"Both Sides Now": Schooling Experiences of Women With Physical Disabilities in South Korea

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Nine
  In Roundtable Session: Narratives and Experiences of Life Beyond Secondary Education (Table 15)

Abstract

This study examines the schooling experiences of four women with disabilities in South Korea through a series of three in-depth interviews. Their stories reveal the complex, multilayered nature of inclusive education, encompassing placement, parents’ choices, the influence of Korea’s special education laws, resources, and cultural expectations of society. These findings show the perspective of inclusive education needs to be widened to consider the bigger picture of short- and long-term impacts on individual students with disabilities. When contemplating the most appropriate placement for students with disabilities, policy makers, parents, and professionals need to make informed decisions based on how holistic schooling experiences can shape their identities both as individuals with a high sense of agency and active members of society.

Authors

• Yoon-Joo Lee, Brooklyn College - CUNY
  Presenting Author

• Hye Jun Park, Seoul National University
  Presenting Author

• Young Eun Jeon, Seoul National University
  Presenting Author

• Hyemin Suh, Seoul National University
  Presenting Author