Annotated Bibliography :
Boaler, Jo, and Tanya Lamar. “A Better Way to Teach Students with Learning Disabilities.” Time, Time Magazine, Feb. 2019, https://time.com/5539300/learning-disabilities-special-education-math-teachers-parents-students/.
This source provides results of various studies that demonstrate why the outdated approach of diagnosing disabilities to then provide accommodations should shift to teacher engagement, careful teaching, allowing students to freely use their abilities to their advantage, and recognizing the various ways a student can be taught (reasoning, drawing, connections, communicating, problem-solving..etc). When teachers, parents, and students shift how they view academic struggle, it can result in improved learning. This source validates how implementing new approaches, such as language that is more inclusive or celebrating struggle can lead to positive changes in student achievement.
“Creating Accessible Classrooms.” Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/diversity-inclusion/accessible-classrooms/index.html.
This source goes over the medical model of disability, the social model of disability, the drawbacks of both models, and the focus of each model. This source also includes ideas for how to make a classroom accessible, how to create an inclusive classroom climate, and how to make learning management systems as well as materials inclusive. This source provides important background knowledge on the medical and social model which drive a lot of the practices put in place for those with learning disabilities. Also, the source provides some good suggestions for classroom accessibility, inclusivity, and options for further reading material in the bibliography.
“How Teachers Can Make Their Classrooms More Accessible for Students with Disabilities: American University.” School of Education Online, 22 Oct. 2022, https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/disability-guide/.
Discusses the IDEA act or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that guarantees every child with a disability in the U.S has access to free, appropriate, public education. Provides evidence that demonstrates how a diverse classroom can lead to students with disabilities forming relationships and receiving social benefits. Provides information on how to identify which students have disabilities and how cognitive conditions can go years without being diagnosed or identified (which continues to be an ongoing issue that is not talked about enough). Gives options on how to plan inclusive lessons and keep students with learning disabilities feel seen and involved in the classroom, another issue that is often times easily pushed aside.
Van Goidsenhoven, Leni, et al. “Disability in the classroom.” Tijdschrift voor genderstudies, vol. 25, no. 1, 2022, p. 79–, https://doi.org/10.5117/TVGN2022.1.005.GOID.
A roundtable talk featuring three professional experts detailing personal experiences and opinions on what inclusion and accessibility looks like in the classroom. Ideas that are featured include recentering our world view, letting go of the idea that a disability looks a certain way, learning to be comfortable without identifying or defining disability, and implement policies that protect disabled individuals such as UDL frameworks. Other approaches that are discussed include moving away from medical models of viewing disability, practicing vulnerability as well as disrupting hierarchy in the classroom, universities hiring disabled individuals, amongst others. This is a valuable source because not only does this conversation move the discussion of disability in the classroom forward, but there are also a lot of unique ideas that can be implemented that are backed by real world experience, or first-hand knowledge. This source offers unique perspectives that are persuasive, original, and compelling.
Writer’s Memo:
Who is your audience and why is that your audience? What does your piece get people to do, or what might it get people to do?
My audience is educators because they play a big role in facilitating this process or goal. The piece is giving different ideas and perspectives on how to make classrooms a more accessible space for those with learning disabilities by inspiring and educating teachers or academics. It might get educators to change their approaches on how they handle this subject in their classroom or try something new.
What is the issue you’re engaging in and the argument you’re making? Why is this important? What is the exigence of your project/argument?
The issue I am engaging in involves moving away from outdated approaches and focusing on new approaches that at first glance may seem simple and are overlooked in an effort to make progress with making classrooms more accessible for individuals with learning disabilities