Enabling Education 10

Enabling Education
I S S U E 1 0 – A P R I L 2 0 0 6
Special Edition:
Teacher
Education
www.eenet.org.uk
2 ENABLING EDUCATION, IS SUE 10, APRIL 2006
Contents EENET News

EENET news 2 One day in the life of EENET’s Anniversary preparations
website: 2nd March 2006 In 2007, EENET will be 10 years old,
Editorial 3-4 EENET is using new software to and we invite all readers to help us
Talking point 5 analyse its website statistics. Here is celebrate! Inclusive Technology (our
what happened on our site that day: website sponsor) will also celebrate
I did it! Personal experiences its 10th anniversary and will host a
in an inclusive class 6 • 356 people used the website joint event in January 2007, at which
• 47 different countries – 25 were they hope to display a huge world
Including working children Southern countries (53%), map, showing where EENET’s
in education, Yemen 7 accounting for 26% of users readers live.
Redesigning the • five of the top-ten user countries
Soviet education system were Southern: Philippines (4th), We would like you to send us a
in Kyrgyzstan 8-9 Brazil (7th), Mexico (8th), postcard, photograph or drawing
South Africa (9th), India (10th) (by yourself or by children) showing
Training for inclusive • the 356 visitors read 207 different where you live, work or study
education, Papua pages/documents (Deadline: 1 November 2006,
New Guinea 10 • the most popular article was remember to write your name/
‘Early Marriage and Education’ address on the back of the picture.)
Teacher training in Uganda 11 from Newsletter 7. These pictures will be displayed on
Changing the way we the world map. Everyone who
teach, Burkina Faso 12-13 EENET is promoting more sends us a picture will receive a free
awareness about the role that early package of inclusive education
Student perspectives marriage plays in denying girls their documents, sponsored by Inclusive
on what makes a good education rights. We invite readers Technology. If you have any other
teacher, England 14-15 to help us build up a bigger ideas for how to celebrate EENET’s
collection of articles on this issue, 10th birthday around the world,
Self assessment and to satisfy the obvious demand please contact us.
inclusion, The Bahamas 16 from our website readers.
EENET staff
Making the learning
EENET’s website is clearly Since March 2005, Susie Miles
environment more
contributing to our goal of sharing has been the Programme Director
welcoming, Palestine 17
information with Southern countries, of the MEd in Special and Inclusive
Analysing barriers to despite the unequal availability of Education at the University of
education in rural Chile 18-19 the Internet between North and Manchester. She still has an
South. In just one month, people advisory role in EENET, but is no
Inclusive education from 145 countries used the site; 87 longer the Co-ordinator.
networking in The Gambia 20 (60%) were Southern countries.
Ingrid Lewis is now the EENET
Training disabled teachers
Co-ordinator, but is only employed
in Mozambique 21
for two days per week. Our staff
Transforming schools: EENET’s website on CD-ROM capacity is therefore significantly
Using the ‘Index for Inclusion’ If you cannot access the Internet, reduced. We are managing as best
in South Africa 22 then our website is now available we can, but would prefer to employ
on CD-ROM. Inclusive Technology a second staff member, if funding
Working with parents has produced this for us at no cost can be found.
in Uganda 23 to EENET, and it is accompanied
Focus on policy: Iran 24 by a disk of papers from ISEC
2005 – the Inclusive and Cover photos by:
Regional news 25 Supportive (top of page) EENET;
Education (clockwise from top left):
The EENET interview 26 Congress. Boris Herger/Save the Children;
Your letters/emails 27 If you would Stuart Freedman/Network
like a copy, Photographers/Save the Children;
Useful publications 28 please EENET; EENET; Dan White/
contact us. Save the Children;
Editors:
Ingrid Lewis and Susie Miles Danladi Mamman/GCEN;
(centre photo) EENET.
ENABLING EDUCATION, IS SUE 10, APRIL 2006 3
Editorial – focus on teacher education

They need support to innovate and We have included some articles
make changes. In this issue of here that reflect the kind of
Enabling Education, we therefore innovations that ordinary teachers
share experiences and ideas for are making every day, which we can
improving the way we train and use to inform and inspire other
support teachers in an inclusive teachers.
education environment.
Diversity of teachers
Types of teacher education We mentioned above that children
Teacher education and support can need teaching and learning
take many forms, as the materials that reflect the diversity of
contributors demonstrate: formal their society. But they also need
pre-service training, in-service teachers who reflect this diversity,
courses, hands-on teaching and who can act as role models for
practice, distance learning children vulnerable to exclusion.
Why focus on teacher education? programmes, further specialist Teacher training programmes, like
Every year the Global Campaign for training, higher education, and of the one in Mozambique, which aim
Education (GCE) runs a ‘global course the ongoing exchange of to train more disabled teachers, are
week of action’ to campaign about a ideas and experiences between therefore essential.
particular issue in education. GCE is teachers.
a coalition of NGOs and teachers’ The same applies to issues such as
unions in over 150 countries, which Broadening teachers’ gender and ethnicity, although we
believes that quality education for all interpretations of inclusion have received no articles that
is achievable. The 2006 GCE In this collection of articles, we hear specifically address this. In many
campaign is entitled ‘Every Child about educating teachers to more countries there are too few trained
Needs a Teacher’, but we would like effectively support certain women teachers (especially in post-
to use this opportunity to highlight marginalised groups of learners, primary education) and women may
that ‘every child needs a such as deaf children or working face many social and cultural
teacher…who promotes and children. While inclusive education barriers to teaching. Yet if we want
practises inclusion in education’. is a concept for improving the way to achieve equal inclusion of girls in
we teach all groups of learners, a education we need to ensure that
Children need teachers who know number of articles illustrate a more more women teachers are trained
how to make their classes inclusive disability focused view of inclusive and supported, and that all teachers
and how to address the diverse education training for teachers. We are trained to promote gender
needs of all learners together – even need to ask ourselves: is the move equity through their work.
in large, under-resourced towards a broader interpretation of
classrooms. They need teachers inclusive education happening In many countries, ethnic minority
who promote child-centred quickly enough in teacher education groups experience high levels of
approaches. And they need programmes? Are we helping or exclusion from education, stemming
teachers to use appropriate, hindering the overall development often from language barriers.
accessible teaching and learning of inclusive education through Teachers may be primarily from
materials, with content that teacher training programmes that majority groups and lack
positively reflects the diversity of view inclusion as primarily about appropriate skills to support
their society. disability? learners’ language and cultural
needs, or may be reluctant even to
But teachers need help to develop Experience vs theory work with ethnic minority groups in
the skills and experience necessary Several articles highlight the remote areas. Teachers from ethnic
for becoming an ‘inclusive teacher’. importance of hands-on training, minority groups are often poorly
without which teachers can struggle trained. They may need extra
to turn new theory into practice. In support to complete full teacher
Acknowledgement addition, teachers need support to training when the language of
EENET is very grateful to the engage in ongoing exchanges of instruction is not their mother
following organisations for experiences and ideas on innovative tongue. All teacher education
helping to finance the production practice, throughout their careers. programmes need to be aware of
of this newsletter: But innovation is often quickly and address these sorts of issues
• Norwegian Association stifled, so it is particularly important as part of their efforts to bring
of Disabled that the people in charge of schools inclusion to education.
• Operation Day’s Work (Norway) (head teachers, principals)
• Save the Children UK understand and support their staff
• World Vision UK through training and change
processes.
Editorial – continued
Language and terminology
We all struggle with language – in
every country discussions take
place about using language
appropriately to describe
particular groups of learners.
The language we use reflects the
complex inclusive education
process. In Issue 8 of Enabling
Education, Roger Slee is quoted
as saying that inclusive education
Photo by: Danladi Mamman, GCEN
is a radical idea that rebelled

against medical and
psychological explanations of
education difficulties. Yet in many
places, even within innovative
inclusive education programmes,
terminology is still used which
reflects a medical-model
approach, emphasising the
Listening to learners In the centre pages of this ‘problems’ with individual children
Finally, we come to one of the most newsletter, we hear from students at and not the inadequacies of the
important, but least addressed Westleigh High School in England, education system.
elements in teacher education – the who have used a photography
views of the learners. Learners of all project to debate and explain what As editors of Enabling Education
ages have a vital role to play in they think makes a good teacher. we do not want to dictate the
helping us improve teacher How do their views compare with terminology used by authors.
education – after all, they spend your ideas about what makes a But we do challenge readers
more time with teachers than the good teacher? How could we use and authors to think about and
trainers or policy makers do! the opinions and ideas of students debate the use of some of the
like these to improve the way we terms that appear in this
train teachers? What could you do newsletter, which could imply
to find out about the opinions of efforts to change the child not
learners in your context? the system. We all need to keep
checking whether our
“Adults don’t realise that they terminology is keeping pace with
can watch teachers for months, changes in practice. We must
but never see how they talk to also constantly monitor whether
children, because they’re at the our practice really matches the
wrong angle” (secondary school inclusive education terminology
student, UK). we are using. In many countries
it is not easy to make fast,
Teachers play a pivotal role in radical changes to terminology.
making inclusive education a reality. But as we all develop a deeper
If their attitudes and practices do understanding of what inclusion
not reflect principles of equity and means, we urge readers and
human rights, and if they are not authors to engage constantly
supported to be innovative and with the way language about
make changes, then none of our education and inclusion is used
policies and promises of inclusion in their own contexts.
can be fulfilled.
Zambian pupils exhibit their photo project (EENET)

Talking point
Teacher training – a miserable failure? J.R.A. Williams
Teacher training is a miserable failure as a change agent. This has been accepted in the
North, where ‘on-the-job’ in-service teacher development is increasingly emphasised, with
up to 60% of a pre-service course consisting of practical experience in schools. Still
international agencies persist with the myth of ‘training’. It is what governments want them
to do to fit into established structures. It also fits neatly into business-style project cycles.
Training for change doesn’t work – Teachers often say they want Save the Children UK uses the
for the same reason that the training, especially when faced with Index for Inclusion in the Arabic
medical model of disability doesn’t the challenges of ‘becoming World to promote teacher
work to change policies and inclusive’. But what they actually development and whole school
practices concerning disability. It want is to be able to manage the improvement. A Moroccan teacher
focuses on the individual – the demands placed on them and to reports that the Index has influenced
teacher to be trained and changed cope with the changes they are told her to “think more about the
– rather than on the systems and are coming. They conceptualise this situation of the school”. It has also
mentalities surrounding the as training because this is what they helped her to “find new
teaching/learning situation, which have been told is the key to their perspectives” in the context of
actually determine what happens in success. Delving more deeply, developing “partnership between
classrooms. These systems are though, we find that teachers pupils, teachers, parents and
inherently conservative. Without actually attribute their professional families” and “explaining the
intervention, methodologies and development and know-how not to realities of the inclusion approach”.
curriculum, relationships and training, but rather to watching
environment revert to the ‘known’ – experienced teachers teach, talking Jamie Williams is Education and
i.e. what teachers have experienced to them, trying things out and Early Childhood Care and
through their own schooling. A thinking about them. It is this cycle Development Advisor for Save the
trainee can be fully acquainted with of co-operation, action and review Children UK in the Middle East
and support new theories, among colleagues which is the and North Africa region.
techniques and practices. But when organic process of teacher training Contact:
he or she returns to the school and in action. This cycle helps to Save the Children UK
the community, which has not had challenge existing cultures, and 25 Dimishq St.
the benefit of such enlightenment, develop inclusive thinking, Mohandeseen
within a year inertia takes over and practices and actions. To be Cairo, Egypt.
the expensively trained teacher will ‘allowed’, however, it has to be Tel: +202 345 9322
either have resigned, or reverted to done in the context of change E-mail:
the ‘norms’ surrounding them. across the whole school, in j.williams@scuk-mena.com
partnership with children, their
Like the social model, inclusion families, non-teaching staff, etc.
must concentrate on the totality of
the environment. ‘Training’ is of
course a component of this, but to Right to reply
be effective it cannot be treated Jamie makes some important and challenging points. Comparing current
separately from all other aspects of teacher training with the medical model of disability, and the need for
school life. Indeed it must be radical change as akin to the social model is very helpful. Schools are
intrinsic to change: preferably among the most difficult institutions to change, and higher education is
brought about by the school even harder. We don’t want to abolish teacher training – but it needs to
community (because they can see be significantly changed if we are going to help schools make the move
the need), but necessarily including towards inclusive education. However, there are no pre-existing perfect
the school community in the solutions to this challenge. So we invite all readers to engage in debate –
planning, implementation and with EENET, with the authors published in this newsletter, with each
monitoring. other – about how to move forward with teacher education.
We want to hear your views!
Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester

I did it! Personal experiences in an inclusive class

Anne E. N. Musalia
For a long time, the idea of inclusive education didn’t make sense to me. I felt that it was
only possible to include children with mild impairments, and that special schools were
best for children with special needs. Ironically, I am a mother of a hearing impaired child;
an example of a parent who has struggled with the segregated and sub-standard
schooling for my child. I also work with the Ministry of Education in my country, Kenya, at
the policy-making level. In 2004, I won a scholarship for a masters degree in education in
Pakistan. It is through this programme that I have seen the realities of inclusive education,
as this article shows.
As part of my teaching practice in But then the class teacher told me

Pakistan I was allocated a Grade 5 that she was not happy with the
class in one of the largest inclusive way I had exposed the children
schools. The class had many with special needs. She told me
children with special education she prefers to have them quiet in
needs; including three children with class, because that is what their
cerebral palsy, one hearing parents prefer, and that other
impaired child, one with autism and students should not know their
several others with learning weaknesses. She made me feel
difficulties. Initially I felt a bit guilty, that I had betrayed the
puzzled; how could anybody expect parents and children, and the
me to teach such a class? I stayed excitement I had felt was lost.
with them for two weeks, did my
anecdotal observations and tried to Recently, I went back to the school.
forge a relationship with the I was welcomed by the teachers.
children. At the end of the two The same teacher who had
weeks I had six lessons of social disapproved of my teaching said
studies during which I taught about “we are grateful that you have come
the ‘Olympic Games’. back, you taught us to be inclusive,
now the children we thought were
Example of pupil’s project work
I used my creativity to design the handicapped are now the most
learning activities. I got the students active members of this class. After
to volunteer into peer groups, with you left it proved impossible to classroom and gaining practical
emphasis on the importance of silence or to separate these experience through interaction is
respect for difference. The response children.” She also said the parents the best way to learn, not just the
was positive, with most children are happy because their children theories and research findings we
trying to prove that they were are now learning like the rest. read from books.
capable of working with and helping
each other. Reflecting on the way I conducted As I go back to Kenya, and to my
my lessons, I am convinced that, as job at the Ministry of Education,
Those lessons are the most Mel Ainscow said, teachers have I am proud that I will go back
memorable of my 11-year teaching more skills than they use. They only flying high ‘The Inclusive Flag’.
career. The students drew, painted need to be prompted into making I did it and I know inclusive
and made project books about the use of those skills to meet the education is a reality.
Olympics. We had such a large diverse needs of their learners. I
collection of pictures and realised that the issues of disability Anne is a Senior Quality
newspaper cuttings about the are only in the minds of grown ups; Assurance and Standards
Olympics. On my last day we held children are very happy to work with Officer in the Special Needs
an exhibition, displaying our work and help each other if well Education Department in
and demonstrating some of the facilitated. It is teachers and policy Kenya’s Ministry of Education.
Olympic events. During this period, makers, like myself, who make the Contact:
I never remembered which child learning environments disabling to Anne Esendi Ngoda Musalia
had special needs and which one children, though most often this is P.O. Box 13304-00100
did not. The co-operative groups through lack of knowledge. Teacher Nairobi
and the buddy strategy worked so educators and policy makers need Kenya
well that everybody did what training opportunities to help them Email: anngomu@yahoo.com
he/she was best at. My role was participate and learn from
only to facilitate. experience. Being there in the
Including working children in education, Yemen

Manal AbdulWahed Shareef AlShureify
Teaching is one of the most challenging professions. Teacher training is often poor quality
and focuses on theory, denying trainees exposure to the real-life situations they will
encounter in the classroom. There is also a lack of a support system for teachers. In this
article, Manal looks at the issue of working children in Yemen, and how teachers can be
prepared to meet their educational needs.
Barriers to learning Recognising individual Teachers were introduced to the

Yemen has relatively low economic learning needs idea of linking the formal and
and human development indicators. While Yemen’s basic level informal learning environments in
Forty per cent of the population is curriculum is now more activity- which working children operate.
under 18 years of age, and the based, and less based on content They were trained to use
system cannot keep up with the and rote learning than a decade classroom observation methods
need for education. Poverty forces ago, students experiencing and to carry out focus group
many families to send their children difficulties still generally just receive discussions with the various people
to work. Education enrolment extra support through repeating the involved with working children in
rates for girls are especially low. same lessons. Since this offers only public schools. The teachers were
Large family sizes mean Yemeni a short-term remedy, a remedial also exposed to real-life school
families often decide to educate education pilot programme was experiences and encouraged to
boys while girls are expected to do established at the Working come up with practical ideas for
household chores, care for younger Children’s Rehabilitation Centre two addressing these situations.
siblings or get married young. years ago. It targets disadvantaged
children enrolled in public schools Classroom observation is an
Yemen therefore has many working and supports the education they important training tool. It helps
children. They face many of the receive at school. It also helps trainers give more targeted advice
same barriers to inclusion in teachers identify every child’s to trainees. Replaying lessons on
education that other children face, individual learning difficulties and video can help trainees observe
such as overcrowded classrooms, styles. Teachers were introduced to how they managed their lesson,
poor teaching quality, lack of the educational needs of working and reflect on their students’
educational stimulation and support children, the difficulties they face responses and needs.
at home. However, they also have to and positive attributes they have,
contend with long working hours, and the importance of making The teachers were encouraged to
physically demanding and classroom environments more use the children’s work experiences
dangerous work. For most, their welcoming for them. It also helped to make learning more related to
work interferes with their education teachers think about how to help their daily lives. For example, in
and often compromises their working children develop positive subjects like maths, they used
physical development and health. attitudes towards learning at school. simulations of shops and selling
For instance, children often work and buying to make the subject
in car repair shops, handling Linking school with real life relevant. They drew on children’s
heavy machinery; in agriculture In my experience, the main barrier communication skills from anger or
where they are exposed to to inclusion of working children in conflict management situations on
dangerous chemicals; or selling education is teachers’ use of the street, to help them with Arabic
and buying on the streets, where methods that are not related to the language skills.
they are vulnerable to harassment children’s daily lives and so hold no
and abuse. appeal. Working children come to In all this work, the role of the
school with more experiences from working children should not be
Helping teachers to support the street than non-working ignored. The best teacher trainers are
working children more effectively children. They soon feel bored usually children! When allowed to
Hands-on training when school seems unconnected to give their ideas, they can contribute
In my experience, this is the their real life, and eventually drop to their own learning by making the
most effective form of training as out. Working children have become teacher aware of their needs.
it exposes trainees to practical conditioned to believe that school
situations involving working and learning is boring and teachers Manal AlShureify has recently
children, and enables them to rarely prove otherwise. High been appointed Inclusive
experiment with the theories unemployment among graduates Education Programme Officer
they learn. also leads families to believe that for Save the Children Sweden in
starting work early offers a quicker Yemen. Contact:
solution than educating children to PO Box 18624, Sana’a, Yemen
work when they are older. malshureify@scsmena.org
Redesigning the Soviet Education

System in Kyrgyzstan Chinara Djumagulova
In Kyrgyzstan, discrimination against children with special needs in the education system
is a legacy of the Soviet Union. This system was inflexible, placing children with special
needs into institutions depending on their physical or intellectual impairment or family
problems. Such isolation made community integration difficult and violated children’s
rights. During the post-Soviet transition period in Kyrgyzstan, there has been a reduction
in the number of institutions for children with special needs, due mainly to financial
constraints. Consequently, such children are often left at home with no education, or
placed in mainstream schools without adequate support from teachers and peers. Save
the Children UK (SC UK) was asked to assist in tackling this problem in Naryn in 1998. In
this article, Chinara explains how SC UK has undertaken a range of activities to promote
inclusive education in the context of a post-Soviet country.
In-service teacher training teachers in identifying the • support school teachers in

The main task was to change individual needs of each child, applying knowledge and skills
teachers’ attitudes towards children developing individual plans, obtained through the inclusive
with special needs, because for so adapting physical classroom education training
long they had been used to environments, applying • provide recommendations and
separating them from other children. interactive methods to teaching advice for implementing inclusive
New skills had to be developed, and children with different education in the classroom, to
I prepared the following training development levels and interests, PDS and cluster school teachers
modules: and using friendly approaches to who have completed the full
1. Key principles, philosophy and children in groups. training schedule.
ideological concept of inclusive 4. Overcoming barriers to inclusion
education: to encourage the and changing the lives of children The mentoring process helps
perception that children with from vulnerable groups: in 1998, teachers to tackle obstacles they
special needs have a right to disabled children were the more face. Perhaps the most difficult
education and to be equal vulnerable, but we have seen problem faced by teachers is
members of society. increased numbers of children overcoming negative attitudes
2. Developing training skills of from other marginalised groups towards children with special needs
resource teachers, who then train who are missing out on within the community. Other
other teachers on inclusive education for various reasons. problems include inaccessible
education practices. physical environments; lack of skills
3. Understanding and responding to Since January 2003, we have and facilities for early identification
children’s needs in inclusive conducted training for 11 staff and ongoing assessment of children
classrooms, based on UNESCO’s members in mainstream schools with special educational needs;
guide:1 this module supports classified as ‘pilot professional lack of appropriate curricula,
development schools’ (PDS) and 84 methods and systems of multi-level
cluster schools across Kyrgyzstan, assessment; and general lack
as a part of a USAID-funded project. of knowledge, information, skills,
and experience among teachers
Meeting with colleagues at seminars and parents.
and sharing their experiences of
working with children with special Redesigning the Soviet systems
needs encouraged teachers to During the Soviet period ‘Medical-
accept and feel responsible for Pedagogical-Commissions (MPC)
these children and believe in their operated 2–3 times a year,
ability to develop. Teachers began ‘diagnosing’ children with special
to realise their role in the needs and sending them to
development of children. A checklist institutions. This stopped with the
was developed from observing collapse of the Soviet Union. SC UK
teachers’ work in mainstream supported the redesign of the old
school groups. This was adapted MPC system, now called ‘Psycho-
for the mentoring of trained Medical-Pedagogical-Consultation’
teachers by resource trainers, who: (PMPC). This service has
recommended that many children
can be supported to learn in

mainstream schools. The PMPC
has reformed its screening and
assessment criteria so as to be
socially and not medically-focused.
It uses child-friendly methods and
its main work is to give
consultations on all problems of
psychological development of
children. The service supports
teachers with the development of
individual learning plans. As a
result, parents and their children
have been given a greater say when
deciding future schooling.
Using the Index for Inclusion

Our next step was to develop the
use of the Index for Inclusion.2
This aimed to make schools
inclusive by setting new priorities for Results Notes
inclusive school environments in the • about 500 children with special 1 UNESCO (2001) Understanding and
school development plan; changing needs and learning difficulties Responding to Children’s Needs in
policies, practices and culture. are already studying in Inclusive Classrooms: A teacher’s guide,
Co-ordination groups of teachers, mainstream schools Paris: UNESCO
school administrators, parents, and www.unesco.org/education/inclusive
• all children, including those
2 Read more about Index for Inclusion
children have been formed in each with special needs, are on page 19.
pilot school. We anticipate that each benefiting from peer-to-peer
school will have its own index for interaction and socialisation,
inclusion, taking into account its and are participating in school Since April 2001, SC UK has
specific needs. This activity will be and community activities implemented an inclusive
taken forward in 2006–07 under • all children benefit from the education programme in
our USAID grant. Family rooms individual approach to learning Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and
were also opened for parents to • PMPC undertakes child-friendly Tajikistan, supported by NOVIB.
meet each other. They also and regular consultations for The programme aims to respond
attend lessons, helping children children and parents to the current segregation and
to learn and adapt themselves to • children experience more discrimination of disabled children
learning with their peers. physically accessible and their families in Central Asia,
environments both through the development of
University-level training • community and teacher alternative community-based
A course for university students has awareness has been raised approaches to care and education,
been created, entitled ‘Inclusive on the rights of children. and through advocacy for the
Education Principles and Practices’. reform of education and social
The curriculum of the Special Chinara Djumagulova welfare systems and laws.
Psychology and Special Pedagogy is the Inclusive Education Adviser
courses also provide several for Save the Children UK Chinara was the Inclusive
sessions on inclusive education. In in Kyrgyzstan. Education Adviser for Central Asia,
addition, Resource Trainers deliver Contact:
inclusive education courses to 2002–05, and helped SC UK to
27 Logvinenko Street
teachers at the professional publish a set of guidelines:
Bishkek
development and retraining courses Inclusive Education Development
Kyrgyzstan, 720040.
of the Kyrgyz Education Academy. in Central Asia (2004, in English
Email: chinara@scuk.kg
and Russian). The guide draws
Chinara is a member of the EENET Asia editorial team. EENET Asia is an on the experiences and results
information sharing network on inclusive education for Central, of SC UK’s work to develop an
South and South East Asia. It is committed to the same principles and inclusive education model,
methods of working as EENET, and is already regularly producing its own taking into account the context
regional newsletter. See ‘Regional News’ page. of Central Asia countries.
1 0 ENABLING EDUCATION, IS SUE 10, APRIL 2006
Training for inclusive education, Papua New Guinea

Frances Gentle
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a South Pacific island nation of approximately 5.2 million
people. It is heavily forested, with many mountains and swamp areas, which make travel
within and between the 20 provinces very difficult. The majority of the population lives in
rural areas. This regional isolation has ensured the retention of the culture, language and
customs of over 700 distinct indigenous tribes and clans. The PNG government is
committed to inclusive education. It has embodied inclusive philosophy in its Special
Education Ministerial Policy Statement (1994) and the Department of Education’s National
Special Education Plan 2004–08. The government is also a signatory to UNESCO’s global
mandate of Education for All by 2015. Inclusive education priorities include capacity
building through pre-service and post-service special education teacher training.
The 1990 PNG National Census set out in the National Special regular schools. Many of the
identified approximately 12,000 Education Plan. Goals include students are self-funded, and all
people with disabilities over the age university-level professional have communicated their
of 10 years. The number of children development in inclusive education, commitment to lifting the standard
with disabilities enrolled in schools including inclusive pedagogy, of inclusive education in schools
has not yet been documented, due school structures and leadership. and community-based services.
mainly to the absence of a national
data collection mechanism. The degree programme consists of The development of an
eight distance education units, each undergraduate special education
Special education service provision with a compulsory one-week degree programme in PNG is a
in PNG is managed through the residential component. The positive step towards translating
government’s National Special programme specifications highlight special education policy into
Education Committee and National the incorporation of input from such practice in schools and
Special Education Unit. Delivery of ‘stakeholder groups’ as teachers, communities. In 2006, the first batch
special education services is done school administrators and children of university graduates will be
through 14 Special Education with disabilities into programme returning to their schools, special
Resource Centres, based in major content. Reflecting the central education resource centres and
towns and cities. The resource importance of inclusive special other workplaces across PNG. The
centres are operated by non- education provision in PNG, the first special education degree
government organisations, including Bachelor of Special Education unit programme will have provided this
the Christian Brothers’ Callan offered was Inclusive Education, group of educators with the
Services Network, Red Cross, and which was delivered in semester knowledge, skills, values and
the St John’s Association for the one, 2004. attitudes to become future leaders
Blind. The resource centres support in the field of special education and
families and children with Renwick Centre provides lecturing to effect change at local, regional
disabilities, educators and school and resource support to the degree and national levels. It is hoped that
administrators, and provide course. This has included the these individuals will make a
community-based rehabilitation production of study guides, books difference in the lives of current and
services to children with disabilities of readings, provision of future generations of Papua New
who are not attending school. supplementary resource materials, Guineans with disabilities.
and the delivery of lectures for the
Before 2004, there was no units on Inclusive Education and Frances is a Lecturer in Vision
university-level special education Educating Children with Vision Impairment, Renwick Centre.
degree programme in PNG. Impairments. The content of these Contact:
Students completing undergraduate two units includes recent Renwick College,
degrees in education elected to international perspectives on Royal Institute for
study single units on inclusive inclusion and disability, including Deaf and Blind Children
education as part of their general research into ‘best practice’ in 361-365 North Rocks Road
education degree programmes. In developing countries. North Rocks NSW 2151
2004, Divine Word University, in Australia
association with Callan Studies Students in the programme to date Email:
Institute, introduced the Bachelor of have included the staff of special frances.gentle@ridbc.org.au
Special Education degree education resource centres, school Website: www.ridbc.org.au
programme. The aims and priorities principals, head teachers and
of this programme reflect the goals classroom teachers working in
Teacher training in Uganda

Stackus Okwaput
This article draws on Uganda’s experience to highlight the importance of a national policy
and training commitment to teacher preparation in the implementation of inclusive education.
Special needs education in Uganda persons with disabilities and those strategy for enforcing the policy of
started in 1952. The Colonial experiencing other barriers to recruiting teachers with special
Government began providing learning and development, (e.g. needs training into every school.
separate ‘special education’ services young parents, street children, There also needs to be a policy to
for a few children with visual, children from disadvantaged areas, ensure that all teachers receive
hearing, learning and motor those living with or affected by special needs training, either from
impairments, since many children HIV/AIDS and other health problems, the University or decentralised to
and youth with disabilities were not those from nomadic tribes, orphans, regional level, so that they are better
benefiting from the existing child soldiers and children who are able to support all learners in an
educational provision. However, traumatised). inclusive setting.
persons with disabilities were still
generally marginalised by beliefs and To reach as many teachers as Specific learning difficulties in
attitudes in society, and so possible, the training is offered as a reading, writing and arithmetic are
developments in this ‘special two-year full-time course and as a one key reason for the high school
education’ moved slowly. Inclusive three-year distance education drop-out rates in Uganda. We
education has subsequently become course. Both are for teachers who therefore need a serious review of
seen as the way to ensure that all have had initial regular teacher the training given to all teachers, to
learners access and participate in training. The courses cover help them gain contemporary
education. All teachers are central to approaches for supporting various knowledge and skills for supporting
the implementation of this strategy. groups of children with special children in these areas.
Steps have been taken to ensure needs, and have an inclusive
that Uganda’s teachers are better education component. Since 1990, The Government of Uganda
able to teach children with special 716 in-service teachers have been continues to seek local and
needs – all those who experience trained through the full-time international support to address the
barriers to learning and development Bachelors and Diploma courses, and gaps in both the in-service teacher
– in an inclusive setting. However, between 2000 and 2003, 1,451 were training system and the instructional
there are still some key areas of enrolled on the distance courses. materials/facilities available to
teacher training in Uganda that need The number trained, however, is just promote training for inclusive
further attention. a small proportion of the estimated education. Yet, as we can see from
total of 130,000 teachers employed the relatively small number of
Initially, the Ugandan Government in primary schools. teachers trained so far, much more
had no policy on training teachers in needs to be done to ensure the
special needs. In 1992 it established In addition the Faculty, in success of inclusive education at all
a policy on ‘Education for National collaboration with the Ministry of levels. The preparation of teachers
Integration and Development’, Education and Sports, conducted in- for inclusive education requires
pledging to support special needs service training for teachers at policies to be implemented flexibly
education by providing funding and regional level. Many of these have and needs an adequate allocation of
teacher training. A 1991 Act of been deployed as Special Needs funds to meet the increasing training
Parliament mandated the Uganda Education Co-ordinators (SNECOs). demands. There also needs to be a
National Institute of Special deliberate policy for the training and
Education, UNISE, (now Faculty of While existing policies have reorientation of all teachers at all
Special Needs and Rehabilitation, facilitated the development of this in- levels of education.
Kyambogo University) to train special service training, there are still
needs education teachers. This has problems with the employment and Stackus is a lecturer/teacher
enabled Uganda to begin retention of graduate teachers. The trainer in the Department of
responding to the call for Education Constitution advocates equal rights Special Needs Studies, Kyambogo
for All. and opportunities to employment. University, and specialises
The decentralised government in hearing impairment and
The Faculty offers Certificate, system in Uganda means that Local inclusive education.
Diploma and Bachelor programmes Government Authorities are Contact:
for teachers and other personnel, mandated to recruit personnel based Faculty of Special
with a Masters Degree in Special on the district’s needs, yet the Needs and Rehabilitation
Needs Education and Inclusion employment of teachers with special Kyambogo University
planned. These programmes enable needs training in some districts is still P.O Box 1
teachers to acquire knowledge, skills dependant on specific Authority’s Kyambogo, Uganda
and experience necessary to teach attitudes. We therefore need a Email: stackuso@yahoo.co.uk
Changing the way we teach, Burkina Faso

Selena Imerovic
What is the best way to educate deaf children? Many believe in an inclusive approach,
bringing deaf and hearing children into same classroom. This was the idea behind the
establishment of CEFISE (Integrated Education and Training Centre for Deaf and Hearing
People) in 1988, by Pastor Kafando in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. CEFISE
is one of the leaders of the inclusive approach in Burkina Faso, and has long experience
in educating pupils with and without hearing impairment at preschool, primary and
secondary levels. In this article, Selena outlines some of the approaches used to
encourage and support teachers to think in a different way about teaching and learning.
Issa Tiendrébeogo, a teacher of an

inclusive class adds:
“The co-operation with a deaf

teacher helps me a lot. Teaching
should be supported also by a
diverse range of curriculum
materials.”
CEFISE’s long-term ambitions

include achieving a better education
for the children by supporting the
CEFISE is using ‘total The training has four modules and continued development of high
communication’. This means that offers specific knowledge and skills quality teacher training. A new
teachers communicate in creating and implementing initiative (started in January 2006),
simultaneously through the spoken curriculum and teaching techniques, in close collaboration with the
word and sign language. Deaf including psychology and basic international NGO International
children, who rarely have hearing audiology and speech therapy. Service, takes the challenge of
aids, usually struggle to follow dealing with deafness and inclusive
lessons given in French, especially One of CEFISE’s aims is to develop education in five new directions:
when they have not even mastered sign language skills in local • providing access to information
their mother tongue, Moore. communities. Through workshops, for the teachers through Internet
participants are able to learn finger research. We support
Karlet Ouedraogo, a pupil from an spelling, signing, cued speech and understanding that this online
inclusive classroom says of her to practise conversations with deaf learning leads to continued
experience: people. The course offers rich sign motivation, engagement and
vocabulary and is continuously innovation in the schools.
“I have one friend from another being developed by CEFISE staff. • providing insight into a variety of
school who thinks there should be So far, more than 200 people have non-formal education techniques,
one school for deaf children and participated in this initiative and and the kind of learning
one for us. I don’t agree. There is have contributed to the integration appropriate to each one, on
no difference between us. I don’t process. This training is also offered topics like: communication skills;
argue with my deaf friend Aida. to the CEFISE teachers. team-building; building trust and
I learn to use sign language and self-esteem; feeling social
she learns to speak.” Fidel Zouma, a primary teacher inclusion and exclusion. This
says: helps to promote participatory
There is no academic institution for learning, co-operation and
educating special teaching “Training helped me a lot at the interaction between classrooms.
personnel in Burkina Faso. CEFISE beginning of my teaching work, but
therefore created a training as work with deaf children involves
programme for teachers to prepare considerable emotional and
them for the special and inclusive physical demands, we need
education programmes. continuous training.”
• ensuring an environment where CEFISE’s teacher training workshops

positive emotions and creative Workshops with teachers are organised on a regular basis (usually every
abilities can be emphasised two weeks), although we are still developing our techniques as we go. We
through verbal and non-verbal start with a session that helps teachers to work together in a more informal
ways. This encourages the way than they are used to – this is the best way to foster a culture of
child’s simultaneous use of sharing. We also try to help the teachers to free themselves from the
speech and sign language, as constraints of their current way of working and context, in order to develop
well of all other visual, creative a vision of what they would like education to look like (instead of being
and contextual cues. fixed on what it currently looks like).
• developing a teaching
programme and strategies that We use the workshops to give teachers an insight into the variety of (non-
increase a school’s capacity to formal) techniques that can and should be used for teaching/learning (e.g.
teach effectively on topics icebreakers, brainstorms, group and pair activities, role play, using visual
like art and sport, health images and games, etc). We get them to discuss how they feel as
education, human rights, workshop participants/learners, and we ask them to discuss ways of
ecology/environment, learning in the workshop and rules for making the workshop positive and
gender, etc. constructive for everyone. We then ask teachers to carry out an
• seeking the participation of assignment – running a ‘workshop’ in their classes, on a specific topic
teachers and parents in daily related to the curriculum (e.g. human rights). This helps them to see that
activities, with the aim of the active-learning workshop techniques are indeed relevant and useful
deepening their understanding for making their classrooms more inclusive places to learn.
of their children’s problems,
exploring solutions and Our workshops also cover topics such as:
motivating them to act. • how to ensure participation and co-operative learning in an inclusive
Involvement of parents should classroom
ensure that the child’s learning • how to avoid one-way communication
is supported at home. • the importance of a cross-curriculum approach (e.g. the importance
of art teaching and creative activities in all subjects)
We would like to use this • “I can handle them” (how to ensure discipline in classrooms with
opportunity to invite you to 60 or more pupils)
exchange ideas with us, and • the importance of ongoing relationships with parents.
together find new solutions to help
teachers in their daily work towards
inclusive education. If you would
like to know more about our
workshops, please contact us.
And if you have suggestions or
materials that could help us
develop our work, we’d love to
hear from you!
Selena is an International
Service Capacity Builder,
working with CEFISE.
Contact:
International Service
BP 6143
Ouagadougou 01
Burkina Faso
Email: sellenai@gmail.com
Student perspectives on what

makes a good teacher, England
Westleigh High School and Technology College is a
secondary school in the north-west of England. A group of
seven Westleigh students has been working on a
participatory photography project. They have been taking
and using their own photographs as a way of exploring and
sharing their experiences of education.
Students involved in the project
The students have been working They felt that these students’ on what makes a good teacher.
together with a specialist teacher in insights and concerns should One of the key aspects of education
the school, an outside researcher be addressed and taken seriously the Westleigh students chose to
from the University of Manchester, by staff in the school. focus on was teaching and learning.
and a member of the local Through this project, they have
education authority’s learning In preparing to do their project, shared their insights into what
support team. The students involved the Westleigh students looked at makes a good (and not so good)
in this project are part of a ‘nurture photographs taken by students teacher.
group’ in the school which has been in other schools during similar
set up to help students who have projects. One photograph in In the course of their schooling,
learning and/or behaviour difficulties particular caught their attention. students learn what teachers expect
in school. It had been taken by a student from good students; but teachers
in a Zambian school, and showed don’t always ask students what they
Students with learning difficulties a teacher he liked. The picture think makes a good teacher.
are traditionally the least likely to inspired the Westleigh students
have a ‘voice’ and a say about their to ask questions about what Students have great depth of insight
experience of education and Zambian schools are like and into teaching and learning, and their
schooling, and are most at risk of what the experience of schooling perspectives should influence these
social and educational exclusion. is like for Zambian students. processes. Students’ understanding
Westleigh school became involved about good teachers and good
with this participatory photography The Westleigh students expressed a teaching have value within their
project through the belief that desire to share their experiences school and in the wider community.
students who are struggling with and photographs of their school Their opinions and ideas could, and
school should be encouraged to with students in Zambia. The should, be incorporated into teacher
express their ‘voices’ and photograph of the Zambian teacher training programmes.
share their perspectives. also encouraged them to speculate
To find out more about the use

of participatory photography
and other image-based
activities in inclusive education
research and practice, please
contact EENET. We encourage
all readers to engage in more
activities to find out what
children think about:
education, their experiences in
school, what makes a good
teacher, and what we could be
doing to train and support
better teachers. Please share
your experiences of such
activities, and the children’s
opinions, with EENET.
Photograph taken by Zambian student:

“This is a picture of something good. I wanted to show this is a good teacher… a teacher I like.”
Students’ comments and photographs

The photographs and text in the box below are part of a display created by the students to show to others,
both within and outside their school.
Good teachers keep you on task and when you agree with them and they agree with you, can do fun
things. We like teachers that you can mess around with a bit and have a laugh, but still be dedicated to
the work. Some teachers make you do work all the time, but others break it up and let you go on the
computers or watch a video sometimes. One of our favorite teachers acts more like a student instead of
a teacher. Sometimes he can be strict, but he acts normal with us. He’s calm instead of shouting.
Although the Westleigh students expressed the belief that good teachers Contact:
should be able to be friendly and informal with students, they also Mrs E. Broxton
stressed the importance of consistency and discipline. The students Westleigh High School
suggested that good teaching involves a balance of firmness, support, Westleigh Lane
humour, fun and flexibility. Leigh, Lancashire
WN7 5NL, UK
Here are some of the students’ own words on the subject: Mrs Broxton is in charge of
• ‘Good teachers help you. They help keep you on task by doing things special educational needs
like helping you to keep a report book (on your work and progress)
and going over it with you.’
This article was compiled and
• ‘When teachers are happy it’s good, but when they raise their voices, edited by Ian Kaplan in
sometimes it scares the children and they don’t like it. Being friendly
collaboration with staff and
and laughing is important.’
students at Westleigh High School.
• ‘Good teachers don’t take everything so seriously all of the time.’ Ian is a research associate at the
• ‘It’s better when teachers get to know you and your work so they know University of Manchester.
what you’ve done and what you haven’t done and can help you.’ Email:
ian.kaplan@manchester.ac.uk
or contact via EENET.
Self assessment and inclusion, The Bahamas

Betty McDonald
Educators are increasingly understanding the need to include students of all abilities in
mainstream education. In this article, Betty McDonald demonstrates how self assessment
can promote inclusion. She presents some of her findings from studying her work with
secondary school and college students in The Bahamas.
The Bahamas is an archipelago of Students then use the classroom, instead of feeling
700 islands in the North Atlantic standards/criteria to evaluate ostracised as they may do in the
Ocean, with a total population of performance. To do this, they community. Working closely with
301,790. Its central democratic engage each other in conversation, other students in one-on-one
government is stable, with a ‘no wait their turn to speak, actively discussions also helps students with
income tax’ and liberal trade policy. listen to and critique each other, and behavioural problems to experience
Tourism is the main source of provide feedback. Active classroom and develop more ‘acceptable’
income. Education is mandatory for observation and non-written ways of behaviour. Using these co-operative
5–14-year-olds, and is provided by observing and participating become approaches makes it easier and
public and private schools. the norm. Self assessment like this quicker for me to identify and
can also happen in the playground, address impairments, emotional
Self assessment is ‘the involvement laboratory, public places, etc. stress or related conditions in
of students in identifying standards classrooms.
and/or criteria to apply to their work Students complete a form on the
and making judgements about the front of their assignments, which Creating standards and/or criteria
extent to which they have met these they use to highlight areas for as a joint activity fosters a sense of
criteria and standards’.* personal improvement. After each networking and togetherness that is
assignment they voluntarily discuss necessary for an inclusive
To implement self assessment, my with each other their errors and how environment.
students meet in pairs to discuss they will prevent a reoccurrence.
the standards and/or criteria they This lays the ground work for Self assessment promotes
should use for judging a piece of improved standards. reflection, introspection, creative
work or performance. This may be and divergent thinking. My students
done in any subject area, from Individual students feel included in have to negotiate to reach mutual
Dance to Mathematics. I give them decision-making through their active agreement. The process assists
guidelines of what is acceptable participation in the assessment less-able students, who now have
and unacceptable. I facilitate, process. They know their views are opportunities for more input into an
encourage and suggest, but I do taken seriously. Shared decision- activity than they would in a more
not direct or give orders. making promotes shared traditional classroom. At-risk groups
responsibility and ownership; both find solace in a group focused on
The students are always interacting essential for inclusion. Diversity – an interaction and mutual agreement.
with tourists and so they are inevitable offshoot of tourism in The Students tend to question exclusion.
articulate. They ask me questions Bahamas – is celebrated rather than They break stereotypes and
and make suggestions about the tolerated. segregation and promote an
assessment process, and we hold inclusive education system from
group discussions. Through these Visually and hearing impaired which all can benefit.
interactions, I provide additional students in my class are given
information and we create an space to participate while others Dr. Betty McDonald is a professor
inclusive environment where all support them, for example by at The University of The Bahamas,
students feel loved, respected and recording the information. Students which is gradually introducing
accepted. I act as a role model, who are slow at understanding have self assessment more widely. Her
using my initiative to invent active the opportunity to keep pace with main research interests are
learning methods. In this way others. The supportive environment educational measurement,
students begin to appreciate means that no one is stigmatised for assessment, mathematics
experience-sharing and problem- being ‘different’. Our education and applied statistics.
solving, which are at the heart of communication ‘ground rules’ stop She has published widely in
inclusive education. extrovert students from smothering education journals. Contact:
quieter students, and I am on hand University of the Bahamas
Once they agree about the to advise or intervene if required. P.O. Box F42766
assessment standards/criteria, pairs Freeport, Grand Bahama
of students interact with other pairs, Students from comparatively Email: betmcdee@yahoo.com or
and this is repeated until there is impoverished backgrounds feel betmcdee@hotmail.com.
consensus across the class. welcome as equal partners in the
* Boud, D. (1986) Implementing Student Self Assessment, Sydney: HERDSA

Making the learning environment

more welcoming, Palestine Akram Abualia
My first job as a teacher was at Alrashayda School near the Dead Sea in Palestine. It is far
from Bethlehem without transport services to the school because it is in an area of Israeli
settlements and military camps. Before the current peace process started between the
Israeli and Palestinian authorities, education was organised by the Israeli authorities. It
was forbidden to build or develop schools, yet existing schools in Palestine were
overcrowded. The Palestine Ministry of Education decided to open schools in different
places, such as rented houses, clubs and public centres. My school was one of these new
schools in a mosque basement, and it presented me with some interesting challenges.
This desert area has many Bedouin I was determined that the children One day the Minister of Education
people who move according to the should have an education; why and Director in the Education
weather and grazing for their should the political and Directorate came to open a new
animals. However, people are environmental situation deny them school nearby, within the Palestinian
increasingly staying in one place, as their right? authority area. They also wanted to
the political situation makes visit our school. The head teacher
travelling difficult. For those who We could not afford to improve the asked the teachers to prepare a
stay here it can be tough – people school buildings, so the situation good reception. I created a
are often quite poor, and school initially seemed impossible. programme which included some of
facilities inadequate. The number of However, one day I decided that we the families building a traditional
pupils attending my class would move the furniture to a corner tent for the visitors, facilitating
decreased as the winter got colder of the classroom. The children then children to talk to the Minister and
– seven out of 14 pupils moved with collected some wood, built a fire, sing Bedouin songs, and some
their families to warmer Jericho. and sat around it in the same way wore their traditional clothes. It was
Those who stayed were too cold to that they do at home. We carried a great day for everybody.
learn properly. out our lessons like this until the
weather warmed up. The Director noticed my working
My friends told me I would soon approach with parents and children,
resign and return to Bethlehem; this While the children warmed up I let and invited me to work in a new
was a difficult place and they them sing songs and tell stories inclusive education programme. I
thought I would not be able to cope. from their experiences. Then I could willingly accepted because I felt I
But I knew I could be a good start my lessons. The children were could do even more for
teacher and I did not intend to give much happier and more confident marginalised children in our society.
up easily. about answering questions and But it was my work as a teacher in
participating in class. In break times that school which made me love
The classroom in the mosque they and their friends from other teaching so much, and which now
basement was not well built. The classes always wanted to talk and influences my new job.
walls were not finished, open doors walk with me because they had
and windows let in the cold weather, heard about our classroom. Akram Abualia is a teacher now
the floor was uneven, and there was working as a Special Education
no heating or electricity. Some of The students told their families and Supervisor in the Ministry of
the children could not afford warm they started to visit me at school. Education, Palestine. He is one of
clothes or even shoes. Even though Some came to thank me, but others 36 members who established the
they were present in class, they said I was wasting my time. I invited inclusive education programme,
could not participate properly – they all the parents to a meeting to and now co-ordinates the
could not concentrate on their explain why I was running my class programme in the central and
lessons. I also found it hard to teach in this way. Not all came, but it was southern West Bank areas.
well in such conditions. still a good meeting, and parents Contact:
said they would bring me anything P.O. Box 168
they could to help my work. Bethlehem
Palestine
Email: akia122@yahoo.com
Analysing barriers to education

in rural Chile Ana Luisa López
Most of the people in the IX Region of South Chile belong to the Mapuche ethnic group.
They have lived there for centuries and maintain their own traditions and language,
Mapudungun. They take pride in having fought the Spanish and resisted being conquered.
In rural areas vulnerability goes hand-in-hand with isolation and economic difficulties, and
there is little opportunity for social mobility. The IX Region suffers the highest levels of
poverty in the country. In this article Ana Luisa explains how she and the teachers in a
rural school used a range of EENET materials to promote discussion about inclusion, and
how they were inspired by stories from Zambia. The concepts and approach used for
reflection were inspired by the Index for Inclusion.
In 2004 I went to live in a small The action research cycle

‘commune’ (village) in South Chile in
order to collaborate with teachers in an Look again
Evaluate changes, and
action research process. I invited 30 action research in a different
teachers and education staff to activities used, Look way; involve
analyse the barriers they were facing before looking different people
to presence, learning and participation. again
I introduced them first to the Index for
Inclusion, and they based their
analysis on the concepts and
approach recommended by this
guidance resource. Act Think
I worked in a nursery, a primary and a

secondary school – with 500 students Don’t rush into action; look again, gather more info;
in total. As I am a Spanish researcher, do more thinking if need be!
working together with the teachers was
the first aspect to face, because we
needed to establish a relationship Mind mapping using tree diagrams
based on co-operation and trust.
We embarked on a challenging
adventure. We organised a number of
one-day meetings where teachers
could talk about the situation facing
their school. We shared ideas and
worked together to respond better to
the diversity of students.
A key aspect of this challenge was

working in collaboration with other
teachers. I found this diagram from
EENET’s action research CD-ROM*
useful – it helped teachers understand
the process of reflection in action, and
the importance of working together.
We also found the mind mapping

ideas from the CD-ROM helpful. Secondary teachers’ tree Nursery educators’ tree
This led to some rich discussions Roots: ‘lack of motivation’ is the most Roots: ‘Parents’ participation and valorising of
on the positive and negative aspects important barrier. early childhood education’ and ‘make better use
Trunk: strategies previously tried and of school human resources: Mapudungun
of our school. The debates were possible new ones. language, folklore and ecology’.
necessary to analyse our barriers Branches: different resources for support. Trunk: planned activities.
Branches: existing resources to use.
to diversity and to understand who
was affected by them.
“How can it be possible that we as teachers can have so much in

common, living in such different and far apart countries?”
Teacher, South Chile
The activities helped teachers to talk students live in a boarding school of teachers; crowded classes;
about the barriers their students because their homes are in the less individual teacher follow-up.
were facing. The nursery educators mountains, miles from the village on They also live away from their
expressed their concerns: they felt poor roads. These teachers also families during the week. Teenage
that some parents did not know reflected on the education of students tend to have few
how to support their children’s disabled students who are taught in expectations for their future or
education effectively. The educators a special unit (which is part of the opportunities for further studies, due
were therefore planning training school) but who regularly attend to economic restrictions. They don’t
sessions and radio training some mainstream classes. The feel confident about getting a job
programmes for parents and tutors. teachers expressed interest in when they finish school.
A number of children from an knowing more about curricular
orphanage attend the school. They adaptations to use in class with The secondary teachers felt these
find it difficult to follow the class these students. could be some of the reasons why
routine and demand constant the students lack motivation and
individual attention. It was decided The secondary teachers shared self-esteem. They reflected on
to reorganise the role of the some concerns with their primary ways of tackling these issues in
educators and teaching assistants, school colleagues. They expressed class, and designed a plan to
and the rotation of their their difficulties in encouraging investigate further the needs of a
responsibilities, in order to respond families to get involved in children’s group of students in the first year
to the children’s needs and to learning. In many cases, who had repeated the grade. They
involve them in the class dynamic. grandparents’ or parents’ first wanted to analyse if low self-esteem
language is Mapudungun so they and motivation were influencing
The primary school teachers cannot communicate properly in their performance, and felt such
reflected on the way they were Spanish. Their literacy skills are low, analysis could help develop ideas
responding to students with and they cannot help their children or strategies for action.
behavioural and emotional issues. with schoolwork. Sometimes they
They thought about strategies they have low self-esteem due to Ana Luisa is a PhD student
could use to reduce their their illiteracy, and cover this by at the School of Education,
absenteeism and late coming. They showing no interest in education. University of Manchester.
also felt they needed more training This situation jeopardizes their Email: Ana.L.Lopez@
on how to involve students in children’s learning process. postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
defining class rules and in their own Or contact via EENET’s
learning through planning, and Most of the secondary students postal address.
more training on collaborative and previously attended isolated, small,
peer learning approaches. They rural primary schools. When the The Index for Inclusion is a set
discussed issues around having students arrive in the village, they
of materials for schools which
students from the orphanage in are not used to the dynamics of a
school, and the fact that some big secondary school: the change guides them through a process
of inclusive school development.
It helps with identifying barriers
Inspiring stories from Zambia to learning and participation,
The EENET collection of writings by teachers from Mpika, Zambia, encourages self-review and
Researching our Experience, helped us understand how teachers can detailed scrutiny of all school
research specific difficulties they face, reflect on and improve their
activities, and enables schools
practices. I translated some of the experiences into Spanish, and we
read and discussed accounts on: absenteeism, co-operation, to evaluate their own progress
participation, peer support, teenage mothers, and inclusive schooling. towards developing inclusive
The teachers felt really moved when they read these writings. They were practice. EENET is helping to
very impressed when they realised that most of the problems highlighted disseminate experiences of
by teachers in Zambia were shared here in Chile. This offered a powerful using the Index in the South.
challenge to the teachers: The Index can be purchased from:
Centre for Studies on Inclusive
“If they could do it, we can at least try”. Education, New Redland,
Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour
I would like to thank EENET for sharing experience and knowledge, Lane, Bristol BS16 1QU, UK.
and for helping the teachers in Zambia to share theirs! It showed us that
Website: www.csie.org.uk
we are not alone – we share the ‘inclusion challenge’ with colleagues
all over the world. Price: £24.50 incl p+p (UK)
* Learning from Difference. An action research guide for capturing the experience of developing inclusive education – see Useful Publications page.
Inclusive education networking in The Gambia

John Jatta
Only through collaboration and networking among people and institutions can we derive
developments for all. Networking on inclusive education requires a change of attitude
and a willingness to embrace the many opportunities and complex challenges we face.
It can encourage participation and initiative, capacity-building, collaborative efforts,
shared experiences, and the transfer of specialised knowledge, skills and techniques –
within and between communities, schools, special and mainstream education systems,
and national and regional initiatives.
My experience with inclusive I made contact with colleagues and Staff from St John’s and other
education networking started more special institutions further afield – in special schools, in collaboration
than 20 years ago, when I began Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana and with the Ministry of Education, went
work on setting up the first special Nigeria – to share with them on to provide basic training for
school for deaf children in valuable work experiences. We teachers in mainstream schools, in
The Gambia. Although I had no learned a lot from each other. I also all six regions of the country. We
formal training on deaf education, became involved in the activities of trained them to teach children with
I identified the educational needs three international educational special educational needs within
of the deaf children, assessed organisations: The Commonwealth their regular classes. We produced
the aspirations of their parents Society for the Deaf; Initiatives for and distributed training manuals
and reviewed teachers’ choices Deaf Education in the Third World; and handbooks on special needs
of communication methods. and The Catholic International education for the Gambia College
Foundation for Deaf Education. and all the lower basic schools
I set up a senior staff management I attended several international through the Ministry of Education.
committee and a Parent-Teacher education conferences, seminars
Association task force. These and workshops held by these These developments resulted from
served as advisory sub-committees, organisations, on a wide range of my exposure to new ideas,
which helped design and implement issues. Teachers from Sierra Leone, information sharing and the transfer
our first education programme and Sweden, Norway and England of knowledge and skills through
teaching methods. We reviewed the joined their Gambian counterparts to networking activities. Such
programme and methods annually conduct training workshops for the networking was rewarding and
and made improvements. A few staff at my school. worthwhile, and those involved
years later we introduced a modest developed a professional bond of
rehabilitation service into the school These diverse learning and friendship. Indeed, all this was
programme, to work with deaf networking opportunities led to made possible through the spirit
people in the community. benefits not only for St John’s of educational networking to tackle
School for the Deaf, but for the illiteracy and poverty, and facilitate
I started to investigate the education development of special education the emancipation and inclusion of
principles and practices used by and rehabilitation service delivery disabled people.
special institutions and training more generally in The Gambia.
centres in ‘developed’ countries and For example, the Deaf Association I am now retired but feel very
within West Africa. I began to piece (GADHOH) was formed and grateful for the immense support
together a plan for the development registered. A national disability and co-operation I received both
of the school and for the survey was conducted and the within and outside The Gambia,
introduction of inclusive education results contributed to the through those basic inclusive
in The Gambia. Next I contacted my preparation of the national policy education networking activities.
colleagues at the special schools for on ‘special needs education’.
the blind and intellectually impaired Contact:
to discuss how we could work Many special needs teachers were John Jatta
together to solicit government and offered training in other countries, P.O. Box 3158
NGO support. We collaborated and as a result of the support and co- Serrekunda
networked, and began to gather operation of people we met during The Gambia
assistance from the media to help our networking. We hope these Email: jatta_john@yahoo.co.uk
us raise public awareness about trainees will form a core of trainers
disability issues and the provision at Gambia College and the
of special needs education and University of Gambia. We also
rehabilitation services. managed to get infrastructural
development projects, technical aids
and educational equipment funded.
Training disabled teachers in Mozambique

Erik Schurmann
Mozambique has been at peace since 1992. New roads, clinics, industry and communication
systems have been developed to replace those destroyed in the long civil war. Yet millions
of people are still living in absolute poverty. Despite developments in education, more than a
million children are still out of school because of a lack of teachers and school buildings.
Class sizes average 64, and disabled children are not considered a priority for education.
Erik is the head of a teacher training college in Cabo Delgado in the north of Mozambique
run by ‘Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para Povo’ (ADPP). Here he reflects on the
challenge of including disabled trainees in the college.
Salimo’s story The disability organisation wrote to

Salimo enrolled as a trainee teacher the provincial department on his
at EPF in 2001. Salimo uses a behalf. Their response was that
wheelchair so the paths were special conditions could not be
improved to enable him to move provided for disabled teachers.
around easily. During teaching
practice, Salimo organised himself As head of the college, I met with
so that he could write on the the head of employment at the
blackboard and he got out of his provincial department. He argued
chair and crawled across the that Salimo did not have the
classroom to help pupils. His necessary documents, which was
community project was latrine not true. He also argued that they
construction. could not provide special working
conditions for Salimo. I explained
Escola de Professores do Futuro Trainee teachers receive a salary that he did not need or want any
(EPF) – ‘Teacher Training Colleges during their practical year, but the ‘special conditions’! Finally Salimo
for the Future’ – is one of seven district administration would not was re-issued with a contract and
colleges run by ADPP Mozambique. give him one, so Salimo began now works at the school where he
Since 1993, 3,000 teachers have work at a school anyway. One day a did his training.
graduated and currently more than Ministry of Education inspection
2,000 students are enrolled for committee unexpectedly visited the If such attitudes and traditions are
training as primary teachers in rural school where Salimo was teaching to change, we need role models for
schools. The course lasts 2.5 years. biology to Grade 7 pupils. The new (and older) generations to
In addition to academic subjects, committee was impressed to see follow. EPF Cabo Delgado aims to
students are trained in community him employing active teaching and continue educating more disabled
work: starting pre-schools, running learning methods using a range of people – with the help of
literacy courses, constructing plants he had brought into class. sponsorship from organisations and
latrines, and campaigning against They observed that the other individuals – so that more disabled
HIV/AIDS, malaria and cholera. In teachers in the school were using people can work as educators. If we
their final year, trainees do teaching traditional teaching methods, with are to achieve education for all, we
practice and implement community pupils simply copying text from the need well-trained teachers to teach
projects in village schools. board. The committee heard that future generations.
Salimo was working without a
EPF Cabo Delgado co-operates contract or salary and they lobbied Contact Erik and Salimo at:
with a disability organisation for him to receive payment. ADPP EPF Cabo Delgado
(ADEMO) which trains students in CP 395 Pemba
working with disabled children. It At the end of his practical training Mozambique
has also provided seven the children, teachers and head Email: dnscabo@teledata.mz
scholarships for disabled student teacher wanted him to return.
teachers. Three students have Salimo graduated in 2003 and went
graduated and are now working as with the other graduates to the
teachers in the province, the rest provincial department of education
are still in training. The disabled to be given a contract. On the way
students improve the educational out of the building he was stopped
environment in the college, by an official who said that disabled
participate in all aspects of the people could not be teachers.
programme, and demonstrate that Salimo had to return the contract.
education is for all.
Transforming Schools: Using the ‘Index for Inclusion’

in South Africa Petra Engelbrecht , Marietjie Oswald and Chris Forlin
The Index for Inclusion* was used in three primary schools in the Western Cape
Province of South Africa over a two-year period, funded by UNESCO. This opened
practitioners’ eyes to the wider definition of inclusive education – as an initiative for
developing inclusive school communities and for identifying barriers to learning and
participation for the benefit of all teachers and all learners. Lessons were learned about
leadership, parental involvement and professional development.
The Index assisted in an honest Education White Paper 6 (special needs education):
process of reflection on school Building an inclusive education and training system
cultures, policies and practices, and Barriers to learning and participation in schools in South Africa arise from:
in identifying and addressing socio-economic deprivation, negative attitudes to and stereotyping of
priorities as part of the schools’ difference, an inflexible curriculum, inappropriate languages or language of
development plans. At first, most learning and teaching, inappropriate communication, inaccessible and
teachers were not familiar with White unsafe built environments, inappropriate and inadequate support services,
Paper 6 or the broader definition of inadequate policies and legislation, the non-recognition and non-involvement
inclusive education. They saw of parents, and inadequately and inappropriately trained education leaders
inclusive education as focusing and teachers. Previously marginalised and disadvantaged schools in South
specifically on including learners Africa face particular challenges. Overcrowded classrooms, poverty stricken
with disabilities. Our experience communities and a lack of resources place a strain on teachers that cannot
showed that inclusive education can be ignored, and all these factors are also counterproductive to the
only be implemented through an implementation of inclusive practices.
ongoing process of trial, reflection, Department of National Education, Pretoria, 2001
development and collaboration.
Once contextualised for South
Africa, the Index appears to provide while the third is thriving due to the disadvantaged communities still
an appropriate model to assist in principal’s democratic leadership. struggle to accept ownership for
the development of more inclusive their own professional development
schools. Parental involvement and growth. They have been
The South African Schools Act disempowered to such an extent
Five themes were identified as (1996) acknowledges the rights of during the previous exclusionary
critical components for the parents to play an active role in the regime in South Africa that they
development of more inclusive learning process of their children. tend not to acknowledge their own
schools: Yet, traditionally, parents tended to abilities, know-how and the fact that
• an inclusive school philosophy be excluded from participating in they do have at least some of the
• democratic leadership, their children’s education. White answers at their disposal. This
structures, processes, values Paper 6 stresses that the active seriously threatens the sustainability
• collaboration with all relevant involvement of parents in the of the Index process in the two
role-players teaching and learning process is schools with autocratic leadership.
• addressing learner diversity and central to effective learning and
behaviour development. Article written by: Petra
• addressing bullying in schools. Engelbrecht, Senior Director of
If parents are to become involved in Research, and Marietjie Oswald,
Leadership their children’s education, however, both at University of
Working and social patterns in every they would have to be invited, Stellenbosch; and Chris Forlin,
school are influenced by the style of motivated and empowered. The role Hong Kong Institute of Education.
leadership. School principals have a of the principals in two of the The research was conducted in
considerable impact on the way schools was a major barrier to collaboration with: Christell de
teachers and other role-players are greater parental involvement. Their Koker and Michelle Munro,
prepared to embrace change, new autocratic leadership styles caused University of Stellenbosch; and
perspectives and practices. tension and unhappiness; parents Leon de Jager and Abri Arendse,
Democratic, transformative did not trust them and did not feel Western Cape Education
leadership promotes collaborative welcome in the schools. Department, South Africa.
problem solving and sustainable Contact Petra:
transformation. In two of the Professional development Private Bag X1, Matieland,
schools, the leadership style made The management teams and South Africa.
implementation of the Index difficult; teachers in some previously Email: peng@sun.ac.za
* For more information on the Index, see page 19, visit www.csie.org.uk or ask EENET.
Working with Parents in Uganda

Phoebe Katende
Sight Savers International (SSI) works in partnership with the Ugandan Government to
ensure that blind and low-vision children access education through the Universal Primary
Education programme in the districts. Some important lessons have been learned about
involving parents in the education of their children, as Phoebe explains in this article.
The success of a child’s education Encouraging parents into school Social workers, where they exist,
can depend a lot on the support of Parents are encouraged to visit their could also be trained to brief
his/her parents or caregivers. There children at school and build a parents about their role in their
needs to be a good relationship rapport with the teachers. During children’s education.
between parents, teachers and these visits, parents can see what
pupils. This is particularly important benefits other children gain from In our experience, teachers visit the
for children with disabilities. Many school, and whether this matches homes of disabled children and
parents of blind and low-vision what their disabled children are explain to parents what to expect
children are unsure of their getting. With this insight, parents for their children when they attend
children’s potential. Parents may be can play a key role in monitoring school, and what role they, as
frightened to send their children to the progress of their children and parents, may be asked to play.
school in case they get lost, hit by a even lobbying for Braille paper, The teacher will often be the first
vehicle, etc. Blind and low-vision appropriate exams and large print person to encourage the parent to
children often drop out of school or books. Parents can talk to non- visit their child at school.
attend irregularly. Often we find disabled children to encourage
them at home, doing nothing or them to support blind and low- SSI’s work in Uganda has shown
carrying out domestic chores. vision peers in their class. Often the the importance of recognising
people responsible for such issues parents’ roles in education.
The role of disabled people’s fight for the rights of these children Parents also benefit from the
organisations without involving the parents, yet education of their children, and
Many parents are not aware of their when parents are trained and aware may be more committed to
children’s rights to education. The of the issues they can play a key promoting education rights than
Kamuli District Association of the role in their children’s education. some professionals, who may
Blind is promoting parents to play a see it as just a job, not a matter of
bigger role in the education of their We have found that parents who are family security and happiness.
children, especially through visits to involved with the school, even take We would encourage all inclusive
schools and lobbying teachers and their demands for quality education education programmes to explore
the districts. to the sub-county or district level, the role of parents and carers if
where they draw on their they want to achieve better results
Overcoming parents’ fears experiences in the school to for all learners.
of school illustrate their cases. One of the
Many parents may never have parents visited a district official and Phoebe is a Project Officer,
attended school and so are in awe reported that he is “quite an assisting SSI partners to develop
of the education process. Schools understanding man, contrary to programmes to promote the
must therefore be welcoming and what I used to think. He had no idea rights and improve the quality
supportive to parents who take an about blind children and has of life of blind and low-vision
interest. Encouraging the promised to help in future”. This persons, and prevent blindness.
development of parent support parent was proud of the visit; it
groups is a good way to build marked a step forward. Contact:
parents’ confidence and help them Sight Savers International,
to understand and discuss teachers’ The role of teachers East African Development
concerns about their children. We also need to ensure that Bank Building
Informal parent support groups teachers have a positive attitude 2nd Floor, 4 Nile Avenue
have improved the situation for towards disability and are willing to P. O. Box 21249,
parents in one school in Kamuli engage with parents. Teachers can Kampala
district. One teacher (a blind help parents by developing action Uganda
person) said that fewer children are plans for their visits to school, and Email:
dropping out of school and the parents can make sure that the pkatende@sightsavers.or.ug
children now talk about their concerned teachers are available
parents’ visits to school. for these visits.
Focus on policy: Iran

Abolfazl Saeedi
Special education in Iran started in 1941 with a charity school for blind children in Tabriz.
Three years later, private deaf education was introduced by an Iranian teacher. In 1968
formal special education was established by the Bureau of Education for Exceptional
Children and Students, within the Ministry of Education. After the Islamic revolution (1979)
special education widened considerably. In 1990 the Special Education Organization (SEO)
was established. Inclusive education was introduced when it became clear that segregated
special education was not reaching enough students.
Although the number of disabled In 2002, the pilot in the two provinces needs at pre-elementary ages in order
students in education (nursery, was evaluated. A programme for the to educate them at an early age and
elementary and high school) was 3.5 development of inclusion nationally provide the basis for including them in
times higher in 2004 than in 1990, was prepared and presented at a regular schools. The SEO Educational
they still only accounted for 0.49% of 2003 UNESCO Conference in Planning Department aims to extend
the student population. Students with Pakistan. As a result of the evaluation, pre-elementary education to children
moderate and severe impairments in personnel training was identified as aged 2–4.
urban areas were much more likely to the key to the success of the
be benefiting from special education. programme. Since 2002, a number of With support from the SEO, a number
Those with mild to moderate courses have been implemented each of provincial associations of parents
impairments tended to be excluded year. In total, 5,788 teachers, 3,505 of disabled children have been
from the statistics, and to be enrolled regular and special school staff, and formed. These are active in
in mainstream schools but without 340 special education administrators supporting the rights of disabled
the advantage of any special and officials have been trained children and promoting inclusion.
educational consideration. countrywide. Seminars were also held It is hoped that such activities will
to sensitise officials and expand in the near future.
In 1999, officials and administrators administrators of education
from SEO and the Basic Education departments at provincial level. A Efforts have been made to raise
Deputy in Tehran met with advisers series of training courses on community awareness about
from UNESCO Paris in a workshop educational planning for inclusive inclusion. This has included radio
about inclusion. In 2000, a group of schools has been planned for these interviews and discussions, and
education administrators from regular provincial staff for 2006–08. educational films on national TV.
and special education visited inclusive Hundreds of news reports and
schools in England, and UNESCO In 2004, the pilot was re-evaluated interviews have been printed in
advisers analysed the special and a bylaw was prepared in co- journals and newspapers throughout
education situation in Iran. A pilot plan operation with the deputies of the Iran. Together with the training
for inclusion was implemented in Ministry, which is being examined by programme, these activities have led
Esfahan and Gilan provinces. Two the Education High Council. This to a three-fold increase in the
more workshops on educational bylaw built on the results of the admission of disabled children into
planning for inclusion were facilitated evaluations, and was created in order mainstream schools. At a workshop in
in 2002–03, with UNICEF’s help. to supply specialised staff to support 2003, the Ministry of Education shared
mainstream schools and to develop the results of its experiences with
From 2001, resources were sought for adequate legislation to enable teachers and officials from
training teachers, other school staff, disabled children to benefit from Afghanistan, in collaboration with the
officials and administrators in regular education in mainstream schools. Islamic Educational, Scientific and
and special education departments. Cultural Organization.
Two UNESCO resources – In view of the increasing number of
Understanding and Responding to children who pass at least one year of Contact: Abolfazl Saeedi,
Children’s Needs in Inclusive pre-elementary classes (aged 6), the Research Institute of
Classrooms and Open File on SEO, the Ministry of Health and Exceptional Children,
Inclusive Education: Support Material Medical Education, the Welfare 36, 5th building of
for Managers and Administrators – Organization, the Welfare Sciences Ministry of Education,
were translated into Farsi. These were University and the Research Institute Martyred Moazffar Brothers,
complemented by articles about the of Exceptional Children are working to Enghelab Avenue,
reasons for developing an inclusive standardise the ‘Ages and Stages Tehran, 1416935671,
education system in Iran, and Questionnaire’. This is a parent- I.R.Iran.
educational films about inclusion in completed, child monitoring system Email:
Iran and other countries. which identifies children with special asaeedi3121341@yahoo.com
Regional news
Asia What’s it like running a Regional workshop

regional network? for South Asia
We asked the EENET Asia team for EENET Asia is involved in the
their reflections on their first year of organisation of a UNESCO
running the new network. Anupam regional workshop for participants
Ahuja explained: from Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
“This work is really great fun but Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
demanding (with a capital D!).
Yesterday was the only day in the The workshop, which focuses on
past three months that I did not the development of inclusive and
work on our second issue of the child-friendly education under the
EENET Asia newsletter. There is so umbrella of Education for All, will
EENET Asia – the enabling much to do... write to people, share take place at the end of November
education network for the Central, our mission, motivate them to write, 2006, in New Delhi, India.
South and South East Asia region – follow up, edit articles, share my
published its first newsletter in July thinking with the other editorial For more information,
2005. Its second newsletter is just team members (who are based in please contact Johan Lindeberg,
being printed and distributed, and different countries across the UNESCO Bangkok,
looks at some of the issues region), agree and disagree, P.O. Box 967,
discussed during an international acknowledge contributions, reflect Prakhanong Post Office,
symposium run by the network in on the past... and constantly Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Indonesia in September 2005. keep thinking about what next. Email:
It also contains articles on topics Now I understand why Susie Miles j.lindeberg@unescobkk.org
such as: education in emergencies; (from EENET) said, when we
child labour; HIV and AIDS; chatted in 2000, that EENET takes
accessibility; and successful 9 months to bring out one
inclusive and child-friendly practices newsletter.... It is a PROCESS!!”
in schools and communities. Pacific
EENET Asia’s editorial team The EENET Asia newsletters are Discussions are under way about
invites ideas for themes for future available in print, Braille and starting an EENET-style network
newsletters. If there is a topic that electronic versions, as well as in for the Pacific region. If you would
you feel the Asia newsletter should other languages (e.g. Bahasa be interested in joining such a
focus on in more detail, please let Indonesia, Russian and Urdu). network, or even helping to host
the editorial team know. To find out how to obtain copies, and run the network, please
you can email asia@eenet.org.uk contact:
Some issues they would particularly or write to: EENET Asia & IDP Donna Lene,
like articles on include: Office, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Inclusive Education Project
• links between religion and Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta, Jawa Co-ordinator (Pride, Samoa)
children’s rights in education Tengah, Indonesia. You can also P.O. Box 981,
• development of ‘child-friendly download the newsletters from Apia, Samoa
school’ approaches in EENET’s website. Email: donna@samoa.ws
different countries
• educational rights and inclusion
from parents’ perspectives
• formal and non-formal education
programmes, and how they Translations
can link EENET needs your help! We really want to be able to offer this
• education for minority newsletter (and other inclusive education documents) in other
communities, and children living languages, so that more readers can access it. We can’t afford to pay
in conflict, post-emergency translators, but if you could volunteer to help translate a newsletter (or
situations, or in exile. even just one or two articles) into any other language, then we really
want to hear from you.
The EENET interview
In February 2006, the Atlas Alliance (Norway) ran a four-day inclusive education workshop
in Zanzibar, East Africa. Most of the 45 participants were from its member organisations
and partners working in East and Southern Africa, Nepal and Palestine. The workshop
helped participants to share experiences and learn from each other. Various participatory
activities were used, including photo elicitation – the use of photos to stimulate reflection
on our interpretations and experiences of inclusion. Blind participant Mr Zefania Kalumuna
was interviewed by EENET’s Ingrid Lewis about the use of photo elicitation.
What do you think of the use of What is your view on the benefits Another thing we do is to make an
photos to stimulate discussions of this activity for yourself and audio cassette that has sound
among sighted and blind sighted participants? effects relating to the pictures. For
workshop participants? We both really benefited from the example, if the printed book has a
I think it is a very good approach. It activity. It was different for me to use picture of a lion, the cassette has a
is important to remember the role this activity, but I was able to find sound effect of a lion roaring, and
that visual images can and should out a lot about what was happening the blind child can listen to this
play in the learning process of in the schools from the pictures. while the sighted child looks at and
everyone, including blind people. The sighted participants benefited describes the picture. The sighted
because they had to look more child obviously also learns more
What methods did your group use closely at the picture than normal, when they listen to such a cassette.
to include you in these activities? which helped them analyse the
I found the best solution is to have situations of inclusion/exclusion that And even if we really can’t afford
at least two people describe the might exist in the picture. Braille or cassettes, we should train
picture to me, so I can gather teachers how to teach sighted and
several interpretations about what is Does this activity have a wider blind children about how to work
happening in the picture. This was relevance to inclusive education? together effectively from printed and
the same when we did classroom Definitely! When blind children are picture books.
observation during the school visits. learning to read at school they may
It was best if two people described have Braille books containing Mr Kalumuna co-ordinates
the class to me (one local person words, but sighted children have special needs education for
and one ‘outsider’). books with words and pictures. visually impaired persons within
Especially in Grades 1 and 2, books the Ministry of Education and
Did everyone describe the photo are 75% pictures. This means the Vocational Training, Special
in the same way? child with the Braille book is missing Needs Education Unit.
No! One person focuses on one a lot. They may be together in the He is Chair of the Information
thing and someone else notices a same class, but they are separated Centre on Disabilities and the
different thing in the photo. Each by different books. Tanzania Braille Audio Trust, and
person had a different idea about is Assistant Chief Editor of the
what barriers to inclusion the What solution do you Tanzania Writers Association.
pictures showed. I could build up recommend? Contact:
an idea in my mind about what they I have worked with a project that P.O Box 77700
described, based on different transcribes children’s books into Dar es Salaam
opinions. Braille and there are several Tanzania.
solutions I have learned about. Of Email: zefakalu@yahoo.co.uk
What happened when your group course, sighted and blind children
discussed and analysed the should be assisted to read together,
photos? so that the sighted child can EENET is committed to promoting
I was able to suggest interpretations describe the pictures to the blind the use of images in action
based on the descriptions. child. They will both benefit from research around inclusive
Sometimes my interpretation of the doing this. We can assist by education. It has been suggested
barrier being depicted (and the ensuring that Braille books have that such an approach is inevitably
possible causes/impacts) was the both the Braille-page number and exclusive of people with visual
same as the sighted participants’; the printed-page number on every impairments, and so we have
sometimes I suggested things they sheet of the book. This way blind been keen to investigate this
hadn’t thought of. and sighted children can easily further. This interview has offered
know they are reading from the us some insights and ideas, and
same page. we encourage further discussion
of this issue.
Your letters/emails
Girl child drop-out A well-timed newsletter!
I finished my teacher training in 2004. At my first school Thank you for Newsletter 9, which included articles
I observed that the number of girls in grade 4 was quite about the use of art, dance and images in inclusive
impressive, but when I was given class 7, I discovered education. You came at the right time with this
a noticeable drop in numbers – almost half. Traditional information. I am a theatre practitioner working with the
attitudes which favour males in education contradict Swaziland Association of Theatre for Children and
the gender policy in education in Zambia. So I found it Young People. We use theatre as a life skill and as a
very important to identify the deep-rooted causes of tool to educate and inform people on dangers and
this girl child drop-out. I investigated the situation, social issues at community and national level. Theatre
through reading documents and talking to people in has proved to be a powerful form of information
my area, and found that causes included: financial dissemination and education. We have plays on
reasons; parents’ low education levels; girls’ low self- HIV/AIDS issues with the involvement of the disabled. I
esteem; early pregnancy; teachers’ negative attitudes strongly feel theatre can be more effective in the
towards girls, especially in science subjects. I worked Enabling Education Network. We would like to network
to raise parents’ awareness that sending girls to school with all countries/organisations involved in such work.
can positively contribute to the development of the
country. Some parents have now changed their
Zodwa T. Gama, P.O. Box 472, Mbabane, Swaziland.
negative attitude and vowed to continue their children’s
Email: andrewmoyo2000@yahoo.com
education. I would like to correspond with other
teachers working on these issues around the world.
Editor’s note:
Augustine Chulube, Kashitu Middle Basic School, Copies of “Inclusive Education: Where there are few
P.O. Box 490025, Kaputa, Zambia. resources” (published by Atlas Alliance – Norway)
are available free from EENET.
Bringing diagrams to life Differences between special, integrated and inclusive education
I have often used the diagrams
from the book “Inclusive
Education: Where there are few
resources”. My sister redrew the
pictures of the peg boards for
me to use in training seminars
and for explaining the difference
between special, integrated
and inclusive education. I found
the illustrations very useful.
They present a very concrete
explanation which has been Special education Integrated education
effective with people with all An education system for ‘normal’ Trying to change children so
levels of education. I asked a children (round pegs); a different they fit into the ‘normal’ system
local carpenter to make me a system for ‘special needs’ children (making square pegs fit into
wooden version of the boards (square pegs) round holes)
which I use when training.
They make the diagrams come
to life and help blind participants
to appreciate the concept more. Wooden boards made
Here are the drawings for in Afghanistan
others to use.
Karen Chesterton, currently

working as Disability and
Education Adviser for
Afghanistan Ministry of Inclusive education
Education, through UNDP. All children are different –
Email: krchesterton- we change the system
education@yahoo.com, or
to accommodate
contact through EENET’s
postal address. everyone
Useful Publications
Capacity Building of Teacher Guidelines and Recommendations Learning from Difference
Training Institutions in for Reorienting Teacher Education EENET’s guidelines for practitioners
Sub-Saharan Africa to Address Sustainability wishing to use action research in their
UNESCO (2005) UNESCO (2005) inclusive education work is now
Summarises evaluations of teacher This document looks at the issue of available in printed format (as well as
training institutions and UNESCO’s education for a more sustainable on CD-ROM) in Arabic, English,
work in the region. future. In particular it addresses French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Available in English/French from: how teacher education programmes Available from EENET
http://unesdoc.unesco.org can be revised to fit broader
environmental, social, and Teacher Training Initiative for
Developing Inclusive economic conditions and goals. Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA)
Teacher Education Available from: UNESCO has launched this high-
Tony Booth, Kari Nes and http://unesdoc.unesco.org priority initiative for 2006–15 to help
Marit Strømstad (2003) sub-Saharan countries restructure
This book provides an insightful id21.org national teacher policies and teacher
analysis of how inclusion might be This website shares international education. It aims to increase the
promoted in teacher education, using development research to policy number of teachers and improve the
examples from England, Scotland, makers and practitioners, and quality of teaching. Seventeen
Norway, New Zealand and the USA. contains many articles about teacher countries are participating in the first
Published by Routledge education issues. phase of the initiative.
Available from: See: www.id21.org More information is available at:
Taylor & Francis Group Ltd www.unesco.org/education/TTISSA
2 Park Square Inclusive Classrooms:
Milton Park The use of images in active What Makes Teachers Tick?
Abingdon learning and action research VSO (2002)
OX14 4RN, UK EENET (2005) Produced as part of a VSO advocacy
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7017 6699 This report provides further details of project – Valuing Teachers – this report
www.tandf.co.uk/books EENET’s image-based action research explores teachers’ perspectives on
ISBN 0-415 30318 4 project with school students and factors that influence their motivation,
Price: £24.99 teachers in Mpika, Zambia. and identifies policy and practice
Available from EENET changes needed to enhance their
Guidelines for Inclusion: motivation.
Ensuring Access to Education for All Inclusive Education E-newsletter Available from:
UNESCO (2005) In May 2005, Healthlink Worldwide www.vso.org.uk/resources/
This publication aims to change and the Disability Action Council, position_papers.asp
attitudes regarding inclusion, so that Cambodia ran a three-day
Education for All can become a reality. roundtable discussion in Cambodia,
It serves as a policy tool for attended by over 60 people
formulating and revising Education for interested in inclusive education.
All plans and can be a basis for Their experiences and enthusiasm
discussion among policy makers, prompted the development of an
educators, NGOs and international electronic newsletter.
organisations interested in promoting
EENET
education. The e-newsletter covers issues such
c/o Educational Support
Available from: as, the inclusion of deaf children in
UNESCO mainstream schools, the importance of and Inclusion
7, place de Fontenoy, giving parents a voice, disabled School of Education
75352 PARIS 07 SP teachers as role-models, and research The University of Manchester
France opportunities in inclusive education. It Oxford Road
www.unesco.org/education/ was produced by Healthlink Worldwide Manchester M13 9PL, UK
inclusive and Susie Miles from EENET, as part Tel: +44 (0)161 275 3711
of the Disability Knowledge and Fax: +44 (0)161 275 3548
Research Programme. Email: info@eenet.org.uk
Available from: www.disabilitykar.net/ Web: www.eenet.org.uk
ie_news/ed_intro.html
Many of the useful publications listed here are electronic/Internet

resources. EENET readers who are unable to access Internet
documents are encouraged to contact us, as we may be able to
provide you with photocopies, or electronic versions on CD.

Enabling Education 10

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Enabling Education

Contents EENET News

Editorial – focus on teacher education

is a radical idea that rebelled

Zambian pupils exhibit their photo project (EENET)

Teacher training – a miserable failure? J.R.A. Williams

Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester

I did it! Personal experiences in an inclusive class

As part of my teaching practice in But then the class teacher told me

Including working children in education, Yemen

Barriers to learning Recognising individual Teachers were introduced to the

Redesigning the Soviet Education

In-service teacher training teachers in identifying the • support school teachers in

can be supported to learn in

Using the Index for Inclusion

Training for inclusive education, Papua New Guinea

Teacher training in Uganda

Changing the way we teach, Burkina Faso

Issa Tiendrébeogo, a teacher of an

“The co-operation with a deaf

CEFISE’s long-term ambitions

• ensuring an environment where CEFISE’s teacher training workshops

Student perspectives on what

To find out more about the use

Photograph taken by Zambian student:

Students’ comments and photographs

Self assessment and inclusion, The Bahamas

* Boud, D. (1986) Implementing Student Self Assessment, Sydney: HERDSA

Making the learning environment

Analysing barriers to education

In 2004 I went to live in a small The action research cycle

I worked in a nursery, a primary and a

A key aspect of this challenge was

We also found the mind mapping

“How can it be possible that we as teachers can have so much in

Inclusive education networking in The Gambia

Training disabled teachers in Mozambique

Salimo’s story The disability organisation wrote to

Transforming Schools: Using the ‘Index for Inclusion’

Working with Parents in Uganda

Focus on policy: Iran

Asia What’s it like running a Regional workshop

The EENET interview

Karen Chesterton, currently

Many of the useful publications listed here are electronic/Internet

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