Before teachers even talk about disability to their students, teachers must confront their biases on disability and reframe their thinking of disability. Many people tend to look at disability as a problem in a person. Instead, teachers should reframe their thinking with the understanding that disability is caused by the environment and social barriers. The world is essentially not built for people with disabilities. When teachers see disability as a problem within the student, they alienate the student, preventing them from feeling included in the classroom, resulting in students with disabilities not requesting accommodations they need, feeling like a burden to both the teacher and the classroom. But when teachers see students as more than just their disability, they feel seen and included.
When talking about disability in the classroom, teachers should look at the various biases they may hold. One of the biggest things teachers can do is have the same expectations for all their students. Teachers may have lower expectations for their students with disabilities, thinking they can not achieve as much due to their impairments. Another thing teachers can do is not view or explain how people with disabilities are inspirational. Doing this views disability as a problem, and living with one is extraordinary. Instead, people with disabilities are the same as us, and we should view them as equals, no less or no more than us. Additionally, teachers should refrain from using euphemisms in the classrooms when discussing disabilities. Often people tend to be afraid to use the word disability, viewing it as a bad thing and thus referring to it in euphemisms such as “mentally disabled” or “special needs.” Alternatively, teachers should use person-first language, which puts the person above the disability, showing that they are more than just their disability.