Toward Disability-Led Evaluation: A Continuum Framework for Centering Disability in Evaluation Practice

As evaluation practices evolve to better reflect the needs, values, and experiences of diverse stakeholders, it is essential for evaluators to recognize the expertise that comes from lived experience. Historically, marginalized communities such as people with disabilities have often been left out of evaluation processes despite the ethical and practical imperative for their meaningful inclusion. To challenge a paradigm of exclusion in evaluation and encourage evaluators to center the voices of people with disabilities in their work, this paper details the core principles of disability-led evaluation and introduces the Continuum of Disability Engagement in Evaluation .

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Publication Details

Journal
American Journal of Evaluation
Published
2026-04-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/10982140261441180
Primary Topic
Evaluation and Performance Assessment
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Toward Disability-Led Evaluation: A Continuum Framework for Centering Disability in Evaluation Practice

Charles B. Walters, Adrianna M. Shoemaker, Anthony J. Plotner, Rebecca Smith Hill
American Journal of Evaluation
Evaluation and Performance Assessment
article

Toward Disability-Led Evaluation: A Continuum Framework for Centering Disability in Evaluation Practice

Charles B. Walters, Adrianna M. Shoemaker, Anthony J. Plotner, Rebecca Smith Hill
article en

Abstract

As evaluation practices evolve to better reflect the needs, values, and experiences of diverse stakeholders, it is essential for evaluators to recognize the expertise that comes from lived experience. Historically, marginalized communities such as people with disabilities have often been left out of evaluation processes despite the ethical and practical imperative for their meaningful inclusion. To challenge a paradigm of exclusion in evaluation and encourage evaluators to center the voices of people with disabilities in their work, this paper details the core principles of disability-led evaluation and introduces the Continuum of Disability Engagement in Evaluation .

American Journal of Evaluation
Institute for Educational Leadership (US), University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Evaluation and Performance Assessment
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