Oh! She’s doing fine: Realities and Concerns of Learners with Disabilities at University in Singapore.

“I suppose people are just not willing to go that far, because, “At the moment I barely know you. I’ll be nice to you on a superficial level, but it will be too much to go beyond that.” And people have these perceptions that when they see me, “Oh, she’s doing fine,” especially my teachers. ... I usually feel left out in my class. (Participant 15)”. Having arisen from personal encounters of teaching at tertiary level and the challenges of catering to learners presenting a broad spectrum of educational needs, I have become increasingly aware of the diversity of students seeking assistance. Initially training as a social worker and working in the disability sector for several years, I have always gravitated towards personal narratives. The lived experiences of learners presenting a wide range of differing needs provide insights into their realities and concerns. Rather than deconstructing differences through the ableist lens and the “conception of disability informed by the primacy of normalcy”, lived experiences need to be heard so that moral and ethical decisions can be made about how goods and services can be distributed fairly.

Citation:
Carlisle, Damaris. ''Oh! She’s doing fine: Realities and Concerns of Learners with Disabilities at University in Singapore.'' Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion in Singapore, edited by Kuansong Victor Zhuang, et al., Singapore, Ethos Books, 2023, pp. 295-314, ISBN / ISSN: 978-981-18-6113-0.