Teaching the ‘invisible’ disabled students in the classroom: disclosure, inclusion and the social model of disability

Abstract

Drawing on the insights of critical disability studies, this article addresses anxieties frequently articulated by academic staff around the implementation of the United Kingdom's Disability Discrimination Act: how to accommodate the needs of students with ‘hidden’ impairments. Following the social model of disability, it argues that universities should avoid the use of medical labels in identifying the learning needs of disabled students, and should make efforts to institute as part of everyday practice a diversity of inclusive teaching strategies. Finally it discusses an induction activity which sought to encourage students to disclose additional learning needs to university staff while opening up a discussion around difference, diversity with the student cohort as a whole.

Keywords:

• disability
• disabled students
• disclosure
• induction
• inclusion
• Disability Discrimination Act

Notes

In memory of Surya Shaffi.