Drama, Disability and Education: A critical exploration for students and practitioners

This insightful and accessible text analyses and explores disability though the study of drama and plays. Investigating how disabilities and learning difficulties have been represented on stage in the past, Andy Kempe discusses here what may be learnt about disability through a variety of different critical approaches. In addition to the theoretical analysis of disability in dramatic literature, this book includes two previously unpublished playscripts, both of which have been performed by secondary school aged students and focus on issues of disability and its effects on others. The contextual notes and practical suggestions which accompany these plays and projects provide insights into how drama can contribute to disability education in the mainstream school and give a voice to students who have special educational needs themselves. Other features of this wide-ranging book include: An annotated chronology that looks at a whole history of plays that have featured disabled characters An analysis of how disability is used as a dramatic metaphor A consideration of the ethics of dramatising a disabled character Discussion points and questions for students#xE2;#xAC;" reflection. This book will be of great interest to drama students, teachers, researchers and pedagogues who work with disabled people or are concerned with raising awareness and understanding of disability.