Disability Marginalized: An Analysis of 30 Years of Mathematics and Science Professional Journals

• In Event: Marginalization in Mathematics and Science in and Through Learning, Curriculum, and Research

Abstract

As students with disabilities are increasingly taught in general education Mathematics and Science classrooms, general education teachers must know how to teach this population. We reviewed 30 years of seven journals of NCTM and NSTA and identified and categorized content related to disability. Findings indicate a lack of attention to topics pertinent to the instruction of students with disabilities. We found four thematic categories representing disability: Central, Peripheral, Demographic, and Metaphor. The lack of representation of disability within Mathematics and Science professional journals highlights the continued schism between general and special education. By virtually excluding disability in these journals, stakeholders miss opportunities to improve the educational outcomes of students with disabilities.

Authors

• Patricia Alvarez McHatton, Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity

• Julia M. White, Syracuse University

• Christine Elaine Ashby, Syracuse University