The Missing Lens: Exploring the Inclusion of Disability Content in HBSE Syllabi

Disability is a core dimension of human diversity. In social work education, it is important to include disability content within the curriculum. This qualitative study examined the extent, nature, and framing of disability-related content across Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) syllabi. The HBSE content reviewed in this study were from Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited BSW and MSW programs across the United States. This study utilized a structured coding rubric to analyze to what extent disability content was presented in the HBSE course syllabi. The study utilized Critical Disability Theory (CDT) and the CSWE’s 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). The findings from this study revealed eight overarching themes. The findings also indicated a significant misalignment between the EPAS commitment to diversity, equity, and justice, with the inclusion of disability content within HBSE courses. Recommendations for social work education include the integration of disability as a critical dimension of human behavior; embed disability content across HBSE theories and applied frameworks; expand disability justice–oriented readings; and strengthen the explicit application of disability within the competencies. This study contributes to ongoing effort to advance disability-affirming, justice-oriented social work education, and offers a framework for assessment with recommendations for revising HBSE syllabi to better prepare social work practitioners for inclusive, anti-ableist practice.

Keywords: disability, critical disability theory, higher education, human behavior in the social environment, qualitative research, social work