The list of analysed textbooks.xlsx

This article examines the critical issue of the underrepresentation of persons with disabilities (PWD) in Kazakhstani primary school textbooks, a significant concern amidst ongoing inclusive education reforms. Despite reviewing 155 textbooks encompassing approximately 19,783 photographs of people, only seven images depicted PWD, often in reductive and stereotypical ways that reinforce able-bodied norms. Through 23 interviews with textbook production stakeholders, this research identifies key challenges such as the lack of explicit education standards, societal views, concerns about potential harm outweighing the benefits of inclusion, and the influence of Soviet-era ableism. This study contributes to the growing body of research from a Global South perspective, particularly in postcolonial contexts like Kazakhstan. Findings emphasize the urgent need for significant participation by experts and educators, professional training of textbook stakeholders, and transparency of textbook approval with the greater engagement of the public regarding the underrepresentation of PWD.