DIS-abled. The nomenclature itself is problematic. The emphasis on dis- (a Latin-rooted prefix meaning not, opposite, lack of, etc) suggests that some human constructed structure — be it social, societal, physical, or architectural — has dis-abled the person. As though the words themselves have written in some warped notion of hierarchy when a person is not dis-abled they are de facto en-abled by the structures themselves, physical, institutional or otherwise. For me within the wider terminology and this specific word ‘disabled’ there is an element of de-humanisation, as its suggests that those with disabilities are an undifferentiated group defined solely by their capabilities (OED, n.d.). There is of course more progressive terminology (as often is the case) which is: differently-abled. The use of the term ‘Disabled student’ as shown in the slide below from UAL’s 2022 EDI Report, highlights a somewhat discrete but also unaware bias of ablism present even within a document designed specifically to communicate UAL’s position on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The discourse surrounding intersectional identity, particularly within the context of differently-abled individuals, is hyper-present within the videos with Christine Sun Kim (2023), Chay Brown (2023), and Ade Adepitan (2020). During the conversation between Annabel ‘Di Antara’ Crowley and Khairani Barokka (2020) they articulated a poignant reclamation of identity, challenging the prevailing Western- and Euro-centric narrative that might labels them as ‘minorities’ and instead assert that they are the ‘majority world’. This assertion of identity intersects with the experiences of the marginalised people mentioned and their compounded identities — they are differently-abled and of colour or they are differently-abled and LGBTQI+, and each of these identities have their own marginalisation. This highlights the intricate web of systemic and structural discrimination they face. Crenshaw’s (1991) notion of intersectionality underscores the unique disadvantages faced by individuals who navigate multiple intersecting marginalised identities, highlighting where women of colour find themselves marginalised within both racial and gender contexts.
This convergence of identities manifests in various ways in the educational environment. Whilst immersive classroom settings aim to be holistic, inclusive, and multi-sensory, they often inadvertently reinforce an ocular-centric bias. Accessibility monitoring tools, like the one on Moodle, provide a meekly blunt instrument for addressing this bias. While they may flag documents as ‘accessible’ based on technical criteria like image tagging and h1 h2 p1 p2 text formatting, they fail to account for the nuanced needs of diverse learners. For instance, a presentation may score highly on Moodle accessibility checks, but remain visually and conceptually inaccessible to students whose first language is not English. A colleagues slide below serves as an example.
UAL’s 2022 EDI Report exemplifies (image 01) these intersectional disparities. Only 5% of international students have declared some form of different ability, compared with 25% of home students. Do the systemic and intersectional disadvantages of the institution (teaching in English, using Western and Eurocentric references, following a capitalist model of value and achievement, etc etc) mean that international students with different abilities are either choosing not to apply and/or subsequently attain, or are they not declaring it?
References
Art21 (2023) Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” – season 11 | Art21. Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpRaEDlLsI (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
Crenshaw, K. (1991) “Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color,” Stanford law review, 43(6), p. 1241. doi: 10.2307/1229039.
Dictionary, O. E. (no date) Dis-, Etymonline.com. Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/dis- (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
Disabled, adj. & n. Meanings, etymology and more (no date) Oed.com. Available at: https://www.oed.com/dictionary/disabled_adj?tab=meaning_and_use (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
Leopold, S. S. et al. (2014) “Editorial: Words hurt – avoiding dehumanizing language in orthopaedic research and practice,” Clinical orthopaedics and related research, 472(9), pp. 2561–2563. doi: 10.1007/s11999-014-3802-8.
ParalympicsGB (2020) Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism. Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsxndpgagU (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
Parapride (2023) Intersectionality in focus: Empowering voices during UK Disability History Month 2023. Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
Ravishankar, R. A. (2020) “Why you need to stop using these words and phrases,” Harvard business review, 15 December. Available at: https://hbr.org/2020/12/why-you-need-to-stop-using-these-words-and-phrases (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
UAL Decolonising Arts Institute (2021) Art School In A pandemic (episode 1 crises). Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0snv4s630 (Accessed: April 25, 2024).
5 replies on “Blog Post 01: Disability”
Hi Greg,
Thank you for your insights. I’ve found in my teaching context, systemic and intersectional disadvantages particularly with ‘teaching in English’, have impacted the way students apply themselves to the learning environment. For example, an international student feared coming into the workshop environment over fears of their English pronunciation being laughed at. As someone who speaks another language, I understand not being fully understood can be disheartening and even more so when the person they are seeking advice from is not empathetic.
To promote a greater social purpose objective, I believe in recommending artists, designers and researchers from diverse backgrounds as well as exhibitions or events such as London Craft Week. This can help inspire students to explore and relate to many intersectional identities.
I understand the landscape for terminology is ever-changing. Is there any reading material/ resources you recommend to understanding/learning progressive terminology?
Best,
Priscilla
Greg, I really like your framing of the topic of disability by starting to dismantle the prejudice which is engrained in the word disability itself, with its implicit negative connotation of exclusion from an accepted norm (the ‘being able’). This is a poignant reminder of how accepted norms (such as the use of certain categories) perpetuate exclusion and marginalisation and should therefore be reconsidered.
Another point that I found interesting in your blog post, as it resonates a lot with some aspects of the course I teach on, is your mention of the ocular-centric bias of the classroom environment our students might be facing. I am currently supporting my students through the final assessment of the course (it’s a one year Foundation Diploma) and I am often perplexed at this stage of the year by the amount of form-filling and writing required of them in order to present the evidence of their work. Although I appreciate the importance to show evidence and measure standards in a clear and fair way, in my opinion it is problematic that students whose confidence with writing, with English and with IT systems is less strong might risk being penalised by the framework of the assessment process.
As I was titling my own blog post I felt really uncomfortable using the term ‘disabled’. I am so glad to see that this is the focus of your post. We cannot talk about inclusion while our language is ableist. BAME (black, asian and minority ethnic) suffers the same treatment. Nomenclature is important.
Hi Greg,
You offer great reflections on disability. I think you’re pointing at a very important intersectionality that we poorly addressed in the workshops: the difference in attainment for international students. In the data from my course, there is a clear difference in the grades that international students get. Beyond language barriers, I think we should consider how cultural barriers and class impact the way international students navigate an educational culture and context that is new for them. For instance, I’m thinking how discussions and diagnosis of neurodivergence are very different across countries and might make the topic taboo and difficult to address with students.
This is really interesting Greg. I wonder if the need to achieve a certain score on their IELTS (The International English Language Testing System) test might be affecting this? Most students who are applying from outside the UK will have to submit results from an English language test when applying to UAL. I work on Foundation, and a lot of the BA offers require a IELTS score of 6 or above. I wonder if this type of admissions prerequisite disproportionally disadvantages international students who might be dyslexic for example?