Abstract
This chapter presents a co-narration about our journey together as teacher and learner—a student with disabilities (and being undocumented) and a non-disabled instructor—to navigate the social barriers present at institutions of higher education. The authors' experiences provide contextual information related to social disability by exploring our lived experiences while attempting to navigate a combination of structural, environmental, and attitudinal barriers at an institution of higher education. These shared experiences formed our interactions both in and beyond the classroom as we worked together to overcome these learning barriers. The authors conclude their narratives by offering suggestions for how institutions of higher education should work to remove these barriers to support student learning more equitably for students with disabilities.
TopSocial (Dis)Ability In Higher Education
Institutions of higher education in the United States are required by law to provide equal access for all students (Wolanin & Steele, 2004). This includes students with disabilities (SWDs), whose equal access to higher education is mandated by Federal legislation, notably Section 504 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) as well as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504, 1973). These laws provide accommodations and support mechanisms for equal access; however, what is often missing are the communication efforts engaged in by SWD and/or their instructors.
A universal definition of the term “disability” does not exist (Schomberg, 2018). Therefore, we adopt the social model of disability, which was not only developed by people with disabilities but also recognizes
the social origin of disability in a society geared by, and for, non-disabled people. The disadvantages and restrictions, often referred to as barriers, permeate every aspect of the physical and social environment. Disability can, therefore, be defined as a form of social oppression. (French & Swain, 2013, p. 190)
The social model of disability’s main ideas derive from the thoughts, conceptions, and cultural identity for people with disabilities (Swain et al., 2004). This is sometimes referred to as a “barriers-approach,” which provides a “route-map” for identifying and removing the barriers that limit persons with disabilities. The social model of disability highlights three types of barriers: structural, environmental, and attitudinal (French, 2004). Structural barriers are underlying norms, mores, and ideologies of an institution that infer judgments about normality and are sustained by power hierarchies (French & Swain, 2013). Environmental barriers are the physical barriers (i.e., steps) within the environment or how communication occurs (i.e., oral communication with manual interpretation) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Attitudinal barriers are the adverse attitudes and behaviors of others toward people with disabilities (Wapling & Downie, 2012).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Public Speaking: An oral presentation in which a speaker addresses an audience.
Student With Disabilities: A student with some physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity(s).
Ableism: A prejudice against and erasure of disabled people’s perspectives.
People Without Disabilities: A person without any visible physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activity(s).
Introductory Public Speaking Course: The university-level, usually general education requirement, course that provides training in oratory with the primary purpose to foster communication competence.
Blind and Visual Impairedness: A decrease in one’s ability to see that causes problems not fixable due to injury, disease, or genetic condition. Different levels of vision impairment and blindness: partially sighted, low vision, legally blind, and totally blind.
Undocumented Student: A foreign national who (1) entered the United States of America without inspection or with fraudulent documents or (2) entered legally as a nonimmigrant but then violated the terms of their status and remained in the United States without authorization.
Disability Resource Center: An academic unit at institutions of higher education providing services to the university community so students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of university life.