USING ACTION RESEARCH TO DEVELOP COLLABORATION BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND TEACHERS TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Summary of the Workshop: The purpose of this workshop is to report on a collaborative Action Research project which seeks to develop the role of occupational therapy (OT) in inclusive education in Pakistan, and to give the... [ view full abstract ]

Summary of the Workshop:
The purpose of this workshop is to report on a collaborative Action Research project which seeks to develop the role of occupational therapy (OT) in inclusive education in Pakistan, and to give the participants an opportunity to experience hands-on activities from the project.

OT in Pakistan is a small profession that is exploring how to develop a contextually relevant role. The vast majority of children with special needs and disabilities in Pakistan are not attending school at all and there are very few special schools. Very few mainstream schools include children with special needs.

The presenters are researchers on a current collaborative project, involving a Brunel University London, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi and one non-university partner, The AMI School, Karachi. The research team uses Action Research to develop strategies, materials and lesson plans that enable ALL children - with and without special needs - to learn better together, and to improve social inclusion.

Participants will hear about the research methods, tools and outcomes so far. Following this they will be engaged in hands-on activities and discussion to experience the process of Action Research firsthand.

Maximum number of participants:
40 participants.

Brief description of intended participants:
This workshop would be suitable for lecturers, researchers, practitioners, and students who are interested in international collaboration, action research and/or inclusive education.


Financial support by The British Council Knowledge Economy Program is gratefully acknowledged.
Ethical approval by Brunel University and Dow University of Health Sciences has been obtained.