Plain Langauge Abstracts Vol 20 i 2
Vol. 20 Issue 2 (2025): Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal
Editorial
Volume 20 Issue 2
Instead of a regular editorial, this issue lists national and international programs that support people with disabilities. Many of these programs are currently at risk of losing funding or being shut down.
Research Articles and Essays
On the Margins: Examining Violent Experiences of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Uganda
Rosemary Nakijoba and Francis Biryaho
This article looks at the violence faced by women and girls with disabilities in Mayuge District, Uganda. Using interviews and a social model of disability, it highlights serious issues such as sexual abuse, economic exploitation, discrimination, and low self-esteem. Many survivors are poor and lack power, making them more vulnerable. The study calls for a rights-based approach where communities protect these women and girls and respect their rights. It also stresses the need to include them in decisions that affect their lives, in line with the principle: “Nothing About Us Without Us.”
Portrayals of Disabilities in Picturebooks with the Schneider Family Award
Sohyun Meacham
This study looked at how disabilities are shown in picturebooks that won the Schneider Family Award, which honors children’s books with strong disability representation. Researchers examined 17 books for young children published from 2004 to 2020, analyzing how characters are portrayed in terms of disability, race, gender, age, class, and language. The study used a quality rating tool and found that the books mostly showed realistic and respectful portrayals of characters with disabilities. The findings offer helpful insights for teachers, writers, illustrators, and book award committees who want to improve how disability is represented in children’s literature.
Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) struggle to integrate into their communities after postsecondary transition despite decades of policy and research initiatives, and few studies explore adult role participation outside the home from their perspectives. This study employed narrative inquiry grounded in critical disability theory to enable young adults with IDD to conceptualize community integration in their own words.
Wheelchair Users' Living Experiences and Their Perspectives of Accessibility to Public Services in Jordan
Mohammad A. Mulazadeh and Talal S. Alharbi
This study looks at the experiences of wheelchair users in Jordan and how they continue to face exclusion from public spaces, even though disability laws were introduced in 1983. Using interviews and observations, the researchers found that people with disabilities still encounter barriers that limit their participation in society. The study highlights five main issues: isolation, frustration, discrimination, negative social attitudes, and gender bias. It concludes that social and structural barriers continue to block full inclusion.
Divesting from the “Fake Service Dog” Narrative in Service of a Future that Centers Care
Amy D. Robertson
Service dog handlers face negative public judgments due to misconceptions about "fake" service dogs. This autoethnographic reflection explores how discourses about "fake service dogs" reinforce ableism, capitalism, and exclusion. It argues for shifting from policing and idealized expectations of service dogs toward a future centering care, mutual responsibility, and inclusivity for service animals and their handlers in shared public spaces.
They Deserve More: Social Justice and the Disability Support Workforce Crisis
James Gould
Internationally, a shortage of support workers caused by low pay is threatening the quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities. In Illinois in the United States, advocates formed the They Deserve More coalition to raise wages. This paper uses insights from moral and political philosophy to analyze its motto—who is the they, what does it mean to deserve, and what is the more.
Book Review
Disability Rights and Justice: An International and Collective Issue – Review of Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
Luanjiao Hu
This book review discusses Being Heumann, Judy Heumann's memoir highlighting her lifelong advocacy for disability rights. It details her personal struggles and successes, reflecting broader societal issues of ableism. The reviewer emphasizes the memoir's significance for understanding disability activism, noting its global relevance and inspirational value for international disability advocates.
Film Review
A Troubling Place: Disability and A Quiet Place: Day One (2025), A Review
Raphael Raphael
This review of the latest edition of the popular franchise praises the film for its compelling performances and narrative while bringing attention to its troubling ableist fantasy of a future without disabled people.
Dissertations and Abstracts
Dissertations & Abstracts v20i2
Sandra S. Oshiro
The provides a listing of select recent citations of dissertations and theses relevant to disability studies.
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1 Some plain language abstracts produced with assistance from ChatGPT.