Educating Children with Special Needs Advocacy, Social Mobilization and Innovation for Inclusive Primary Education A.H.M. Noman Khan Executive Director Centre for Disability in Development (CDD)

Inclusive education: The Definition: Inclusive education means that all students in a school, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses in any area, become part of the school community. They are included in the feeling of belonging among other students, teachers, and support staff.

Inclusive Education: as a developmental approach Inclusive education is a developmental approach seeking to address the learning needs of all children, youth and adults with a specific focus on those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion.

Inclusive Education: The principle Inclusion involves all kinds of practices that are ultimately practices of good teaching. What good teachers do is to think thoughtfully about children and develop ways to reach all children.

Communication for Development (C4D) Definition : Communication for development stresses the need to support two-way communication systems that enable dialogue and that allow communities to speak out, express their aspirations and concerns and participate in the decisions that relate to their development. Ref: In 1997, through Article 6 of General Assembly Resolution 51/172, the United Nations adopted the formal definition of Communication for Development.

C4D framework C4D framework uses a multilevel analysis of social and behavioral obstacles for quality education grounded in the analytical premises of the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM). This analytical framework distinguishes four levels: 1.Individual / family 2.Community 3.Institutional 4.Policy / System

Educating children with disabilities in the context of Bangladesh A Conceptual Framework

A Strategic Structure for Multilevel Involvement in Education National LevelSecondary LevelPrimary Level Ministry, Directorates, Departments & National Committees Local Administration, Facilitating NGOs, DPOs Teachers, Parents, SMC, Community, Learners, Self Help Groups Policy formulation and executionCreation of scopes and facilitiesFacilitate execution Review and analysis of existing policies Adaptation of local policiesSensitization and awareness raising Policy Formulation & Adaptation Development of national execution plan Adaptation in national budgets Adaptation of training packages Human resource development Creation of accessibility and other required facilities Technical resource integration at local level Sensitization and awareness raising Monitoring and Evaluation Information exchange at various level Inclusion of learners Counseling and motivation Ensuring teaching and mobility aids Resource linkages for technical assistance Monitoring and Evaluation Inclusion

Creating access to Primary Education of children with disabilities An Example of Practice in Bangladesh: Implemented by Centre for Disability in Development (CDD)

Strategies and Actions… Advocacy: Policy review and influence for information National and sub-national dialogue Day observations and demonstrations Publication and exhibition Review of teachers training and education curriculum Networking with national and sub-national stakeholders

Strategies and Actions… Social Mobilization: Awareness raising & sensitization at all level including media Formation and strengthening of pressure groups Involvement of parents into decision making process Radio and TV spot Case studies Promoting greater participation of persons with disabilities Learning sharing through exchange program

Strategies and Actions… Support Services: Screening and assessment Building capacity of partner organizations and self-help groups Teaching and learning aids e.g. sign language, Braille books, BEKAS box etc. Rehabilitation services for the children with disabilities Building accessible infrastructure Assistive devices Linkages with safety nets and livelihood programs

Strategies and Actions… Few Innovations: Development of Basic Education Kit to Access in School (BEKAS) Development of Bangla Braille soft ware e.g. Braille to text and text to Braille Pilot program on non-formal inclusive school e.g. Promotion of Disability Inclusive Education Program (PRODIEP) School Pilot program on Anandashala School for autistic children in a public university for sensitizing university teachers and students Formation of Local Ambassador (LAM) groups and Disability Friends Club (DFC) in public university Capacity building of production of Braille slates, tailor frames, sign language and sign language manuals and booklets

Some notable Achievements… ( ) Facilitates Mainstreaming Education in 500 schools with over 3000 learners with different disabilities Children with disabilities identified with disability and learning assessment Children with disabilities are enjoying mainstream primary education with teachers and peer learners Drop out rates of learners with disabilities are negligible (6% only) Trained teachers available with confidence to address learners with different disabilities

Some notable Achievements… ( ) Greater awareness about education rights of children with disabilities Functional ability of Children with disabilities increased Parents are in SMC Active pressure groups: self-help groups, Disability Friends Club, Local Ambassador Groups and civil society organizations Linkages with existing resources and opportunities Recognition of PNGOs

Challenges.. Inadequate no of trained teachers Teacher – student ratio Drop-out and transfer of trained teachers Migration of learners with disabilities Distance and access road condition Protection of girls with disabilities Addressing individual disability specific needs Attaining government support Dealing with poverty issues Education in disaster situation

The way forward.. Effective linkage with pre-primary-primary-secondary schools and higher education Greater advocacy at Government sector for policy implementation Inclusion of disability issues in Government Teachers Training process Practice teaching opportunities Training of required no of teachers

The way forward.. Greater emphasis on needs of girls with disabilities…gender perspective Involvement of DPOs and Self-help groups Accessibility to and within education institutes Focus more on quality of education Education and Health-Nutrition-WAT_SAN-Recreation

Some Pictures……….

Children with disabilities & other School children are participating in rally in community on their right to education A low vision child is playing with other non- disabled child in school.

A low vision child is reading with the help of trained teacher. Teachers and members of school management authorities are engaged in a group work in an advocacy workshop

School children are preparing to start a rally on primary eye care in community Social communication meeting on identifying eye diseases in a village with housewives

PRODIEP school, when it was started….with it’s learners PRODIEP school, After two years….with adapted environment for the children with disabilities

School children are participating in art competition on “My friend with Disability” A total blind girl is attending a inclusive school & reading with the help of trained teacher

A physically challenged child is using ramp to go to classroom. His friends are helping him. Trained rehabilitation worker is sensitizing the school children on Inclusive education by using flashcards.

Teachers are involve in a group work in training session on Inclusive education Blackboard has been adapted as per the height of the low vision child.

A low vision child is writing on board Trained teacher is helping two low vision child while other non-disabled children are writing their class work

A low vision child is reading with magnifying glass with the help of trained teacher A low vision girl is playing with her friends is school.

Trained teacher is helping a physically challenged boy & the trained supervisor (total blind) is helping a total blind learner in classroom activities. School children are participating in essay competition on “My friend with disability”

A visually impaired girl is going to school with her friend in school. Trained teacher is helping a speech and hearing impaired child in class.

An intellectually disabled child is sitting in front of the class with other non-disabled children and drawing with the help of trained teacher A girl with cleft lip is busy in class.

Adapted toilet in a primary school in community A hearing impaired girl is indicating map of Bangladesh to trained teacher in a secondary high school.

All children are playing… hard to identify the disabled child!! Children with disabilities are performing in a cultural program

Thanks Lets work together to build a barrier free and inclusive society for all

School for all!!!

Thanks..