Recognising and Reconceptualising Ability: Reflections on Disability and Employability: Journal SI and Launch Event

Launch Event: Thu, 2 Nov 2023 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM AEDT

We know that students with disabilities are one of the fastest growing equity cohorts in higher education; this is particularly the case in Australia where recent data reports that 9% of all university students enrolled in university indicated a disability (Australian Government Department of Education, 2021). Similarly, high participation rates of students with disability are similarly reported across the globe, from the global south to North America and European countries (Fichten et al., 2020; Mutanga, 2017; Yusof et al., 2020). Yet, despite growing recognition of the significant number of students at university who identify as ‘with disabilities’ (or in identity-first language as being ‘disabled’), research findings suggest that their experiences are marred by inadequate support, potential stigmatisation, and unique barriers to success and completion (Dollinger et al., 2023; Kilpatrick et al., 2017; Li et al., 2021; Pitman, 2022). Students with disabilities also face significant barriers in developing their employability while at university, including barriers to participation in internships and placements (Dollinger et al., 2023; Jackson et al., 2023; O’Shea et al., 2023), and a lack of nuanced disability-specific career development learning supports (O’Shea, 2021).

To bring attention to this critical intersection between disability and employability in the higher education sector, we ( Mollie Dollinger , Professor Sarah O' Shea and Dr Olivia Groves ) have edited a special issue for the Journal of Teaching and Learning in Graduate Employability . The Special issue features National and international perspectives, from researchers and scholars (both staff and students), many of whom identify as having a disability.

Whilst editing this journal, we, as editors, also learnt a lot and this prompted us to put together some principles to guide future research and publishing in this field. These principles include the 1) importance of strengths-based framing, 2) supporting access and inclusion in publishing practices, and 3) engaging in student partnership. To illustrate, through the submission and review process of this special issue, editors and authors frequently engaged in dialogue about how to write up the experiences of and/or the conceptualisations of disability put forth. Many of the articles in this special issue shed a bright and enduring light on the stigmatisation and/or discrimination students experience, how could authors accurately represent the views of participants without further disseminating these harmful perceptions? We further debated over how to appropriately problematise the intersection of disability and employability without inflating this intersection. For example, discussing the barriers that students with disabilities face in entering the labour market, while acknowledging that at least some of these barriers are experienced by all students, we equally contend that these issues may be more universal then is presupposed. Recognising the potential universality of these context, further troubles and exposes the inherent stratification that is embedded in employment practices and requirements.

To launch this special issue, please join us as we bring together the editors and authors to share reflections on this critical topic. Authors will present snapshot overviews of their papers, with key contributions to the literature. We will also include Q&A from audience members to facilitate an engaging, and provoking, discussion of the nexus of employability and disability. Registrations for this event are available here:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/recognising-and-reconceptualising-ability-tickets-730060880747?aff=REDIwebsite

Themes in both the journal and the launch event include:

?1)??? Nuanced investigations and/or case studies of specific disabilities and work integrated learning contexts (e.g., Coffey & Lovegrove, 2023; Coney, 2023)

2)??? Conceptualisations of university practices or interventions to support inclusive employability (e.g., Szucs & Harpur, 2023; Taylor, 2023))

3)??? Practice and/or policy-based enablers and barriers towards inclusive employability (e.g., Joanna Tai , 2023),

4)??? Exploration of transition in and transition out pathways (e.g., Fischer & Kilpatrick, 2023)

5)??? Social constructions of inclusive employability (e.g., including influence of carers, industry supervisors) and the development of students’ professional identities (e.g., Edwards & Sudlow-Haylett, 2023)