"Coming out" of the disability closet : the narratives of primary school educators with invisible disabilities

Abstract

This narrative study aimed to explore whether educators with invisible disabilities disclose their impairment at their workplace and if/how the disclosure impacts their employment experiences in primary schools. Furthermore, I explored the attitudes amongst colleagues and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) towards educators with an invisible disability. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with five primary school educators who had invisible disabilities. The educators shared their personal stories and experiences, which were then analyzed using Thematic Analysis (TA) within the framework of the Social Model of Disability. The analysis revealed five key themes that were further explored: motivation to work in education, disclosure practices, physical and organizational barriers, attitudes towards disability, and disability viewed as a strength rather than a weakness. Adopting an emancipatory approach, this study recognizes educators as vital when contributing to discussions on inclusive education, and who can influence the discourse surrounding disability in school systems. The participants provided valuable insights and recommendations for fostering change within inclusive education. Furthermore, the study's findings were utilized to develop a booklet to raise awareness that will be distributed to schools, NGOs relating to various invisible disabilities, and Facebook groups that involve educators.