a ‘courageous’ form of anti-disablist education, definition of this, schools’ engagement in this type of practice and challenges to promoting such an ideal.

Keywords:

• disability
• disablism
• attitudes
• anti-oppressive
• social model
• inclusive education

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (Ref. RES-062-23-0461). Thank you to the two anonymous reviewers and to Colin Barnes for their encouraging feedback. The authors acknowledge the contributions of Sonali Shah to the wider project, Sam Barrett to data-gathering and processing, David Byrne to school sampling and Nick Ellison to field-work.

Notes

1. See http://www.scope.org.uk/.

2. Just over 44% considered there to be enough time/space within the curriculum, and 10% were ‘unsure’. There was a 97% response rate to the question.