Ei-iE

“Leave no one behind! Nothing for us without us!” This was the rallying cry of the recent webinar, “Voices from the Margins: Perspectives of Teachers with Disabilities in Mainstream Education.” As the world moves towards inclusive education, the focus on teachers with disabilities remains critically under-addressed. At the event, the Learning Generation Initiative (LGI) launched its latest research synthesis, exploring the barriers faced by these educators across their professional lifecycle—from recruitment to deployment, retention, and progression. And experts and advocates shed light on the often-overlooked experiences of teachers with disabilities, calling for systemic changes to ensure their inclusion in the education workforce.

Highlighting teacher voices

The research, funded by the What Works Hub for Global Education (WWHGE), places teacher voices at the center of the conversation. Nidhi Singal, Professor of Disability and Inclusive Education at the University of Cambridge, emphasized the importance of a diverse teacher workforce: “Diverse learners need a diverse teacher workforce. Teachers’ diversity fosters inclusivity in schools.” Singal also highlighted the impact of teachers with disabilities on normalizing diversity in the classroom and answering the need for supportive communities, mentors, and empathic leaders.

Current state of policies and data

Katie Godwin, Research Consultant at The Education Commission, presented the current state of data and policies for teachers with disabilities. “Half of the surveyed countries have some forms of policies that speak to issues of representation of teachers with disabilities, but only Kenya sets specific targets for their recruitment.” She stressed the importance of including a category on disabilities in routine data collection to address critical issues such as representation and employment.

Global perspectives and advocacy

Fred Haga, Director for Special Needs Education at Kenya's Ministry of Education, outlined the need for policies addressing recruitment, working environments, and professional development for teachers with disabilities.

Dr. Heike Kuhn, Head of Unit, Education at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and Co-Chair of the UNESCO Teacher Task Force, highlighted the global shortage of teachers and the importance of funding for teachers with disabilities: “Funding shouldn’t be a limit. It’s money well invested; it’s about dignity and respect for people who work there.” She also stressed that “people, teachers with disabilities, are often overlooked. The Global Disability Forum held this year the teachers’ voices to the highest level. And teachers with disabilities represent a specific group in the Teacher Task Force.”

For Esther Mbite, Executive Director at Voice of Women with Disability, “the best way teachers with disabilities can be helped is via disabled-friendly infrastructures (classroom, light, etc.). You can use the knowledge you have, but you need the proper material. Also, if the school management develops a good attitude towards teachers with disabilities, this attitude will spread to other teachers and students.”

The role of unions and advocacy groups

Alan Hackett of NASUWT – The Teachers' Union in the United Kingdom – an Education International (EI) member organization – discussed the role of unions in supporting teachers with disabilities, making a difference in three key areas: advocacy, negotiations, and representation. “I was elected as NASUWT representative as an able-bodied teacher. I see things from a different perspective now.”

He also highlighted the importance of access for promotion and better pay, stating: “Teachers with disabilities should have a checklist when they go for job interviews: do you have a lift? A special parking space? Technology available? Assistance available?”

“We are part of a worldwide teachers’ network, and we sent representatives to the EI’s World Congresses,” he added. At these events, delegates from all regions of the globe adopted resolutions on the topic, i.e. A new approach to disability and The rights of disabled children and teachers.

Moving forward

The webinar concluded with a call to action for participants to share the report, advocate for teachers with disabilities globally and nationally, and collect data to support their inclusion.

As the world pushes forward with efforts to transform education systems, the inclusion of teachers with disabilities must be part of the agenda. As Alan Hackett aptly put it, "It is time for education systems worldwide to adopt a new approach to disability, ensuring that no teacher is left behind.

You can also read the blog Empowering educators with disabilities: The Japan Teachers' Union's commitment to inclusive education, written by Mariko Takamatsu ahead of the Global Disability Forum.

The blog by Nidhi Singal, Not the exception, but essential: Teachers with disabilities in mainstream classrooms, is available here.