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Disability in Secondary Social Studies: �A Mixed-Methods Study of New Jersey Teacher Practices and Perspectives

Nicole Hansen1, Christa S. Bialka2, Teresa G. Wojcik2,

Francesca Violante1, Marissa Todd1, and Angelica Sendrowski1

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1 Seton Hall University

2 Villanova University

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Disability representation matters!

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Presentation Outline

  • Context
  • Theoretical framework and methodology
  • Quantitative survey results
  • Qualitative interview results
  • Limitations/Directions for Future Research
  • Implications for Practice and Policy

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Context

  • New Jersey Legislation
    • 18A:35-4.36a Curriculum to include instruction on diversity and inclusion.
    • 18A:35-4.35 History of disabled and LGBT persons included in middle and high school curriculum
    • The 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies explicitly call for the integration of diverse perspectives as part of the social studies disciplinary practices

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Little is known about how teachers interpret and implement these mandates, particularly in reference to how they incorporate the contributions of disabled individuals.

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Theoretical Framework

  • This work is grounded in Disability Studies in Education (DSE) framework, which recognizes disability as a systemic issue and challenges deficit-oriented, ableist views of disability as related to education (Connor et al., 2015; Cosier & Pearson, 2016).

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Research Question

What are New Jersey social studies teachers' attitudes, perceptions, and practices related to teaching disability history?

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Methodology

  • Mixed-methods explanatory sequential design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017)

Participants: 95 secondary social studies teachers

Participants: 4 secondary social studies teachers

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Quantitative Survey Results:�Awareness of Mandate to Teach about Contributions of Individuals with Disabilities

  • Are NJ teachers aware of the requirement to teach about the contributions of individuals with disabilities?
    • One-quarter of respondents were not aware of the requirement.
    • Of the participants surveyed, only 20% had received resources or PD from their school or district.

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  • How often do teachers discuss disability with their whole class?
    • Nearly half (46.3%) of teachers surveyed discussed disability never or rarely.

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Quantitative Survey Results:�Teachers’ Enactment of Mandate

Misalignment with Requirements

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  • Teachers frequently emphasized historical mistreatment (e.g., institutionalization, Holocaust) without context, reinforcing deficit thinking and framing disabled individuals as objects of pity.
  • Frequently mentioned individuals with disabilities: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Harriet Tubman
  • Disability rights activists and self-advocates were rarely mentioned or entirely absent from discussions.
  • Limited coverage of disability rights:
    • Only one-third of respondents discussed the U.S. disability rights movement.
    • Just 41% of participants covered the contributions of individuals with disabilities, as required by law.

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Quantitative Survey Results:�Teacher Comfort, Facilitators, & Barriers

  • Though the majority (88.5%) of teachers indicated comfort with disability discussion, teachers noted barriers to disability discussion.

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Barriers

    • Time constraints (75.8%)
    • Lack of resources (42.1%)
    • Curricular relevance (31.6%)
    • Fear of offending SWD (31.6%)

Facilitators

    • Curricular flexibility/agency (63.2%)
    • Curricular relevance (56.8%)
    • Comfortability (50.5%)

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Qualitative Interview Results:�Case Reports

Participant

Description

Allison

30th year as a social studies teacher in a suburban public high school

Taught Psychology, Geography, AP Research

Charlotte

26th year of teaching in a suburban public middle school

Taught U.S. History

Kelly

24th year of teaching in a suburban public high school

Taught World History and a social studies-related elective course

Veronica

13th year of teaching in a suburban public high school

Taught U.S. History, AP Research, Sociology

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Qualitative Interview Results:�Cross-Case Analysis

Time constraints posed a barrier to teaching about disability.

The requirement to teach about disability was addressed in a perfunctory fashion

Teachers lack professional development and resources related to teaching about disability in social studies.

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Limitations & Directions for Future Research

  • Limitations:
    • Small sample size allows for rich qualitative insights but limits generalizability.
    • Participants were intentionally drawn from a single state to focus on a specific mandate.

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  • Future Research Directions:
    • A larger, more diverse or national sample could explore regional influences on teaching about disability.
    • Classroom observations could help triangulate findings beyond teacher self-report.

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Discussion & Implications

Limited Awareness & Support

    • 25% of teachers were unaware of NJ’s mandate to teach about the contributions of individuals with disabilities
    • Only 20% reported receiving resources or professional development.

Curricular Relevance as a Challenge

    • 56.8% saw curriculum as a barrier, while 31.6% saw it as a facilitator.

Deficit Narratives & Representation Gaps

    • Focus on historical injustices rather than disabled activists and leaders.

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Discussion & Implications

Need for Teacher Training & Resources

    • 42.1% of teachers surveyed cited lack of resources/professional development as a major barrier.
    • Teachers need tools to analyze & challenge ableist portrayals in curricula.

Legislation Alone is Insufficient

    • Without support, mandates risk reinforcing stereotypes.
    • Teachers welcome professional development & ready-made materials.

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Thank you! �Questions/Comments?

Contact Information:

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Dr. Nicole Hansen Dr. Christa S. Bialka Dr. Teresa G. Wojcik

nicole.hansen@shu.edu

christa.bialka@villanova.edu

teresa.wojcik@villanova.edu