Description
ABSTRACT:Rationale: Practice-based learning is an essential component within occupational therapy education. However, disabled students often face many challenges and barriers within practice-based learning such as the stigma and complexity surrounding disclosure. Under recognised needs, coupled with placement pressures, can lead to considerable distress. The authors propose that positive disclosure challenges the narrative of disability being a barrier and focuses on the strengths and attributes students can bring to placement.
Objectives:
To critically explore students' narratives on when and how disclosure occurs during placements.
Showcase the benefits of placement specific learning support plans for disabled students.
To examine the role of positive disclosure in creating safe and supportive learning environments, highlighting the shared responsibility in fostering equitable practice-based learning experiences.
Approach: Positive disclosure was embedded within curriculum design through teaching sessions, highlighting to students the benefits of disclosure while acknowledging the barriers they may face and the personal complex nature of disclosure. Students were encouraged to create their own placement specific learning support plans. Additionally, educator training incorporated positive disclosure strategies to reinforce a supportive culture.
Practice Implications: Positive disclosure empowers students to advocate for necessary support enabling them to thrive on placement! Positive disclosure challenges ableist narratives of disability and bias, supporting workforce development by creating an inclusive profession.
Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: By fostering positive disclosure, placement-specific learning support plans can be developed, contributing to student success. Concurrently supportive placement environments need to create a culture that supports students to feel safe to disclose. It is essential that all students are provided with inclusive learning experiences to ensure that the future occupational therapy workforce reflects the diverse population.
| Period | 10 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|
| Event title | World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress |
| Event type | Conference |
| Organiser | World Federation of Occupational Therapists |
| Location | Bangkok , ThailandShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |