Publications: Research and Media

 

Research

Requirement Versus Reality: Secondary Social Studies Teachers’ Attitudes and Practices When Teaching About Disability History.

In 2019, New Jersey became one of the first states in the nation to require that schools teach about the political, economic, and social contributions of people with disabilities. Our team recently studied how New Jersey secondary social studies teachers are putting this mandate into practice.

• Read a longer description and key takeaways from the study.  
• Hansen, N., Bialka, C. S., Wojcik, T. G., Sendrowski, A., Todd, M., & Violante, F. (2025). Requirement Versus Reality: Secondary Social Studies Teachers’ Attitudes and Practices When Teaching About Disability History. The Social Studies, 1–18. 
• Order Requirement Versus Reality. 

 

Creating an Inclusive Social Studies Classroom for Exceptional Learners

The chapter entitled "Developing the Civic Engagement of Students with Disabilities: Inclusive Civic Action Projects" examines the research on civic engagement and students with disabilities and then lays out details for planning and carrying out truly inclusive projects to make a difference in the community and nation. 

• Read a longer description of the chapter. 
• Bueso, L.M, & Cairn, RDW. (2024). (Developing the civic engagement of students with disabilities: Inclusive civic action projects). In D. Minarik and T. Lintner (Eds.), Creating and inclusive social studies classroom for exceptional learners (pp. 71-96). Information Age.
• Order Creating an Inclusive Social Studies Classroom for Exceptional Learners. 

 

Infusing Disability History into the Classroom

This chapter of the Dublin Seminar's 2021 proceedings argues for a robust incorporation of disability history in the K-12 curriculum as simply good history. Drawing on long experience with the Disability History Museum and in leading graduate courses for teachers, the two authors describe exemplary disability history curricula. Finally, they share specific approaches to teaching inquiry-driven classroom investigations, featuring primary sources and content examples from their work creating lessons about disabled Civil War veterans for the Reform to Equal Rights K-12: Disability History Curriculum.

• Read the chapter.
• Cairn, RDW & Warder, G. (2024). (Infusing Disability History into the Classroom.) In Belolan, N., & Miller, M. (Eds.), Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife 2021 Annual Proceedings (pp. 162-173). Historic Deerfield. 
• Order Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife 2021 Annual Proceedings. 

 

Teaching with Primary Sources for Cultural Understanding, Civic Mindedness, and Democracy

This useful volume is edited by Scott Waring, professor at the University of Central Florida and longtime leader in the National Council for Social Studies, and Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium. Several chapters feature ideas and examples on how to use primary sources to make classrooms fully inclusive. 

• Read descriptions of seven chapters that focus on teaching students with disabilities and/or multilingual learners. 
• Waring, S.M. (2024) Teaching with Primary Sources for Cultural Understanding, Civic Mindedness, and Democracy. 
• Order Teaching with Primary Sources for Cultural Understanding, Civic Mindedness, and Democracy. 

 

Defining Civic Equity for Students with Disabilities

Researcher Leah Bueso discusses her groundbreaking study of civic participation by students with disabilities in the Chicago Public Schools. She focused on equitable exposure to high-quality civic learning opportunities. 

• Read the author's article on the study. 
• Read "Defining Civic Equity for Students with Disabilities."
• Bueso, L. (2022). Civic Equity for students with disabilities. Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 124(1), 62–86.  

 

Closing the Gap in Civics for Students with Disabilities in Classrooms from K-12

Rich Cairn analyzes the state of inclusion and access of students with disabilities in K-12 schools, based in part on a study of civics education in the Massachusetts schools by CIRCLE at Tufts University. The article includes a bibliography. 

• Read "Closing the Gap in Civics for Students with Disabilities in Classrooms from K-12." 
• Cairn, R. (September 8, 2021.) Closing the Gap in Civics for Students with Disabilities in Classrooms from K-12. Emerging America, Collaborative for Educational Services. 
• Read "The State of Civic Education in Massachusetts." 
• Ariel Tichnor-Wagner, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, and Noorya Hayat. “The State of Civic Education in Massachusetts: A Report Prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.” Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, and CIRCLE: Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University. (December, 2020). Tichnor-Wagner et al report. 

 

Social Studies & Exceptional Learners

Lintner and Minarik's landmark book offers clear and useful guidelines and tools to make the social studies classroom accessible and inclusive of students with disabilities. 

• Minarik, D., & Lintner, T. (2016). Social studies and exceptional learners. National Council for the Social Studies. 
• Order Social Studies & Exceptional Learners. 

 

Selected Media

5 Ways to Teach Disability History in Social Studies Class

Kara Newhouse explores practical approaches and resources to integrating disability history into teaching about. (July 29, 2024). KQED - Mind/Shift. 

• Read 5 Ways to Teach Disability History in Social Studies Class.

 

Teaching disability history in schools is 'long overdue,' advocates say

Meghan Smith interviews educators and activists about the emerging movement to teach disability history. (April 2, 2024). GBH - Education. 

• Read Teaching disability history in schools is 'long overdue,' advocates say.