About The TESOL Supporting Students with Disabilities Interest Section (SSDIS)

The Supporting Students with Disabilities Interest Section (SSDIS) advocates for equitable, inclusive English language education for dis/abled learners in all contexts. We recognize disability through the lens of the social model—as shaped by systemic barriers, not individual deficits—and we promote asset-based approaches to supporting neurodivergent students, learners with physical and sensory differences, and those with cognitive and learning disabilities.

Our work centers the intersectional experiences of multilingual learners across K–12, adult, and higher education, and acknowledges how disability and language status are understood and supported differently across cultural and institutional contexts. SSDIS promotes culturally responsive pedagogy, inclusive policy, and collaborative advocacy to build linguistically accessible and affirming learning environments worldwide.

We welcome educators working in ESL, EFL, and bilingual settings, and adjacent fields—including those already engaged in this work and those seeking to better understand it—who are interested in removing barriers and expanding accessibility and inclusion for dis/abled learners.