The Media Industry Is Competitive and Cut-Throat: Taking a Subject-Centred Approach to Media Education

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the significant role of media education as part of a broader discussion of the employment of disabled media workers. It reports both a review of the literature and presents original findings of a study of media educators, and draws on the self-representations of disabled media students regarding this topic. Research in this area yields two significant findings. Firstly, that disabled students are discouraged from entering the media workforce due to a lack of resources and disabling attitudes. The second perspective, however, recognises that reasonable accommodations can be made – the research suggests taking a subject-centred approach to learning by acknowledging the necessary skills a student must acquire as an inclusive strategy reflective of the reality of a diverse student population.