Journal of Writing Assessment

This essay provides an introduction to the special issue on alternative writing assessment and disability/neurodivergence. The editors argue that anti-ableist theories of writing assessment are rooted in disciplinary efforts to address prior discrimination in writing assessment and subsequent work seeking to cultivate fairer, student-centered practices in both classroom and institutional spaces. Building on the work of scholars in disability studies and writing assessment, as well as the contributors to this special issue, the editors further contend that the diversity of experiences with disability/neurodivergence means that frameworks for anti-ableist writing assessment must be multivocal and plural, integrating values from disability studies, including the importance of foregrounding disabled experiences and acknowledging varied timeframes and methods for work and writing. The essay provides an overview of the contributors’ essays and concludes with an encouragement to readers to incorporate these articles into their research, teaching, and programmatic activities.