ABSTRACT
This chapter explores two case studies that describe how students were able to participate in and design media involving prevalent disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The first case study offers a more traditional approach to involving students in research related to the content and effects of portrayals of ASD. The second case study presents a hybrid approach; students explore media literacy by reflecting on the media in their lives and engage with mass media portrayals. In order to approach media creation ethically, students were asked to learn about and create media for a BI speech community. The chapter encourages scholars and instructors to incorporate disability perspectives into their communication courses. The chapter emphasizes three central messages that are: how to incorporate disability scholarship into research design; how to design experiential interdisciplinary disability learning assignments; and recommendations and best practices for incorporating these assignments into courses.
