A radical departure from previous chronicles of education for people with disabilities, this book views special education from a broader perspective. Its central thesis is that cultural values and expectations play a dominant role in understanding the structure and function of special education. While theories of the social construction of disability have been written about in a growing body of research since the 1960s, no attempt has been made to create a cross-cultural framework. This work offers such a framework. Eight chapters, written by educators in each country's educational system cover the following nations: China, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, United States, and Zimbabwe. Historical discussions in each chapter provide a context for current practice. An index and illustrations are also included.

This book provides a global and social examination of how disabilities are played out and experienced around the world. It presents auto-ethnographic perspectives on disability across cultures, societies, and countries by documenting individuals’ personal narratives, thought processes and reflections. Chapter authors share cross-cultural perspectives within and across various countries, such as India, Australia, United States, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Croatia, Brazil, South Africa, and Qatar. Adopting a self-reflective stance following qualitative research methodology, the chapter authors discuss the current challenges in the field. Next, they deconstruct disability identities, explore the complexities of communication with differently abled persons, examine inclusive policies, practices and interventions and present insights from caregivers. The book concludes with critical reflections and a look to the future of global diversity and inclusion.

The act of life is a lived experience, common and unique, that ties each of us to every other lived experience. The fact of disability does not alter this fundamental truth. In this edition of Rethinking Disability: World Perspectives in Culture and Society, we are presented with a system of thinking that considers the values of disability, as a resource, as a creative source of culture that moves disability out of the realm of victimized people and insurmountable barriers, and provides opportunities to use the experience of disability to enter into networks that recognize strengths of differing abilities. The authors within will intrigue you, will move you, will charm you, but always will challenge your notion of sameness and difference as they confront the construct and (de)construct of disability and ableism. They present compelling arguments for viewing disABILITY through the multiple lenses of disability culture. They explore themes and issues that transcend past and origins, time and place, nuances of genetics, to experiences of present and becoming, and towards the future and beyond mere human, yet always intrinsically connected to being human. This book is intended for all audiences who dare to confront difference and sameness within themselves and in connection with others; to inspire researchers who wish to explore, and examine disability across social, cultural and economic barriers. It is an invitation to push away the barriers, bring ableism inside to a place where the prosthesis is no longer the elephant in the room.

This book examines Japanese cultural beliefs about disability and related socialization practices as they impact the experiences of elementary school-aged children. Physical and mental conditions which impair children's functioning are universal issues impacting child welfare and educational systems around the world. While the American approach is well understood and represented in the literature, cultures differ in which physical and mental conditions are considered 'disabling'. Currently, the Japanese educational system is in transition as public schools implement formal special education services for children with developmental disabilities. 'Developmental disabilities' is a new term used by Japanese educators to categorize a variety of relatively minor social and cognitive conditions caused by neurologically based deficits: learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, and Asperger's Syndrome. Children who were once considered 'difficult' or 'slow learners' are now considered to be 'disabled' and in need of special services. This transition created an excellent opportunity to explore Japanese beliefs about disability that might otherwise have remained unexamined by participants, and how these evolving beliefs and new socialization and educational practices impact children's experiences.

This book provides a space in which struggles for indigenous knowledge within communities are articulated, valued, heard, and responded to. The volume takes change as its focus, yet acknowledges that the origins and significance of change are frequently found to be unsettling. Contributors explore different understandings of change that forge sustainable, inclusive and just communities and examine issues related to citizenship, resistance, peacemaking, critical literacies, and second chance opportunities. The authors seek to promote advocacy of change that recognises the importance of an informed engagement with cross-cultural issues in order to foreground those missing perspectives that are often marginalised, silenced, ignored or denied. All contributors are concerned with how the process of change can bridge the gap between social justice and exclusion and develop critical understandings of the implications of changing policy and practice for those within and working with the educational organisations and communities.

The textbook offers comprehensive understanding of the impact of cultural factors and differences on mental illness and its treatment.

Technology and research for disabilities and disability support are largely produced by the Global North even though it is utilized globally, including in the Global South. For this reason, the encouragement of greater research efforts and technological creation are essential for advanced disability support in the Global South. Social, Educational, and Cultural Perspectives of Disabilities in the Global South is an essential scholarly publication that examines scholarship and academics with disabilities, with an emphasis on the disruption of stereotypes as well as lived experience. Featuring a wide range of topics such as feminist theory, student motivation, and artificial intelligence, this book is ideal for academicians, academic professionals, researchers, policymakers, and students.