1. Cognitive testing of the Inclusive Education module
Astana 2017

2. What to measure? UN Conventions and obligations of the Government;
UNICEF and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics developed IE module;
The purpose of the Cognitive Testing of the IE module;
The questions focus on education through a formal mechanism (as opposed to home school or tutoring);
Designed to capture the interaction between the participant and the environment by obtaining parental responses.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, 1989) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2006) focus on the disparities faced by children with disabilities and call for improvements in their access to services such as education, and in their participation in all aspects of life.
Cognitive Testing of the IE module aims:
to develop, test and validate the set of questions on participation and the school environment that can be used by all countries (including high-income countries) in household surveys,
to collect internationally comparable, nationally representative, and statistically sound data to monitor and track progress towards achieving SDG targets,
to fulfil their reporting obligations under the UN Conventions. 2

3. What to measure?
The set of questions was organized into three sections based on participatory domains.
The first domain intended for adults to capture their attitudes towards education for all children, specifically CWD.
The second section is to caregivers of children attending a school to evaluate the school environment.
The final component focuses on out-of-school children to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers to school participation.
The first domain, or set of questions, is intended for the general adult population, with the purpose of capturing attitudes towards education for all children, and specifically for children with disabilities.
The second section is meant to be administered to caregivers of children who are attending school. It includes questions that evaluate the accessibility of the physical space, the curriculum, and other aspects of the school environment such as teachers’ attendance, availability of toilet facilities, and access to social activities.
The final component focuses on out-of-school children and attempts to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers to school participation, including safety, transportation, accessibility of the curriculum, and affordability 3

4. Why to measure?
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities encourages States to collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to enable them to formulate and implement policies to give effect to the Convention (art. 31).
The Sustainable Development Goals build upon the Conventions by laying out goals and targets to be met by all countries by 2030.
Particularly,
Indicator Tier III
Indicator 4.a.1 Tier II
To develop, implement and evaluate policies and programmes that would improve the lives of children with disabilities. 4

5. Challenges? Ways to overcome?
Cognitive testing challenges:
Interviewer profile and recruitment (Nazarbayev University, Master’ students)
Respondent profile and recruitment (mothers, as an exception primary caregiver)
Sample was customised: had to change to rural/urban variable (not primary/secondary levels of education)
Interviews typically take 1 ½ - 2 hours per respondent with additional 2-3 hours for preparation of a written narrative summary in English immediately after interview
General survey challenges: logistics, translation, replacement
Cognitive testing challenges
Interviewer profile and recruitment (Nazarbayev University, Master’ students)
Respondent profile and recruitment (mothers, as an exception primary caregiver)
Sample was customised: had to change to rural/urban variable (not primary/secondary levels of education)
Interviews typically take 1 ½ - 2 hours per respondent
Interviewers must prepare a written narrative summary in English immediately after interview (additional 2-3 hours)
General survey challenges:
Logistical arrangements (we had to travel to rural areas and rehabilitation centres)
Translation of the questionnaire into Russian and Kazakh languages (verified with HQ)
No shows of respondents and their replacement (we had a reserve list) 5

6. Lessons and prospects
Statistics Committee took part in the training and will study results of the testing
Cooperation with the Nazarbayev University with possibility to use students/teachers in the actual survey (as trainers and interviewers)
Questionnaire is already available in Russian and Kazakh
National ownership of the module motivation to include it in household surveys 6

7. Thank you for your attention!