Teachers with disabilities in mainstream schools: embodying and enacting inclusive education

This article extends the debates around inclusive education of children with disabilities to a deeper engagement of how the education system can benefit from a diverse education workforce. The article begins with a critical review of the global literature (published in English) on the roles, opportunities and challenges that teachers' with disabilities deal with in mainstream settings. Acknowledging the very limited insights available from Southern contexts, it then engages with primary data collected across 10 teachers with disabilities working in four different Southern contexts. The aim is to engage with the contextual realities and shared experiences among teachers. The article concludes by highlighting the central role that teachers with disabilities play in facilitating inclusion; but noting that there is a need for a more systemic approach in supporting their integration into the education workforce.