Len Barton has pioneered the sociological study of education in the areas of disability studies and inclusive education. This paper addresses an argument developed by Len Barton that social exclusion, of which disablism is one element, (1) has many compounding forms of differing exclusions, (2) is not a natural but a socially constructed process,…

Ninety-six normal fourth graders were studied to determine the extent that their ratings of a handicap-labeled videotaped peer could be altered by the assignment of positive attributes. Results suggested that positive attributes produced favorable peer ratings when compared to neutral ones. (Author/DLS)

The present study was designed to determine the weight-based stigmatization of Mexican overweight (OW) and non-OW children by their mothers and peers, who rated both boys and girls with varying physical characteristics. Four hundred and thirty-two fifth and sixth graders and 342 mothers participated in the study. Children were administered a…

This unit of study aims to help students understand that persons with disabilities are more alike than different from persons without disabilities, to help students appreciate that all people regardless of differences are valuable and worthwhile, to offer students hands-on activities to help them become sensitive to the differences in the lives of…

A study measured the general attitudes toward disability of 337 students, 49 academic staff, and 21 administrative staff in a small Australian university. Attitudes toward disability were more positive than the general population; however, this did not translate into positive concrete support for university students with emotional disabilities.…

High school (N=116), community college (N=88), and state university (N=105) students residing in San Bernardino, California, responded to a 20-item, 5-point Likert-type questionnaire regarding social, sexual, career, and educational attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Students also identified their perception of the term…

Describes a program planned and implemented by community volunteers to facilitate the development of positive attitudes toward the disabled. The program was implemented over one semester in five public schools. The article discusses variables that contributed to the success of the program as well as some of the limitations of attitude change…

The paper reviews research on early education of preschool handicapped and nonhandicapped children, conducted from 1971 to the present, to determine the effects of integration on developmental outcomes, peer interaction, and social attitudes toward the handicapped. Among conclusions drawn are that developmental outcomes have not proved superiority…

Forty-one college students with disabilities were surveyed to obtain their perceptions of how other students, faculty, and staff view them and to collect data about the accessibility of the university campus. A majority of the students surveyed believed that others viewed them as capable. Approximately one-fourth felt that others responded to them…