Abstract
Approximately 15% of all students aged 3-21 receive special education services within their public schools (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES, 2022). For all individuals with disabilities, discrimination based on their disability status, known as ableism, is common and is often experienced through indirect actions rooted in stigma and implicit bias called microaggressions. Ableist microaggressions are correlated with psychological and physical stress, impacting an individual’s health and self-concept (Kattari, 2020; Turner et al., 2021). This study examined the extent students with disabilities experience ableist microaggressions and disability stigma in school. Eight current high school students with disabilities participated in the semi-structured interview consisting of questions developed from the Ableist Microaggression Inventory (AMI-65; Kattari, 2019). In all, 7/8 participants reported experiencing at least one ableist microaggression, with participants reporting experiencing an average of 10.5/32 (32.8%) the ableist microaggressions asked about during the interview. Furthermore, 29/32 (90%) of the questions regarding specific ableist microaggressions yielded an affirmative response from at least one participant. Prevalent themes from interview transcripts included the normalization of disability stigma in schools, ostracization of disabled students, a lack of understanding regarding the needs and abilities of students with disabilities, a greater desire for independence, and lowered self-efficacy, self-esteem, and drive to succeed in school among students with disabilities. These findings suggest a need for educators to develop strategies to identify and respond to ableist microaggressions and other instances of disability stigma in schools.