Abstract

Disability has been isolated in the specialized applied fields where specific disabilities are overemphasized as explanatory variables and organizing schemes. Using specific disability as an organizing variable continues the objectification and medicalization of disabled people silencing voices and perpetuating invisibility (Linton, 1998). Adult educators conduct research based on specific impairment such as HIV/AIDS (Courtenay, Merriam, & Reeves, 1998), learning disabilities (Jordan, 1996; Ross-Gordon, 1989), Deaf/Hard of Hearing (Clark, 2002), and heart disease (Wise, Yun, & Shaw, 2000). This research is frequently done from the perspective of the medical or economic models and few adult educators situate research on disability in critical theory.

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Sep 17th, 9:00 AM

From Disability Studies to Critical Race Theory: Working Towards Critical Disability Theory

Disability has been isolated in the specialized applied fields where specific disabilities are overemphasized as explanatory variables and organizing schemes. Using specific disability as an organizing variable continues the objectification and medicalization of disabled people silencing voices and perpetuating invisibility (Linton, 1998). Adult educators conduct research based on specific impairment such as HIV/AIDS (Courtenay, Merriam, & Reeves, 1998), learning disabilities (Jordan, 1996; Ross-Gordon, 1989), Deaf/Hard of Hearing (Clark, 2002), and heart disease (Wise, Yun, & Shaw, 2000). This research is frequently done from the perspective of the medical or economic models and few adult educators situate research on disability in critical theory.