Andrea,
As a Disability Studies scholar, I incorporate Disability Studies readings in my American Studies classes quite effectively.  Generally, I make sure that I take the time to engage the students with literature that discusses the difference between a medical model and a socio-political model perspective on disability (physical, psychological, or intellectual).  This helps to provide a groundwork for recognizing that much of what "we" perceive about disability is from a medical model perspective and allows for a conversation about how things that seem "natural" to think are really constructed by social norms, not biological limitations.  A good text for a quick-shot on this is Barnes and Mercer's Disability:  Key Concepts.  It's a fairly short book but says a lot in a little space and clearly explains Disability Studies perspectives.
I've found that once a groundwork for discussion is laid out and language is provided to students to articulate their concerns it makes it a lot easier to have a respectful and enlightening conversation.  
It sounds to me like the struggle is pushing students beyond a medical model perspective and you may have to deal with that before trying to discuss the critiques themselves.  I usually give a full week of readings to laying the foundation and then move on the next week to discuss greater issues surrounding Disability.
It would be nice if the program actually taught an entire class on disrupting the medical model perspective, wouldn't it?
Hope this is helpful,
Heidi
________________________________________
From: Feminist Approaches to Bioethics [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask] [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 11:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: teaching controversial issues in health care ethics

Hi all--I teach classes in health care ethics to students majoring in health science and had some very difficult students this term when we hit the topics of mental health ethics and disability ethics.  It was so difficult for some students to be open to disability and mental health activist critiques (and also to remain respectful toward me the instructor).  I do think thought these topics are important to cover, as the fact that they are so controversial indicates.  Does any one have some ideas about strategies to use when covering these topics with health science students?   Thanks, Andrea Nicki, SFU