The Disability Closet: Teachers with Learning Disabilities Evaluate the Risks and Benefits of “Coming Out”

This study investigates the factors that influence whether teachers with learning disabilities (LD) choose to disclose their disability status within public school settings. Four special education teachers who self-identify as having LD identify and clarify the complex, ongoing issues that “disability disclosure” raises in educational environments. Through narrative, these teachers describe their self-negotiated decisions about why, how, when, and to whom to disclose. Using the metaphor of “the closet,” we make connections between the experiences of people labeled as having learning disabilities and the experiences of people who are gay—exploring their similar positioning in the mainstream as individuals who evaluate the risks and benefits of “coming out.” Drawing upon the emic perspective of teachers with LD, implications for public schools and teacher education programs are discussed.