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Attitudes Towards Disability

Attitudes Towards Disability

EDUC-5710 Understanding Barriers to Learning

Instructor: Dr. Nick Sanders

February 24, 2021

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Attitudes Towards Disability

Abstract

This paper examines the implications of both negative and positive attitudes towards students

with disabilities. The teacher's attitude towards the student's disability can determine how the

student perceives learning and school in general. This paper also gives suggestions and ideas on

how to alter negative attitudes towards disabilities and convert them to positive practices and

adaptations that can help the student learn and minimizes the barriers.
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Attitudes Towards Disability

In the article ‘Changing student teachers’ attitudes towards disability and inclusion’

(Campbell, 2003), the choice of Down syndrome to be the material for a study about increasing

awareness towards disabilities in one of Australia’s prominent universities was an excellent

choice for many reasons. Most importantly because Down syndrome is one of the most

stereotyped disabilities, with understanding and knowing what people with Down syndrome can

offer to the world and how they can, in many ways, change our perspective on disability. (Down

Syndrome Today – Challenging Stereotypes, 2018). This study is also very beneficial because it

clears the uncertainty about Down syndrome that many teachers might have when they found

themselves have to deal with a student with Down syndrome.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a learning disability that needs more

awareness to be raised for it by specialists and teachers. The reason for this is that ADHD is

ubiquitous among students of all ages, it can take different forms, and it is hard to detect and

diagnose. (Roth & Marcin, 2017).

In order to alter attitudes towards specific disabilities, knowledge about this disability, along with

experience with it, has to be combined by researchers when studying how to raise awareness

towards it. “The present study was designed to explore additional methods by which student

teachers’ attitudes towards disability and inclusive educational practice could be favorably

modified through university programs that combine formal instruction with experiential learning

activities. In particular, it investigated whether requiring students to explore one area of disability

in some depth, through study and associated fieldwork activities, would lead not only to changes in

knowledge about that particular disability, and more favorable attitudes towards inclusive
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Attitudes Towards Disability

educational practice for such children but also to changes in student teachers’ attitudes towards

disability in general.” (Campbell, 2003, p. 2). Understanding is the key to acceptance and inclusion

in the classroom; in the case of ADHD, teachers have to understand what does ADHD does to the

students, and then b begin to work on strategies for inclusion.

The teacher’s practices can play an essential role in raising awareness towards disabilities, teachers

expectations from their students contribute to how do the student perform, and the student’s

performance contributes to how the other students and teachers see them. “The research literature

on teachers’ attitudes towards disability suggests that negative attitudes ‘‘lead to low expectations

of a person with a disability’’ (Forlin et al., 1999b, p. 209) which in turn could lead to reduced

learning opportunities, beginning a cycle of impaired performance and further lowered

expectations, both by the teacher and the child.” (Campbell, 2003, p. 2). That is why teachers

knowledge and expectations are very important in raising awareness of any disability. Creating

strategies, accommodations, and modifications can positively impact the student’s performance. In

the case of ADHD, the student’s seating is very critical to his/her movements and attention span;

curriculum accommodations and modification can help the student with ADHD to sit still and

learn. Parents can play a significant role in raising awareness towards their children’s disability

and help teachers understand it better.

In conclusion, raising awareness and changing attitudes towards disabilities cannot happen

without changing perspectives, learning about disabilities, and by accepting the people with it. The

key is adapting different attitudes and understandings.

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Attitudes Towards Disability

References

Campbell, J., et al. (2003). Changing student teachers’ attitudes towards disability and inclusion.
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 8(4) 369-379. Retrieved from

https://eprints.qut.edu.au/4305/1/4305.pdf

(2018, August 20). Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/

interview-common-misconceptions-syndrome/

Roth, E., & Marcin, A. (n.d.). ADHD: Recognizing Symptoms, Diagnosis, and More. Retrieved

from https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/three-types-adhd