Sites of resistance: disability and inclusion in Canadian K-12 education

If there was a country called disabled, I would be from there. (Frazee, 2023, p. xv) Ableism in Canadian K–12 education remains pervasive. As a site of resistance, this research explores the ways in which ableism is manifest in schools while offering recommendations for transformative praxis. This research is comprised of an autoethnography, policy analysis, and case study as a manuscript-style dissertation. Overall, these three research studies contribute to the continued rupture of ableism and disability marginalization in Canadian K–12 schools. Most importantly, this dissertation contributes to a growing understanding that there is nothing wrong with being disabled or being part of the disability community (Kafai, 2021). Concurrent themes that flow through this dissertation include: the importance of voice, equitable representation, empowerment, knowledge, identity, and calls for transformation. This research seeks to contribute to the field of inclusive education and critical disability studies in Canada. ; February 2025