Affiliation:
1. Western University, Canada
Abstract
This chapter explores the critical role of transformative leadership in inclusive education to challenge assumptions and biases within the Canadian education system. With over 4.9 million students in primary and secondary education, the need for decolonized inclusion mindsets is emphasized. School principals and teachers are called upon to address persistent systemic barriers and implicit biases by deconstructing socially constructed binaries and prioritizing intersectionality. The medical model of dis/ability is critiqued, advocating for a shift towards a social model that recognizes diverse abilities. The prevalence of ableism in education is highlighted, urging a reconceptualization of the system through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding students' multifaceted identities through intersectionality theory and embracing critical dis/ability theory to deconstruct societal constructs.