By embracing the principles of DSE, schools can move toward more inclusive, just, and empowering educational environments for every learner. Using the term disability may or may not be the chosen term for some individuals and families. However, the academic field of DSE provides us an opportunity to reflect on the ‘models’ of disability and the experiences of 2E learners.
There are several ‘models’ of disability (see Ladau’s book). Understanding the medical model of disability and the social model of disability can support students and families in understanding their experiences. The social model of disability recognizes that it is society that is disabling, not the disabilities. It recognizes that learners have experienced classrooms and environments that do not celebrate and center their strengths. The medical model of disability is prevalent and provides us diagnosis and supports and services supported by policies. However, it also frames a disability as a deficit and something to be ‘fixed’.
The academic discipline of Disability Studies in Education (DSE) reframes disability not as a deficit or problem within the student, but as a form of human diversity shaped by social, cultural, and political contexts (Baglieri et al., 2011). It critiques traditional special education models that often pathologize students and instead promotes inclusive, strengths-based approaches to teaching and learning.
By valuing student agency, community knowledge, and multiple ways of being, DSE encourages educators to reimagine classroom practices. For example, rather than focusing on what a student cannot do, a DSE-informed approach asks: What are this student’s strengths? How can we design learning environments that honor those strengths and support all learners?
Research has shown that when educators adopt a strengths-based, inclusive mindset, students with disabilities experience greater engagement, academic success, and belonging (Hehir et al., 2016). Moreover, these models benefit all students by fostering empathy, creativity, and collaboration.