International Journal of Education & the Arts

Citation: Agbeze, R. (2025). Becoming agents of change: Deconstructing dis/ability in an inclusive art classroom. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 26(7). http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea26n7

This paper aims to inspire art educators to become advocates of change by dismantling oppressive structures and discriminatory practices that negatively impact the learning outcomes of students with dis/abilities in school. I reflect on my high school teaching experience in an inclusive art classroom in Ghana, where the curriculum, the human-built environment, and inadequacy in teaching and learning resources created structures of exclusion for students with dis/abilities in the mainstream classroom. Through differentiated instruction and adaptive art teaching strategies, I demonstrate how varied instructional approaches, classroom management, and routines are essential in creating a safe learning environment and equitable learning experiences for students with dis/abilities. I discuss further how art teachers can use assessment strategies to help make informed decisions regarding teaching students with dis/abilities. Art educators need to recognize that students with dis/abilities are entitled to equal opportunities for full participation, respect, value, and academic success in the classroom.