Sherry: “inclusion” interpreted through a life-story lens

Abstract

In the United States, educational inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities is relatively new. It was not until 1975 that the right to a “free appropriate public education” for children with disabilities was recognized, and not until 1990 that adults with disabilities were granted equal employment opportunities. Arguably, systems still exist that exclude and oppress individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. This study is about the life of one person with an intellectual disability who was born before federal laws existed in the United States and who was not granted a "free and appropriate public education” in her home community, leading to a life experience quite atypical than the lives experienced by many adults with disabilities residing in the United States. Two primary findings are shared. First, the lives of people with intellectual disabilities can be meaningful and filled with dignity, yet society’s lack of support, norms for behavior, and low expectations around disability act as a perpetual barrier. Second, “inclusion” represents much more than the sharing of a physical space.

Keywords:

• Inclusion
• intellectual disabilities
• society
• narrative analysis
• education
• social construction
• life history

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.