It is with deep sadness that we reflect on the passing of Micheline Mason, a towering figure in the Disability rights movement and a champion for inclusive education. Micheline founded the Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) and dedicated herself to ensuring Disabled children could access mainstream education and to dismantling the systems of segregation that hindered their potential.
Born in 1950 with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Micheline experienced first-hand the barriers faced by Disabled people within both society and the education system. Her early life, spent largely isolated due to hospital stays and home education, instilled in her a passion for challenging segregation and exclusion. This led her to establish ALLFIE in the early 1990s, where she worked to dismantle the systems that sidelined Disabled students from mainstream schooling.
Her work with ALLFIE has helped to transform the landscape for Disabled students, advocating for the right to inclusive education and challenging the discriminatory practices that separated Disabled children from their non-disabled peers. Beyond education, Micheline was a passionate advocate for the broader rights of Disabled people, speaking out against exclusion in all areas of life and calling for systemic changes that would enable Disabled people to live independently and on their own terms.
Micheline’s influence will continue to inspire the Disability rights movement. There are many touching tributes to Micheline on the ALLFIE website.
