The Representation of Disability in EFL Textbooks for Junior High School Students in Indonesia

From an inclusion standpoint, disability remains inadequately represented in EFL textbooks. This imbalance in representation can contribute to students forming negative perceptions and misconceptions about disability equality, undermining the principle that education should be accessible to all learners, regardless of ability. While prior research on language textbooks has primarily focused on gender equality, discussions on disability have been relatively scarce. Building on the framework of critical discourse analysis, this study explores both visual and textual representations of disability in EFL textbooks used in Indonesian junior high schools. Although the textbooks – whether published by the government or commercial publishers – contain limited disability-related content and images, the analysis reveals a mix of perspectives. Some representations challenge and deconstruct common biases about disability, while others begin to reflect more constructive and inclusive views.