Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus)
This study investigates disability representation in 23 Turkish EFL textbooks and examines the perspectives of two textbook writers on incorporating disability-related materials. The findings reveal that whilst the inclusion of disability in both visuals and texts is a positive step towards social acceptance, the representation predominantly features physical disabilities, with a limited focus on sensory and neurodevelopmental disabilities. This imbalance may restrict students’ understanding of the diversity of disability types. Positive contexts, such as sports and hobbies, were found to promote social acceptance, whereas negative contexts, like medical treatments, might hinder inclusive attitudes. The textbook writers expressed positive attitudes towards incorporating disability-related content but also highlighted the challenges they faced. It is discussed that although the Turkish context takes a step towards disability representation in school textbooks, there is still a need for more balanced and inclusive representations to cultivate greater social acceptance.