From Standing Out to Being Just One of the Gang: Guidelines for Selecting Inclusive Picture Books

This article synthesizes findings from existing research on inclusive literature that portrays characters with disabilities. They present teachers with a meaningful and easy-to-remember acronym (I AM NOT THE DISABILITY) to highlight the key criteria in quality inclusive picture books. The expectation is that teachers will consider these criteria while selecting books for planning lessons and for classroom libraries. While inclusive classrooms are not a universal trend in education across the world, this article explores the value of addressing the social stigma often associated with physical disabilities while developing awareness among educators and other adults about appropriate representation of individuals with disabilities.