This special issue addresses a critical need for anti-ableist pedagogy in psychology education.
Statement of the Problem
Despite people with disabilities constituting the largest minority group in the USA (almost 30% of the population), they are significantly underrepresented in higher education, including psychology programs, and content about disability is often limited in psychology curricula.
Literature Review
Contents of this issue emphasize understanding various models of disability, which critically inform how disability is conceptualized and taught. Furthermore, the issue promotes Universal Design in Learning, a proactive approach to creating inclusive environments by removing systemic barriers and focusing on collective access.
Teaching Implications
Amidst a challenging climate of backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, this special issue offers a vital resource, providing faculty with practical tools and insights for developing accessible, anti-ableist courses that foster disability justice.
Conclusion
Throughout this editorial and issue, we address many topics critical to normalizing disability and create a curriculum that is inclusive for all.
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
2.
AndrewsE. E.Forber-PrattA. J.MonaL. R.LundE. M.PilarskiC. R.BalterR. (2019). #Saytheword: A disability culture commentary on the erasure of “disability”. Rehabilitation Psychology, 64(2), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000258
3.
AndrewsE. E.LundE. M. (2015). Disability in psychology training: Where are we?Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 9(3), 210–216. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000085
4.
BonnerC.GhouralalS.-L. (2024). Long COVID and chronic conditions in the U.S. Workforce: Prevalence, productivity loss, and disability. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 66(3), e80–e86. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000003026
5.
BrinkmanA. H.Rea-SandinG.LundE. M.FitzpatrickO. M.GusmanM. S.BonessC. L. (2023). Shifting the discourse on disability: Moving to an inclusive, intersectional focus. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 93(1), 50–62. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000653
6.
Calma-RoddinN. (2024). Recommendations for implementing anti-ableism across the psychology curriculum. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283241274997
7.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, July 29). National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Human Development and Disability. Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) Data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/dhds/index.html
8.
ChatterjiS.BylesJ.CutlerD.SeemanT.VerdesE. (2015). Health, functioning, and disability in older adults—Present status and future implications. The Lancet, 385(9967), 563–575. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61462-8
9.
DunnD. S.AndrewsE. E. (2015). Person-first and identity-first language: Developing psychologists’ cultural competence using disability language. American Psychologist, 70(3), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038636
10.
Fuentes-BalderramaJ.Hussein Al-MamariQ. S.HarwoodC. A. (2025). The ongoing development of Mubsereen: An R package for students with visual impairment or blindness. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283251328039
11.
GoldsteinS. B.SiegelD.SeamanJ. (2010). Limited access: The status of disability in introductory psychology textbooks. Teaching of Psychology, 37(1), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00986280903426290
12.
LidI. M. (2014). Universal design and disability: An interdisciplinary perspective. Disability and Rehabilitation, 36(16), 1344–1349. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2014.931472
13.
LinS.-F.BeckA. N.FinchB. K.HummerR. A.MasterR. K. (2012). Trends in U.S. Older adult disability: Exploring age, period, and cohort effects. American Journal of Public Health, 102(11), 2157–2163. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300602
14.
LundE. M. (2022). We must do better: Trends in disability representation among pre-doctoral internship applicants. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 16(3), 212–219. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000361
15.
LundE. M.TrieberM. A. (2025). Congenital and developmental disabilities. In MeadeM.BechtoldK.WegenerS. (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of rehabilitation psychology (pp. 1019–1045). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197525456.013.0054
O'NeillJ. L. (2021). Accessibility for all abilities: How universal design, universal design for learning, and inclusive design combat inaccessibility and ableism. Journal of Open Access to Law, 9, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.63567/fvqhep78
21.
OwenzM. B.Aydemir-DökeD.SpencerD. B. (2024). Normalizing abnormal psychology: An anti-ableist approach. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283241259744
22.
RaoK.OkM. W.BryantB. R. (2014). A review of research on universal design educational models. Remedial and Special Education, 35(3), 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932513518980
23.
RosaN. M.BogartK. R.BonnettA. K.EstillM. C.ColtonC. E. (2016). Teaching about disability in psychology: An analysis of disability curricula in U.S. Undergraduate psychology programs. Teaching of Psychology, 43(1), 59–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628315620885
24.
RosaN. M.Raftery-HelmerJ. N.FrazierK. E.SullivanC. J.BaraklilisE. (2025). Motivational needs satisfaction and Universal Design for Learning. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283251323607
25.
RudkinG.WarringtonK. L.WilsonE.IleyB.ZiskA. H. (2025). Curricula may not apply: “Abnormal” exceptions speak back to the curriculum. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283251328986
26.
SieversJ.MataR. A.CawthonS. W.VielmaA. G.YanY.LamaD.GeE.RameshG.AldacoS. (2024). “Take a deep breath and re-center the student’s perspective”: Partnering instructors and disabled students for accessible teaching. Teaching of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283241269435
