Disability Representation in Kurikulum Merdeka English Textbooks: A Critical Content Analysis

Handiyani Silviana Putri, Sri Wuli Fitriati Fitriati, Yuliati Yuliati

Abstract


The representation of disability in educational materials, particularly textbooks, is an important yet often overlooked aspect of inclusive education. Although Indonesia’s Merdeka Curriculum promotes diversity, the portrayal of individuals with disabilities in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks remains underexplored. This study examines the visibility and social roles of characters with disabilities, focusing on whether they are portrayed as “agents” or “victims” based on the Social Model of Disability. Using Critical Content Analysis, this study analyzed three high school English textbooks (Grades 10–12). The findings indicate that disability is indeed depicted, but inconsistently, with more frequent appearances in Grade 10. All identified characters are portrayed as active, independent, and socially integrated individuals, categorized as “agents.”


Keywords


Disability Representation; English Textbooks; Kurikulum Merdeka; Inclusive Education; Social Model of Disability

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i3.2354

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