Disability and Professional Identities Intertwined: The Stories of Disabled Teachers

• In Event: Cultivating Equitable Education Rooted in Inclusive Practice

Abstract

Despite calls for a more diverse teaching workforce, disability remains a hidden dimension of diversity. Through a Critical Disability Studies lens, this pilot qualitative study used narrative analysis to investigate the experiences of four disabled educators by applying a framework of disability identity development (Forber-Pratt and Zape, 2017). Thematic analysis revealed themes in three areas: life and professional experiences interact to influence professional identities; being a disabled teacher involved strategic disclosure, self-accommodation, and emotional labor; and disability identity is fluid and interacts with conceptualizations of what it means to be a good teacher. Findings suggest that schools are not designed to be physically or socially inclusive for disabled teachers, nor do schools cultivate inclusive professional climates.

Authors

• Elisabeth Kutscher, The George Washington University
  Presenting Author

• Matthew Flanagan
  Presenting Author

• Chloe Massey, The George Washington University
  Presenting Author

• Jennifer Lillis
  Presenting Author