Abstract
This chapter investigates the language of memoirs reflecting the experience of living with a disability. I examine Couser’s attempts to classify and interpret a range of such disability life writing. The chapter looks at the influence of student views and the importance of consultation. Regarding the voice of special students, I consider issues around communication and examine the views of students who have attended special schools.
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Key texts
Couser, G. T. (2009) Signifying Bodies: Disability in Contemporary Live Writing Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press.
Looking at disability life writing, the book includes chapters on conjoined Schappell twins (chapter 4) and on the ‘silent’ Gibbons twins (chapter 5), as well as the discussions of categories of disability writing that I have considered.
Couser, G. T. ([2005]/2010) ‘Disability, Life Narrative, and Representation’ in Davis, L. J. (Ed.) (2010) (3rd Edition) The Disability Studies Reader New York and London, Routledge (Originally published as ‘Disability, life narrative, and representation’ in PMLA 2005, 602–606).
(PMLA is the journal of the Modern Language Association).
This article perceptively traces the development of disability life writing.
Farrell, M. (2006) Celebrating the Special School London, David Fulton.
Drawing on government reports, information from schools and local authorities, and the views of students and parents, this volume presents the testimony of students, parents, and others about their experience of special schools.
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© 2014 Michael Farrell
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Farrell, M. (2014). Disability Memoirs and Student Voice. In: Investigating the Language of Special Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137434715_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137434715_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-49304-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-43471-5
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