| The purpose of this study was to learn about the lived experiences of six physically disabled young adults from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds who were in inclusive education settings in Mumbai, India. Specifically, I explored the participants' perceptions of the impact of their disability label on their sense of identity and their educational experiences. The study was based on the following assumptions: (1) sociocultural contexts impact the way disability is identified, classified, and treated; and (2) colonial legacies continue to influence Indian educational contexts in the forms of devaluing local knowledge and importing western education ideologies.;This research focused on the personal accounts of each participant and how each of them interpreted their disabilities. The participants' narratives illustrated the multiple ways they both conformed to and chose not to conform to the expectations that Indian society places on them. The young adults showed considerable agency in negotiating with their competing and complementary medical and charity discourses. Data were collected through multiple participant-centered methods to maximize participant engagement. The methods included in-depth interviews, life mapping, artifact discoveries, audio diaries, reflexive photography, and critiques of popular culture. Data from these multiple sources were used to construct fragmented word portraits and narratives.;Findings indicate that the participants were not included but mainstreamed in their educational placement. However, participants believed that they were socially included because they were an integral part of different communities (i.e., family, neighborhood, and classroom). The sociocultural value of interdependence, where community members are responsible for looking after each other, was an important factor for the participants to feel included both in classrooms and at home. This cultural value has helped family members and classmates develop an indigenous support system that also creates a space for inclusion.;The participants reflected on their educational experiences as disabled persons as well as on the development of their disabled identities, within the context of everyday life, constraints of public policies, and social attitudes. The findings have implications for efforts to augment inclusion of disabled students in India as well as other "developing" countries. |
