Defining Disability in Policy and in Practice in México

In the interest of providing inclusive education for students with disabilities within higher education and vocational formation, it is imperative that we examine how disability is understood by the actors involved. This research examines the definition of disability as it moves from an inclusive policy in México into practice at the macro, meso, and micro levels of implementation. Two key policy documents, one from the United Nations and one from México, were examined for how they define disability. Interviews, in which participants were asked to define disability, were conducted with government workers in key entities, program directors, and students with disabilities. The definitions from both documents and the interviews were categorized by specific constructs used in disability research including the social model, the medical model, the adaptability approach, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. A salient finding is that the construct of disability used within policies does not permeate to the actors involved in practice. To develop a clear understanding of this construct and in the interest of cohesion across implementation, a conversation between all actors would be beneficial.