inundated with a variety of multi-dimensional historical and fictional figures to
whom they can relate on several different levels. Ultimately, educational texts help
learners develop positive self-identities, make deeper connections with concepts,
and acquire empathy because books act as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass
doors (Bishop, 1990; Sykes, 1988). As mirrors, books reflect dimensions of the
reader's personal identity. As windows, books expose the reader to a wider view of
the world, and as doors, books allow the reader to live vicariously. Hence, it is
imperative that teachers use children's literature that contains a diverse collection
of characters as culturally responsive teaching promotes equity, empathy,
personnel connections, perspective, problem-solving and fosters a shared critical
consciousness (Mathis, 1999; McDonald, n.d.; Ouimet, 2011; Strobbe, 2021).
When discussing culturally responsive practice, most of the emphasis is
placed on racial and ethnic diversity. In recent years, gender identity and sexual
orientation have gained traction. Regrettably, disability often remains an
overlooked and undervalued diversity factor beyond the scope of differentiated
instruction and co-teaching strategies. While these practices are critically important
to the success of learners with disabilities in the general education classroom,
students with disabilities still report feeling marginalized and ostracized by their
peers without disabilities. Moreover, those outside of the disability community
never gain a full appreciation of the collective values, norms, capabilities, beliefs,
