IAA Workshop - BU Disability and IE in U

It’s About Ability Workshop: Jumpstarting Inclusive Education : 

It’s About Ability Workshop: Jumpstarting Inclusive Education An introduction to making it happen Presented at British University of DubaiJune 1, 2009 Victor Pineda, Miriam Rahali, Sandra Willis &AsmaMaladwala

Overview : 

Overview Introduction Lecture: What is Inclusion? The UN Convention Relevance to UAE Breakout Session: Barriers Exercise Conclusion

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The Victor Pineda Foundation “Realizing a World of Potential” We work to build inclusive societies where young people with disabilities can develop their abilities and realize their potential. Strategic Initiatives

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The Victor Pineda Foundation “Realizing a World of Potential” Our innovative and culturally specific educational programs have impacted the lives of young people in Serbia, Venezuela, Thailand, Bosnia, Lebanon, Cuba, Norway, Qatar, UAE, Uganda, USA.

Signatories and Ratifications : 

Signatories and Ratifications

What is inclusion? : 

What is inclusion?

Inclusion is about… : 

Creating inclusive cultures Where everyone is welcome, respected and valued as a contributing member Does your school have an inclusive culture? Establishing inclusive values There are high expectations for all students Do teachers value all students? Establishing inclusive policies Non discrimination and coordinated support for all Does your school support all children? Evolving inclusive practices Practices reflect the inclusive culture of the school Do teachers teach inclusively? Inclusion is about…

UNESCO Guidelines for Inclusion : 

UNESCO Guidelines for Inclusion Rather than being a marginal issue on how some learners can be integrated in mainstream education, inclusive education is an approach that looks into how to transform educationsystems and other learning environments in order to respond to the diversity of learners. It aims towards enabling teachers and learners both to feel comfortable with diversity and to see it as a challenge and enrichment of the learningenvironment, rather than a problem. Inclusion emphasizes providing opportunities for equal participation of persons with disabilities (physical, social and/or emotional) whenever possible into general education, but leaves open the possibility of personal choice and options for special assistance and facilities for those who need it.

Four Key Elements to Inclusion : 

Four Key Elements to Inclusion 1. Inclusion is a Process - a never-ending search to find better ways of responding to diversity; - differences come to be seen more positively as a stimulus for fostering learning, amongst children and adults. UNESCO Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access for Education to All, 2005 2. Inclusion is concerned with the identification and removal of barriers - using evidence to stimulate creativity and problem-solving in order to plan for improvements in policy and practice.

Four Key Elements to Inclusion : 

Four Key Elements to Inclusion 3. Inclusion is about the presence, participation and achievement of all students - where children are educated, and how reliably and punctually they attend; - the quality of their experiences whilst they are there and, active participation of the learners themselves; - the outcomes of learning across the curriculum, not merely test or examination results. 4. Inclusion involves a particular emphasis on those groups of learners who may be at risk of marginalization, exclusion or underachievement - the moral responsibility to ensure that those groups that are statistically most “at risk” are carefully monitored, and that, where necessary, steps are taken to ensure their presence, participation and achievement in the education system.

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Inclusion is costly Implementing inclusion needs societal change in attitudes first Inclusion is a positive theoretical concept, but is not practical Inclusion requires special skills and capacities that are difficult to develop Inclusion is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs Inclusion is a disability-specific issue MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT INCLUSION

What is needed to make inclusion work? : 

What is needed to make inclusion work? Teamwork Collaboration Planning Individualization and assessment-driven instruction The right attitude and a desire to support all children

Why inclusion? And why now? : 

Why inclusion? And why now? Persisting prejudice perpetuated through segregation is an adult problem for which children suffer Peter Newell

UAE LEGISLATION: Federal Law No.29, 2006Rights of People with Disabilities : 

UAE LEGISLATION: Federal Law No.29, 2006Rights of People with Disabilities Article (2) The Purpose of the law is to preserve the rights of pwd & provide all the services according to his/her abilities & potential. The person’s disability must not impede his/her ability to benefit from these rights & services, especially in the areas of social, economic, medical, educational, vocational, cultural, and promotional services. Article (3) The State shall guarantee to ensure equality between a pwd and his/her typically developing counterpart, & to not discriminate due to their disability. The State shall also guarantee to observe this in all the economic and social development policies and programs, and to take all the suitable measures to prevent discrimination based on the disability. Article (9) The Ministry shall…establish the centers, institutions, and institutes specialized in care, training and habilitation of pwd to provide: Habilitation of pwd to enable them to adjust and integrate into society Provision of special education for pwd Provision of vocational training programs for pwd Provision of training for families of pwd.

UAE LEGISLATION: Federal Law No.29, 2006Rights of People with Disabilities : 

SECTION TWO: EDUCATION The State shall - Article (12) … provide for pwd equal educational opportunities in all educational institutions … in regular classes or special classes, where necessary. A disability does not represent an obstacle preventing a person from applying to or joining any government or private educational institution of any kind. Article (13) … provide educational assessment, academic curricula, and teaching assistive devices. … develop alternative strategies for learning, provide a sound environment in addition to methods that enhance communication (Braille, sign language)to ensure participation of pwd. Article (14) … provide the academic specializations to prepare employees working with pwd and their families whether in the areas of early diagnosis and detection or educational social, psychological, medical or vocational training. … ensure the offering of training programs during service for the purpose of equipping employees with the latest experiences and knowledge. UAE LEGISLATION: Federal Law No.29, 2006Rights of People with Disabilities

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Prevalence: United Nations Statistics Division’s international database indicates an average prevalence of disability of 4.1% with a range of prevalence between 0.2% and 33%.

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Disability Prevalence in the Arab Region UN Report  Reported prevalence rates are unreliable and misleading  Source: UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Office, 2006

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 WHO prevalence estimates 10% of the population  Source: UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Office, 2006 Disability Prevalence in the Arab Region UN Report (2006)

March of Dimes – Global Report on Birth Defects (2006) : 

March of Dimes – Global Report on Birth Defects (2006) UAE: ranked 6th 75.9 per 1,000 live births

DEMOGRAPHICS: Demand for services increases as the population grows : 

DEMOGRAPHICS: Demand for services increases as the population grows Dubai Population Growth Data source: Dubai Statistics Center, www.dsc.gov.ae Data source: Dubai Statistics Center, www.dsc.gov.ae

Demo : 

Demo

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Based on 2005 Census: Population of UAE: 4,104,695 Population of Dubai: 1,321,000 UAE Profile: UAE Population under 19 years: 990,609 (24%) School age population (5-19 years): 722,240 (18%) Nationals Profile: Of a total of 824,921 UAE nationals, 421,481 (51%) are less than 19 years old. 314,208 (38%) are school age (5-19 years). International benchmarks for LD prevalence is between 8-12% Given the total UAE school age population (5-19 years) is 722,240, we can estimate 57,779 (8%) to 86,669 (12%) children with LD. In the UAE…

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Education Policy Gaps… The majority of schools in Dubai do not have support services for children with disabilities. Without the appropriate support services, children with disabilities often get dismissed from mainstream schools. The gap in the system should be addressed through the provision of appropriate support services thereby enabling the children with LD to continue their education in mainstream schools. Special Needs Schools do not offer accredited diploma.

Break Out: Barriers Activity : 

Break Out: Barriers Activity Teaching / Program Barriers Administrative Barriers Societal Barriers

The Benefits of an Inclusive Education: Making It Work : 

The Benefits of an Inclusive Education: Making It Work Educational Inclusion facilitates higher proportions, rates, and levels of social, cognitive, and linguistic skills in children with disabilities than segregated settings (Brinker, 1985; Guralnick, 1990). Children in inclusive classrooms: demonstrate increased acceptance and appreciation of diversity; develop better communication and social skills; show greater development in moral and ethical principles; create warm and caring friendships; and demonstrate increased self-esteem. Professionals who have successfully included young children with special needs note that, contrary to some expectations, they needed few adaptations to meet the needs of all children. They report not necessarily needing more staff, money, or expertise, but rather support from peers and specialists, willingness to adapt to new environments, and positive relationships with families.

Contact us for More! : 

Contact us for More! Victor Pineda Foundation www.pinedafoundation.org info@pinedafoundation.org

APPENDIX SLIDES : 

APPENDIX SLIDES

UNESCO Video: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities : 

UNESCO Video: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4KGToBT1yQ&feature=PlayList&p=8D29ABFD50D73C3F&index=0&playnext=1