Black Students with Disabilities and Institutional Terms of Belonging: A Study of Canadian Postsecondary Trajectories

• In Event: Critical perspectives on the experiences of students of color

Abstract

Canada is often perceived as a leader in educational inclusion, yet persistent limitations in equity initiatives reveal widespread reluctance to address how race and disability together shape postsecondary access and participation. This study examines the postsecondary trajectories and experiences of Black students with disabilities in Canada, focusing on how they navigate institutional environments structured by anti-blackness and ableism. Grounded in a Black feminist disability framework and employing narrative inquiry, the study draws on 44 semi-structured interviews with students and 8 with support professionals. Findings reveal patterns of institutional misrecognition, mistrust, and fragmented services, as well as student strategies of resistance, care, and self-advocacy that challenge the limits of purported institutional inclusion.

Authors

• Tya Collins, University of Ottawa

• Ijeoma Aboaja, Ottawa University