There are different ways of theorising dyslexia and different ways of constructing meanings around dyslexia in different learning contexts. This paper considers the role of neoliberalist ideology in shaping conversations about dyslexia and "fairness" during two focus group conversations analysed as part of a study into the discursive…

Words and labels used about a person inevitably have an impact, whether intended or unintended. This article discusses the need for intentional and overt, critical reflection and discussion in higher education regarding the language faculty and students use. The authors provide language examples commonly used in courses that could have varied…

This article describes the research project carried out with a blind student, who studied French at a public university. The pedagogical experience over three years began in a classroom when a foreign language teacher and educator felt herself "handicapped," as she had not been prepared for working with blind people. In order to put her…

College and university students with disabilities, both visible and invisible, must deal with what sociologist Erving Goffman called information management; they must control and protect their stigmatized identity by considering who to tell what, how much to tell, and when to tell. A growing body of stigma-related educational research, as well as…

The paper constitutes an examination of life management of post-secondary students with disabilities. Eight individuals, all in attendance at a Western-Canadian university, were interviewed. The purpose was to explore life management issues and transformational outcomes of living with a disability as reported by individuals with disabilities; and…

To help preservice teachers gain an emotional understanding of the feelings of handicapped students who are separated from their classmates because of their individualized educational programs (IEPs), letters were sent to the class explaining that the three lowest scorers on the next exam would be given IEPs and placed in a separate section of the…

Although community-based treatment strategies have gained in prominence, recipients of those services still suffer from negative labeling and public reactions. To investigate differential effects of labels and/or descriptions of handicaps on attitudes toward disabilities, two studies were conducted. In the first study, 140 college students (65%…

This article presents knowledge about disability issues that seven undergraduate students constructed through participation in a semester-long service learning class. In-depth interviews and examination of reflective journals revealed that students used their experiences to question the nature of relationships with people with disabilities, the…