Disability Justifies Exclusion of

Minority Students:
A Critical History Grounded in
Disability Studies
EDUC 5005G
Social & Cultural Context of Education
February 20, 2015
Kim Field, Michelle Mouton & Sandy Odrowski

Agenda
1. Introduction/Minds On
2. Article Summary (video)
3. Key Terms and Critical Theory of Disability
Studies
4. Group Activity
5. Wrap up
6. Additional Resources

Minds On Task
1. Go to
http://mindsetonline.com/testyourmindset/step1.php
2. Complete the quiz
3. Read your outcome
4. Come back to class

Carol Dweck: Mindsets

Carol Dweck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E

What do mindsets have to do with

Special Education?

Meet the Authors

Dr D. Kim Reid
Socio-political perspective

Dr Michelle G. Knight
Cultural perspective

Article Summary

Historical Context
1800s

Freak shows
Asylums
Witches burnt at the stake

1920s -1970s

Orillia Asylum for Idiots

Sexual Sterilization Acts
World War II -Nazi euthanasia determined by a life
unworthy of life due to a disability
Civil rights movement (1960s)
Ontario Human Rights Code (excluded people with
disabilities)

1970s-present

Canadian Human Rights Act (1977)

ODA (2002)
AODA (2005)
Last instititution closes its doors (2009)

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/09/16/huronia_re
gional_centre_classaction_lawsuit_set_to_begin_over_alle
ged_abuse.html

Chriss Story--50 years of history

Self-advocacy

Life at 50...

Breakout Discussion
1. In what way have you or someone in your family been affected by a disability? In
what way was that disability accommodated? In what ways do you perceive a lack of
support for that disability? Who should be responsible to provide support and why?
2. Why is the mindset of teachers so important to breaking down barriers for
learning for a student with an exceptionality?

Considerations

Organization
Environment
Colleagues
Students
Families
Community
Partners

Building Capacity Series:

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
Mindsets of Culturally Responsive Educators What does it look like?
Characteristic #1: Socio-Cultural Consciousness

An awareness of how socio-cultural structures impact individual experiences and opportunities

Characteristic #2: High Expectations

Hold positive and affirming views of all students of all backgrounds

Characteristic #3: Desire to Make a Difference

See themselves as change agents working toward more equity

Building Capacity Series:

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
Mindsets of Culturally Responsive Educators What does it look like?
Characteristic #4: Constructivist Approach

Understand that learners construct their own knowledge

Characteristic #5: Deep Knowledge of their Students

Know about the lives of students and their families; know how students learn best and where they are
in their learning

Characteristic #6: Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices

Design and build instruction on students prior knowledge

http://goo.gl/4pxq3v

References
Council of Canadians with Disabilities (n.d.). History. Retrieved from http://www.ccdonline.ca/en/about/history
Capacity Building Series (2013). Government of Ontario. Secretariat Special Edition #35. Retrieved from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_ResponsivePedagogy.pdf
Dweck, Carol. (2014). The Growth Mindset (Video). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E

People with Disabilities Significant Events N.A. Retrieved from

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalGovernment/resources/DOCS_ADMIN-1292073-v1-Historical_Timeline
_for_People_with_Disabilities.pdf

Reid, D.K. and Knight, M.G. (2006) Disability justifies exclusion of minority students: A critical history grounded in disability
studies. Educational Researcher. 35(6), 18-23