Reframing disability in the online writing centre

Abstract

A higher representation of students with disabilities choose to learn online because of accessibility, flexibility, the privacy to disclose disability or not, and the affordance to schedule around interruptions in health or challenges exacerbated by disability. However, inequities remain particularly for students with disabilities seeking writing support in the writing centre. This study addressed ableist attitudes in writing center instruction towards students with disabilities. One such attitude assumes that students eventually become independent writers, which may be unrealistic for students with lifelong disabilities or chronic illnesses and stigmatizes the need for ongoing support. Since disability is underrepresented in writing centre literature, it is time to hear from students with disabilities themselves. To address this issue, my research question asked in what ways can the participants’ use of restorying through generating images and photovoice help the parasupport model reframe pedagogical and practical approaches to disability in the writing centre? First, I created the parasupport framework as an inclusive alternative to dependence-based pedagogies. To substantiate this shift in pedagogy, I used two methodological approaches: the critical visual methodology of photovoice and the notion of restorying from the narrative inquiry methodology. Photovoice offered participants the opportunity to explore their experience visually to create meaning while restorying helped participants shift the narrative of their experience with disability in an academic context. These methodologies paired well with critical disability theory because of the shared focus on social justice for oppressed populations. Four post-secondary participants with disabilities joined the study to generate images that explored open- ended prompts on ableism, their self-perception as writers, the issue of dependency, and vi REFRAMING DISABILITY vii what they needed from a writing centre. These prompts allowed the participants to visually explore their experiences in response to socially constructed notions of disability in a writing centre context. Since academic contexts may also be sites of trauma, I used a trauma-informed approach to ensure a safe setting for participants. The implications of my research highlight the importance of integrating these perceptions of experience in writing centre pedagogy to ensure better-and more inclusive—practice.