Illustrating the experiences of students with learning disabilities in higher education: Comics‐based representation of fieldwork findings

Abstract

Comics‐based /arts‐based research is increasingly employed in anthropology and other social science disciplines. As part of my ongoing doctoral research on the experiences of young adults with learning disabilities in India, I have engaged in researcher‐produced drawings/comics to depict my fieldwork findings. In this paper, I present three single‐panel comics that illustrate experiences of “the invisibility of learning disability,” “ableism in classrooms,” and “negotiating the disability identity.” I then present three corresponding counter‐comics with alternative visualizations to depict inclusive practices in higher education. Through these, I aim to demonstrate the utility of comics in research and their potential in disability advocacy and pedagogy.