Regional Consultation: July 25-27, 2016

CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Education and Training Policy and Strategy

Access, Equity and Participation in Access, Equity and Participation in Special Needs EducationSpecial Needs Education

Outline: •Definitions•What is Special Needs Education•International and Regional Imperatives•Forms of Provision•Aims of Special Education•Focus on Inclusion•Partnerships

Definitions ……ACCESS: Access typically refers to the ways in which educational institutions and policies ensure/seek to ensure that students have equal and equitable opportunities to take full advantage of their education. Providing services or removing any barriers that might prevent some students from equitable participation in certain courses or academic programs. Factors such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, perceived intellectual ability, past academic performance, special-education status, English-language ability, and family income or educational-attainment levels—in addition to factors such as relative community affluence, geographical location, or school facilities—may contribute to certain students having less “access” to educational opportunities than other students.

Definitions….EQUITY: In education, the term equity refers to the principle of fairness. While it is often used interchangeably with the related principle of equality, equity encompasses a wide variety of educational models, programs, and strategies that may be considered fair, but not necessarily equal. Inequities occur when biased or unfair policies, programs, practices, or situations contribute to a lack of equality in educational performance, results, and outcomes.

Definitions….Participation: (can be multidimensional)•Is it providing access? •Is it ensuring children have a say?•Is it ensuring children have the requisite instructional materials to aid learning? Children take up the opportunity of learning and to be successful in their endeavours. Student support systems are in place to facilitate retention, progression, and successful completion of learning programmes.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDSwhat is it?

a restriction in the capacity of the person to participate in and benefit from education on account of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or learning disability or any other condition which results in a person learning differently from a person without that conditionA student who has a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature, has a learning disability or has special gifts or talents

Conventions and AgreementsUnited Nations International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)a)Persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education, or from secondary education on the basis of disability;b)Persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality, free primary education and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live;c)Reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements is provided;d)Persons with disabilities receive the support required, within the general education system,to facilitate their effective education;e)Effective individualised support measures are provided in environments that maximise academic and social development, consistent with the goal of full inclusion.(United Nations, 2006)

UNICEF 2013 report: Child-centred, gender-sensitive and inclusive education plans and policies

Regional Attention

Explicit Implied No Mention

AnguillaBarbadosGrenadaMontserrat St. Kitts and NevisSt. Lucia St. Vincent Trinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos

Special Vs/& Inclusive Education

A policy on special education provision. What does it mean?•A right to education•Rights in Education

Do different forms of provision guarantee equity? •Special Education Centres and Schools•Inclusion/Integration/Mainstreaming

Is it Special Education Vs Inclusion?

Special Vs/& Inclusive Education

Inclusion ….Pros:•A reduced fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and awareness •Growth in social cognition •Improvement in self-concept of non-disabled students •Development of personal principles and ability to assume an advocacy role toward their peers and friends with disabilities•Warm and caring friendships

Cons:•Specialized teachers have the time and expertise to instruct students using best practices.•Students in separate classrooms can develop a positive identity in relation to their learning or neurological difference, and thus can reap academic and social benefits from separate classrooms

Special Vs/&/or Inclusive Education

a continuum of provision …..

Special Ed. centres

Inclusion Home/Hospital Care and Instruction

Aims of Special Education

• enabling the student to live a full life and to realise his or her full potential

• enabling the student to function as independently as possible in society

• enabling the student to continue learning in adult life

These Aims are no different for the child in the general education programme and lend support the view that all students, if provided with suitable learning experiences and adequate levels of assistance are capable of development and learning. Mindful of the fact that all students are entitled to a high-quality education in a conducive an environment as possible

Special Education Instruction

A. Historically, educational individual differences between learners were thought to be associated with specific types of learning difficulties or impairments (leaner deficiency)

B. In recent years, researchers have focused on the act learning itself – that is to uncover the strategies that support students in accessing the curriculum, rather than aiming to remediate underlying cognitive deficits

• strategies that are associated with theories of teaching and learning

This new paradigm puts the spotlight on the teacher. A lack of teacher knowledge (training) is a key barrier to inclusion

Inclusive Education is an attitudeInclusive Education is an attitude

It means the doors to schools, classrooms and school activities are open to every child and they are afforded every opportunity to be included with their non-disabled peers.

The focus is on giving every child the help s/he needs to learn.

Students can’t learn general curriculum unless they are in the room where it is being taught.

Inclusive education is NOT:Dumping kids with disabilities into general

classrooms without the support and services they need to be successful.

Cutting back special education services as a “trade off” for being in the general education classroom.

Sacrificing the education of kids without disabilities so kids with disabilities can be included.

Special services and accommodations

• National/Regional Policy• Retrofitting of physical spaces• Specialised transportation• assistive technology• scheme of reasonable accommodations in

national examinations certificate examinations• Disability/exceptionality awareness• Each student has an IEP

Partnership in special education: Roles and functions

Relations within the school community and stakeholders are a significant factor in the successful inclusion of students with special educational needs in the school.

Key Stakeholders/Partners:•Parents•School Boards•Community-Based Organisations•Specialized Groups such as Councils for Disabled persons •Development Partners

BARBADOS EXPERIENCE:

Study Tour October 19-23, 2015. Infrastructure (fit for purpose); Vocational training (job related); Teacher Training (autism management, Behaviour management); Private Sector Partnerships; Parental involvement

THANK YOU19