PERCEPTION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES VIS-A-VIS SOCIAL INCLUSION: AN ACTION RESEARCH APPROACH

Abstract

Disability and the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been a growing concern, especially during the last few decades. Due to the social significance this matter holds, lately researches on the issue of disability and inclusion of persons with disabilities have increased. However, few researches have encompassed the viewpoint of the PWDs, especially in the Indian context. This research is an attempt to understand the perception of PWDs regarding their inclusion and equality in the workplaces and ultimately in the society as a whole. The study is based on an action research model that involves observation and post action taking interview as the data collection method. The findings will reveal the impact of inclusive work environments on the perception of persons with disabilities. The study will make three important contributions to the Disability and Inclusion literature: it will provide a base for formulating inclusive environments at smaller level, it will lay out a map to understand the requirements of PWDs from the society, it will also reflect on the perception of students with disabilities vis-à-vis social inclusion, inviting more researches on the topic.

Index Terms- Students with disability, Persons with Disability, Social Inclusion