'Inclusive and equitable quality education' for children with disabilities: a call for action

Disability, education, and international development: a critique This presentation discusses the effectiveness of the work of the international development community (IDC) in promoting educational opportunities of good... [ view full abstract ]

Disability, education, and international development: a critique

This presentation discusses the effectiveness of the work of the international development community (IDC) in promoting educational opportunities of good quality for children with disabilities in middle and low income countries. It identifies the various factors constraining and enabling the work of IDC in this field – factors which are both ‘external’, i.e. related to the often challenging contexts of implementation in ‘developing’ countries, and 'internal’, i.e. related to the systems, structures and discourses of international development. In particular, the presentation critiques prevalent assumptions within IDC about the educational requirements of children with disabilities, the best ways education systems in the ‘developing world’ can meet these requirements, and the best ways in which IDC can facilitate this provision. In the light of this analysis, the presentation identifies approaches which would enable IDC to work more effectively in this field – approaches which would require IDC to change the ways in which it both interprets and engages with complex educational realities. It also assesses the likelihood of IDC adopting these new ways of ‘thinking’ and ‘acting’, particularly in the light of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The presentation is based on a critical review of over 100 studies of disability, development, and education. It also draws upon the author’s extensive experience working for international non-governmental organisations at field and international levels.

How effective are inclusive education initiatives for children with disabilities? Examples from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone This paper examines the role that international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) are... [ view full abstract ]

How effective are inclusive education initiatives for children with disabilities? Examples from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone

This paper examines the role that international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) are playing in supporting and providing inclusive education for children with disabilities in low income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using examples from applied research in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone, it discusses the disparities between the external, donor-driven environment and the national (internal) milieu. In each of the three countries, there are gaps between policy and practice: some of these gaps can be attributed to a lack of coherent, linked processes (for example between national education and teacher training policies); (inevitable) resource gaps; as well as a disconnect between the implementing partners (mostly INGOs) and ministries around the scale, scope and sustainability of education projects. These gaps are exacerbated by the lack of (nuanced) measures of inclusion, equity and quality (in addition to learning outcomes). Poverty, gender, and disability are all identified as mechanisms of exclusion and inequity in international declarations and policies (e.g. Education for All), but little is known about the interactions that promote and perpetuate exclusion, or how teachers, families, communities, as well as broader education policies and practices, contribute to reproducing or transforming inequities. This paper will present evidence from knowledge, attitude and practice surveys of teachers, Head Teachers and caregivers in the three countries, and provide some suggestions on ways in which measures of equity, equality and inclusion could be improved.

What do we know about what works in educating D/deaf children in middle and low income countries and what are the implications for the international development community in the promotion of ‘inclusive and equitable quality... [ view full abstract ]

What do we know about what works in educating D/deaf children in middle and low income countries and what are the implications for the international development community in the promotion of ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’?

This presentation will outline the extent to which current education practice being promoted amongst the international development community (IDC) is based on robust evidence around what produces the best educational outcomes for D/deaf children. D/deaf children present particular challenges for schools and teachers in resource-poor contexts, especially where the trend is towards the inclusion/mainstreaming of children with disabilities. The presentation will summarise some of the key evidence from high income countries where the debate around inclusion versus special education has been running for some time, and demonstrate that although a good deal of research exists around what works for D/deaf children, very little of this debate is happening in middle and low income countries. The applicability of different approaches to D/deaf education in resource-poor contexts will be highlighted and the extent to which IDC is prepared and able to adapt its practices to accommodate the educational needs of D/deaf children. The gaps in the evidence base will be discussed and ideas presented on what needs to be done to ensure that the proposed Sustainable Development Goal on ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’ meets the needs of D/deaf and disabled children. This presentation is based on preliminary findings from my own PhD research alongside 20 years’ experience in the international development sector.

Despite the pursuit of Education for All by national governments, civil society, and the international development community (IDC), the evidence shows large numbers of children in middle and low income countries are either... [ view full abstract ]

Despite the pursuit of Education for All by national governments, civil society, and the international development community (IDC), the evidence shows large numbers of children in middle and low income countries are either excluded from education systems or marginalised within those systems. This symposium provides a meta-analysis of issues related to disability, development and education, as well as densely-textured analyses of the educational situations in specific countries and the challenges faced by specific cadres of learners and teachers. Collectively, the presentations challenge many ‘taken for granted’ assumptions about the education of children with disabilities in ‘developing countries’, including assumptions about: the forms that education provision should take (particularly in terms of pedagogy and curriculum), the roles and responsibilities of local actors and agencies, and the ways in which governments – in collaboration with the non-government sector – can facilitate education provision, both through creating a supportive policy environment and establishing and strengthening education support-systems and infrastructure. The presentations also identify ways in which IDC – intervening at different levels of education systems – can promote sustainable educational provision of good quality for children with disabilities, and discusses the implications for IDC of adopting these contextually-sensitive and person-centred ways of working.