The Social Geographies of Access and Inclusivity for Adults with Learning Disabilities in Indigenous Cultural Contexts

Rather than remaining confined to the educational experiences of childhood, learning disabilities (LDs) which impact one’s ability to perceive, interpret, and use both verbal and/or non-verbal information, can be carried into adulthood (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, LDAC, 2017; Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario, LDAO, 2015). More precisely, rather than remaining stagnant, the way that LDs present themselves can change in response to situational demands (LDAC, 2017). The notion that LDs shift across multiple social situations brings the intersectionality of social architecture and LDs into sharp focus. Social architecture represents the design of a community’s social spaces and can be either an intentional or organic process (Kitchin, 2003; Lefebvre, 1991). If representations of ‘accessible space’, ‘inclusive space’, and ‘disability space’ are considered through the lens of social architecture, pertinent research questions are illuminated (Kitchin, 2003; Lefebvre, 1991). Specifically, the current project aims to explore how social architecture, inclusivity, and adults with LDs converge. Additionally, in an effort to explore how notions of privilege intersect with access and inclusiveness, LDs experiences will be investigated within the context of two Indigenous Nations: the Mi’kmaq and the Inuit. Not only will this approach diversify the existing literature, but it permits the current project to ask:

1. How are learning and LDs as conceptualized within both Mi’kmaq and Inuit communities understood and discussed though the framework of Traditional Knowledge?
2. How does this framing of learning and LDs impact the social architectures and/or social climates that exists across both Mi’kmaq and Inuit communities?
3. Finally, what impact, if any, does the unique social architecture of Mi’kmaq and Inuit communities facilitate the social inclusion and accessibility of adults with LDs?