National and international disability rights legislation: a qualitative account of its enactment in Australia

Abstract

In this paper, a detailed analysis based on the lived experiences of the study participants and the researcher (each with vision impairment) in education, post school and in the pursuit for employment is developed. The policy discourses of disability legislation – both at national and international levels – are explored with particular reference to their enactment in Australia. The analysis focuses on the collective indifference to detached others, which is evident in the linguistic construction of people with disabilities in the United Nations [(2006). Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York: United Nations] and the Australian Standards for Education 2005 [Australian Department of Education, Science and Training. 2006. Disability Standards for Education 2005 Plus Guidance Notes. Accessed March 12, 2012. http://nla.gov.au/nla.arc-7692.]. Together, these elements reflect the neoliberal principles that cast a shadow over the discourses of the disability policies.

Keywords:

• critical disability studies
• policy enactment
• collective indifference
• linguistic othering

Notes on contributors

Ben Whitburn is a PhD candidate at Deakin University studying the effects of inclusive schooling for secondary school students with disabilities. Ben is the 2014 winner of the American Educational Research Association's Disability Studies in Education SIG Junior Scholar Award.