Bringing the past of people with disabilities into the history classroom

Recognising the duty placed on all teachers by the 2010 Equality Act to nurture the development of a society in which equality and human rights are deeply rooted, Helen Snelson and Ruth Lingard were prompted to ask whether their history curricula really reflected the diverse pasts of all people in society. After making a commitment to include more people with disabilities in their regular curriculum (slotting more diverse history into what they were already teaching, rather than bolting it on), they were amazed to discover how much more visible such individuals were once they began to look for them. In this article they not only report on the principles that informed their work and share some of the practical strategies and resources that they developed; they also illustrate how local collaboration can support effective innovation and curriculum development.